Leverhulme Trust Research Centres
The Leverhulme Trust is inviting applications for Research Centres which will not only conduct research of outstanding originality but also aspire to achieve a significant step-change in scholarship. The Trust’s aim is to encourage new approaches that may establish or reshape a field of study and so transform our understanding of a significant contemporary topic.
- What is the Leverhulme Trust looking for?
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The Trust has a reputation for encouraging higher-risk research which is often therefore fundamental or curiosity-driven – so-called ‘blue skies’ – and pan-disciplinary. The expectation is that Centres will draw upon a range of disciplinary perspectives and expertise, perhaps bringing new disciplinary mixes to bear on a particular topic. The hope is for bids that fold the social sciences and humanities authentically into the mix, rather than being framed primarily in physical and life science terms.
The Centres should have the capacity to become recognised internationally for excellence in their chosen area.
In line with the Trust’s responsive mode of working, the choice of research topic is left open, with the exclusion of studies of disease, illness and disabilities in humans and animals, or research that is intended to inform clinical practice or the development of medical applications.
The Trust has a strong reputation for funding cross-disciplinary research embracing the sciences, social sciences and the humanities.
- What funding is available?
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Up to £1 million per annum is available for between 5 and 10 years, with an appropriate mid-grant review.
Centres will be encouraged to build on the Leverhulme grant by seeking additional concurrent support from other funding bodies.
The Trust will not normally award follow-on platform grants. If Centre arrangements persist beyond the original award, this will be on the initiative of the grant holder or institution.
The usual categories of expenditure from Trust funds are permitted:
- Salaries for research staff
At least 75% of the resources requested must be used to provide funding for research staff (research assistants, postgraduate students, replacement teaching costs) - Associated research costs
These include technical or computing staff costs or services, travel and subsistence, consumables, and can be included up to a maximum of 25% of the total budget
As the Trust is not permitted to fund ‘infrastructural’ investment or overheads, institutions which wish to host a Centre will be required to provide all necessary office and work space and any other appropriate university support.
Note also that the Trust does not make awards on a full economic costing basis.
- Salaries for research staff
- Internal demand management : Universities can submit a single application
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Universities can submit a single application to the Research Centres scheme therefore an internal nomination and review mechanism is needed to ensure that that strongest possible proposal is selected.
if you would like to apply to this scheme please discuss your application with your Head of School and Director of Research & Knowledge Exchange.
Internal timeline:
- Internal deadline for submitting nominations is noon Friday 29th January 2021
- Applicants should use the internal pro-forma
- Applicants must be submitted via the applicant's Head of School and emailed to research.initiatives@sussex.ac.uk
- Review of nominations and applicants notified of outcome by Friday 19th February 2021
- Leverhulme deadline to submit outline applications is 4pm 16th April 2021.
- More information and key contacts
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More information is available on the Leverhulme website.
Please contact Debbie Foy if you have any queries regarding the internal selection process.
Your Research Development Manager will be able to support you with your internal nomination.