Research and knowledge exchange

Seed corn fund

The Seed Corn Fund is a School-based initiative in which each School makes an annual allocation to support cross-School interdisciplinary research which will, at a later stage, lead to a full funding application to a grant-giving body or other external funder.

The SCF thus provides "pump priming" support to academic faculty at various stages of their career, and is also intended to facilitate collaborative relationships leading to concrete externally funded projects.

Information on recent Successful SCF Bids [PDF 48.33KB]

Eligibility

Applicants: All staff eligible for inclusion in the Research Excellence Framework (i.e. Academic and Research staff; excludes students, staff with teaching-only contracts, and junior research staff)

Minimum requirements: Two eligible applicants each from a different School (to ensure inter-disciplinarity). [Initiatives which are firmly School based should seek support via the Head of the School concerned].

Duration: Projects must complete within 12 months of being formally notified of the award.

Available budget:  A maximum of £4,000 can be requested (direct costs only).

Applying for the Seed Corn Fund

Procedure for requesting SCF support:

Any request for support from the SCF must come via the Directors of Research and Knowledge Exchange (DRKEs) of the applicants using the Seed Corn Fund Application Form [DOC 92.50KB].  The request should address the following:

 

1. The project/activity:

  • A title and summary of the nature of the work planned
  • Why it is important, for the individuals and for their schools
  • Timescales for the project/activity
  • Expected outputs / deliverables, short term and longer term (if supported, you will be expected to report achievements against these outputs and deliverables)
  • How it will lead to a full funding application and the plans for doing so

     

2. Finances / budget:

  • A breakdown of the project budget and what is being requested from the SCF (up to £4,000)
  • Who else has been approached for support? What is the nature of that support (amount and towards which parts of the cost)?
  • Would the project/activity still be able to go ahead without SCF support?
  • If yes, then what added value will SCF support bring to the project/activity?

     

Where to send your request for SCF support:

  1. Send the completed request form to the following email address: scf@sussex.ac.uk
  2. It will be checked and then sent to your respective DRKEs in batch for review.
  3. Applications will then be considered in batch twice yearly by the Head of Schools Group (HoSG). See the calendar in "Deadlines" below.
  4. Additional information may be requested before a decision is made by HoSG.
Expectations of Successful Applications

Outcome:

Should your request for support be successful, you will receive written confirmation within a week of the decision.

Reports:

You will provide an end of award report about the project / activity.  

You are also expected to give an end of project seminar (to an audience drawn at least from your own schools) about how the funding was used.

Deadlines

Calendar: Future deadlines to be announced

Timeline

Deadline: Submit application to SCF administrator by:

 

DRKEs review by:

 

Outcomes:

 

Projects should start by:

 
Seed Corn Fund Downloads

Application Form [DOC 92.50KB]

Guidance Notes [PDF 291.94KB]

Procedural Flowchart [DOC 42.50KB]

Enquiries/further information available from:

    Rossana Dowsett
    Email: scf@sussex.ac.uk
    Phone: 8238