SSRP Funding
SSRP Funds
The Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP) Centre of Excellence funds University of Sussex interdisciplinary research projects focused on identifying trade-offs and synergies among the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Over the last six years, SSRP has catalysed research that provides Science for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) whilst navigating the intricate web of interactions among and driving synergies between them. With 58 seed fund projects and 30 externally funded projects under its belt, SSRP continues to support excellent research and actionable solutions that have real-world impact.
SSRP is now excited to unveil its latest annual research funding opportunity SSRP Fund # 9 ‘Scaling up Sustainability Research’, welcoming submissions until Wednesday, 5 June 2024. The aim of this funding call is to provide support for large platform bids. These bids would scale up the excellent cutting edge research being carried out by sustainability researchers at Sussex, in conjunction with partners worldwide. SSRP is inviting current SSRP Fellows, and other researchers, including early-career researchers from across campus to apply.
The SSRP Impact Fund is currently open and accessible to existing or previously funded SSRP projects. The fund aims to accelerate impact and further engagement with these projects.
Last year, we also re-launched our Visiting Fellowship Fund, designed to build collaborations with partner organisations and strengthen the international research network of SSRP and the University. Awards for this fund are limited to £5,000 and applications are particularly encouraged from those not yet involved in SSRP activities, and those from DAC listed countries.
SSRP Fund # 9: Scaling up Sustainability Research
SSRP is delighted to announce the commencement of this year's seed-funding opportunity SSRP Round #9, making available small grants to support researchers from across our research community to commit time to developing bids for platform grants to 'scale up sustainability research' and help further the ambitions of the Sussex sustainability research community and the SSRP Centre of Excellence.
SSRP supports sustainability research with impact at the regional, national and international levels. It has a particular emphasis on interdisciplinary studies and cross-school cooperation. Aimed at fostering collaboration and catalysing research aligned with SSRP’s five thematic areas, projects funded under this SSRP Round 9 Call for Proposals are expected to contribute to one or more of the following themes:
- Ecosystems, rights, and justice
- Planetary health
- South Coast sustainability
- Sustainable climate and food systems
- Sustainability frontiers
SSRP will assist successful applicants by pre-identifying promising calls and providing guidance to researchers seeking to align their projects with relevant external funding opportunities.
There will be opportunities to bid for funding for calls that may come up later in the round. We suggest that the external bidding process is between August and December 2024 for calls such as UKRI large grants and up to March 2025 for Horizon Europe. For applicants interested in Horizon Europe, the PIs will be required to indicate potential EU partners they intend to work with in their applications. The funds can be used for events and networking that support the development of these relationships.
Projects funded by this call will benefit from the support structure of the programme. This includes support for networking with UK and European partners and other potential partners; support for working with local stakeholders; engaging with the central research and enterprise division in bid development; as well as the organisation of sandpits, research cluster meetings, workshops, symposia, and other activities that can support a strong bid for a platform grant.
Scope
The SSRP Fund 9 Call for Proposals Guidance [PDF 352.29KB] outlines all the details of this unique funding opportunity, with a total of £90k available to support three to four internal bids ranging between £20-30k each. The deadline for submission is set for Wednesday, 5 June 2024 (by 12:00 noon), providing ample time for interested researchers to prepare and submit their proposals.
These bids will be for supported projects that must reflect the ethos of SSRP by advancing two or more SDGs while aligning with SSRP's thematic research areas. Projects should be interdisciplinary and involve cooperation between two or more schools. Support of early-career researchers is encouraged and indeed early career researchers are encouraged to also apply for the funding. If you are looking for research collaborators, make sure to check out our Sustainability Search Database which allows you to filter by SDG, keyword and geographical area.
Please see the SSRP Project Spotlight for an overview of the type of projects supported most recently, covering diverse topics, such as ecosystem recovery; territorial and indigenous rights; waterway resilience; equitable forest restoration; and place-based research for sustainability transitions.
How to apply
Further information can be taken from the SSRP Fund 9 Call for Proposals Guidance [PDF 352.29KB] which contains all the details regarding the call and its scope.
Please complete the SSRP Fund 9 Application Form [DOCX 325.38KB] and submit electronically by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, 5 June 2024 to SSRP Senior Programme Manager Sephora Imomoh at S.M.Imomoh@sussex.ac.uk. Late submissions will not be considered.
If you have any questions or would like to give an early indication of intention to apply, please do get in touch.
Key dates
| Call issued | Deadline | Panel meeting | Decision to applicants | Funds disbursed * | Latest external bid submission date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 March 2024 |
5 June 2024 12:00 noon |
June 2024 (tbc) |
3 July 2024 (tbc) |
1 August 2024 |
31 March 2025 |
* Project expenditure: All funds must be spent by 31 March 2025. This is to ensure that external project bid applications are completed and in certain cases outcomes communicated before the end of the financial year on 31 July 2025. Project start dates may depend on what due diligence and contracts partners require.
SSRP Impact Fund
The Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP) Impact Fund is designed to provide short-turnaround funds for SSRP-funded faculty to generate additional impact from their SSRP funded research. The fund is open to PIs, Co-Is and postdocs associated with SSRP-funded projects.
The fund will support impact and engagement activities that build and strengthen relationships and seek to accelerate the impact being generated from SSRP-funded research projects. Funding could be used for a range of activities, including but not limited to:
- developing policy recommendations/documents with external partners
- collaborative meetings overseas (noting that the visiting fellowship scheme will cover financing colleagues from overseas to visit Sussex)
- research-based training for external partners
- Short-term employment of research assistant to enhance impact
- special Journal Issues
- costs of organising special sessions on an SSRP topic at a national or international conference; cost of attending a conference to present SSRP results
- costs of visits to key stakeholders and presenting SSRP results.
Funding
We envisage grants will be in the region of £1,000-2,000 for a period of up to 6 months. The upper limit of funding applications is £5,000 in exceptional circumstances (e.g. for unanticipated Special Journal Issue costs). Carry-over of funds into the next financial year (after 31st July 2024) will not be permitted.
Ineligible costs
- conference attendance
- impact and engagement activities costs requested in the original SSRP funding application
- hosting of overseas visiting fellows at Sussex (to be covered by SSRP Fellowship Fund).
Application process
Requests for funds may be submitted at any time using the SSRP Impact Fund Application Form [DOCX 478.84KB]. Please complete the form and return to SSRP Senior Programme Manager, Sephora Imomoh at s.m.imomoh@sussex.ac.uk by Sunday, 31 March 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
The Director of SSRP may also invite applications. Applications will be reviewed by the SSRP Directorate. These funds are available for SSRP-associated projects only.
Review criteria
- evidence of need by project partners
- evidence of how the proposed activity fits within a planned, sustained and strategic approach to engagement
- demonstration of additionality to previous SSRP-funded activities.
Reporting requirements
Successful applicants will be expected to submit a very brief report on progress and outcomes to date. Reports will be expected after six months or at the end of the funding period.
SSRP Visiting Fellowship Fund (currently closed)
We also re-launched our Visiting Fellowship Fund last year, designed to build collaborations with partner organisations and strengthen the international research network of SSRP and the University. Applications are encouraged from those not yet involved in SSRP activities, those from DAC listed countries and those working on collaborative research activities that specifically address research to help achieve the global sustainability goals for humanity and the environment.
Overseas colleagues are invited to Sussex to work on outputs from joint research activities. Possible outputs may include, but are not limited to:
- research proposals;
- journal articles or other academic outputs;
- policy briefs or other policy-relevant outputs;
- and a lecture or seminar.
Proposed SSRP Visiting Fellows should be nominated by a Sussex applicant. The applicant is expected to have developed a clear plan for collaborative research outputs with the nominee, and the nominee should have agreed arrangements to cover their absence from their home institution.
Funding
Awards for this fund are limited to £5,000 and carry-over of funds into the next financial year (after 31st July 2024) will not be permitted. Funding under this scheme will cover the following for the Visiting Fellow:
- Travel
- Accommodation
- Visa
- Insurance
- Subsistence (in line with the University’s set rates)
Ineligible costs
Because this fund is intended to foster substantive research collaboration, unfortunately it cannot be used to underwrite Visiting Fellows’ conference participation or their independent fieldwork. This fund will not pay:
- Salary costs;
- Consumables;
- Equipment for the Visiting Fellow.
Further information can be found in the SSRP Visiting Fellowship Fund Guidance Document [DOCX 313.76KB].
Application process
Please complete the SSRP Visiting Fellowship Application Form [DOCX 478.74KB] and SSRP Senior Programme Manager, Sephora Imomoh at s.m.imomoh@sussex.ac.uk.
Applications submitted after the deadline and incomplete applications will not be considered for this round of funding. Applications will be reviewed by the SSRP Directorate.
Review criteria
- rationale for collaboration between the applicant and nominee
- appropriateness and likelihood of expected outcomes
- importance of research questions underpinning the collaboration
- value for money
- importance of fellowship for the host School
Further information
If you would like to discuss your applications, give an early indication of intention to apply or have any further questions, please contact Sephora Imomoh, SSRP Senior Programme Manager, at s.m.imomoh@sussex.ac.uk.