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  4. Funding for Knowledge Exchange & Impact
  5. HSS Collaboration and Strategic Impact Fund

HSS Collaboration and Strategic Impact Fund

The HSS Collaboration and Strategic Impact Fund 2024-25 is now open for applications. More information about how to apply is given below.

The HSS Collaboration and Strategic Impact Fund welcomes proposals from individuals and groups of researchers in Humanities and Social Sciences in order to develop research collaborations with external, non-academic partners to deliver research activity with significant impact. Projects should involve collaboration with external non-HEI partners in the co-creation of impact based on the earlier research activity of the applicant(s). The scheme will run from November 2024 and spend needs to be completed by end of July 2025. Using funds allocated to the Faculty from the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), applicants can submit proposals for up to £12,000 per project for individual led projects, and up to £20,000 for group led projects. Please contact Maria Morelli to discuss these limits if they do not reflect your project needs. 

Successful projects should

  • Strengthen engagement with research users and beneficiaries in order to accelerate the transition of research into impact.
  • Support, foster and develop strategic partnerships for knowledge exchange and impact.
  • Support the progression of the research towards the next stages in the impact pipeline, for example: activities targeting policy makers, business and or the civic sectors.

Projects that have long-term potential impact relating to the Faculty’s research and have the potential to be developed into impact case studies will be prioritised. 

The deadline for submission of bids is Midday on 11 November 2024.

Eligibility

  1. Academic staff in teaching and research roles or groups of academic research staff within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences are eligible to apply to this scheme.
  2. Group applications may be submitted, but each project must nominate a lead applicant.  The lead must have passed their probation.
  3. Doctoral students and research staff who are not employed within the Faculty as independent researchers may not apply as lead applicants. However, proposals which are designed to offer experience of external collaboration to less experienced colleagues, including doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers, are strongly encouraged. 
  4. Proposals must include a minimum of one non-academic partner but there are no restrictions on the size, type, sector or location of the partner organisation. Proposals with an international dimension are welcome, as are those proposals which involve collaboration with more than one partner. The role and contribution of each project partner must be clearly defined. 

N.B. No monies may be carried forward into a new financial period, and all project expenditure must be incurred by 31 July 2025. 

Aims

Whilst the HSS Collaboration and Strategic Impact Fund will support the development and expansion of existing partnerships and collaborations, proposals that seek to stimulate new, potentially long-term mutually beneficial relationships that benefit from our research are also strongly encouraged. In addition, we will support proposals that demonstrate external engagement and collaboration to underpin impact from research.  

Funding may be used for:  

  • Modest staff costs for partner organisations, where participation would otherwise be impossible.  
  • Staff costs for Queen Mary researchers other than independent research staff to enable their participation on the project. PhD students are eligible for such costs . Queen Mary staff costs must be provided by your School Research Manager, using a standalone Worktribe costing.
  • Hosting events, exhibitions, workshops. This may include venue hire, hospitality and associated costs.  
  • Essential travel and subsistence for staff, key participants and/or collaborators costed according to Queen Mary Financial Regulations  
  • Technical or specialist expertise (e.g. translation, transcription, digital resource development, exhibition development). 
  • Dissemination events or activities, and public engagement events where these activities form a part of an overall project. Public Engagement should not be the primary focus of proposals submitted to this scheme, as other internal and external funding is more suitable for projects designed to primarily test or develop research related public engagement.  Please contact Esther Brown for advice.

Funding may not be used for:  

  • Buy-out costs for the Academic lead or other academic applicants.  
  • Capital equipment

This list is not exhaustive and further advice and guidance as to the suitability of this funding for your project is available from the Impact Officer: m.morelli@qmul.ac.uk

Proposals must: 

  1. Build on the previous QM research of the academic lead or research group. 
  2. Identify a clear need/ challenge or opportunity that the project seeks to address or begin to address.
  3. Articulate a rationale for the partnership and identify the benefits for academic and non-academic participants. 
  4. Have a clear objectives and milestones to be assessed for its ability to deliver.
  5. Provide a justifiable costing, which should be checked by the School Research Manager prior to submission.
  6. Articulate how the project will further the development of impact activities and outputs in collaboration with external partners. 
  7. Include a letter of support from each project partner (see application form for guidance)

Proposals are also encouraged to:

  • Consider the cultural, ecological and/or economic sustainability of the planned activities Take account of accessibility requirements for project participants and any publics engaged, in relation to either in person or online activities, events, publications and resources, whether during the project, or its dissemination. 
  • Consider evaluation as integral to the process and pathways of impact, and explain the approach to collaboration this might require, as well as its likely timing and costs.
  • Take advantage of QM support services in planning partnerships, collaboration and co-creation activities, documentation and dissemination, including: HSS Deputy Dean for Research Impact, HSS Impact Engagement Officer, HSS Senior Partnerships Manager, Centre for Public Engagement, QM Innovation, JRMO, QM Events Team, HSS Public Relations Manager, QM Design & Branding Team. 
  • Bear in mind the range of support for developing commercial, social enterprise and policy related impacts including: Global Policy Institute, Mile End Insititute, IHSS, Business Development and QMI 

Assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:  

  • Articulation of the connections between the research interests, the planned activities, has the external partner been instrumental in the design of the project.  
  • Is there a clearly articulated need challenge or opportunity underpinning the planned activities.  
  • Quality of the plan: including clear objectives and milestones that can be delivered and evidence that the project will be managed to maximise these impacts. 
  • Value for money
  • Partner support

Evaluation of bids

The bids will be reviewed against the assessment criteria for award by a panel including: Prof. Kate Spencer, HSS Deputy Dean for Research (Impact); Sarah Smith, HSS Strategic Research Manager; Esther Brown, QMUL Impact Manager.

Application process

Download application form: HSS Collaboration and Strategic Impact Fund Application Form 2024-25 [DOC 56KB]

The deadline for submission of bids is midday on 11 November 2024 (please submit one document in pdf format).  

Submissions should be made to HSS Impact Officer, Maria Morelli at m.morelli@qmul.ac.uk.

Decisions and any pertinent feedback will be communicated following a panel review by 29 November 2024.  

All applicants must ensure they have the support of their School's Director of Research before an application is submitted.  

Successful applicants may be asked to provide details including images, data, and testimonies to support the production of materials that promote HSS and QM’s Impact activities and culture for internal and external audiences, with recognition given to data protection, image rights and other concerns. 

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