Funding Opportunities

The Public Engagement Fund invites applications for ambitious projects aimed at engaging the public with health-related research.

• Open to all researchers (not just ISSF- or Wellcome-funded).
• Proposals are expected to comprise long-term projects or a programme of activities rather than single one-off events.
• We encourage applications that demonstrate innovative approaches, partnerships with external organisations, collaborations between Science and Arts & Humanities, identification of audience needs or plans for collaboration/consultation with hard-to-reach audiences.
• The project may serve as a pilot or “seed fund” ahead of applying for a larger public engagement award, e.g. Wellcome’s Public Engagement Fund.
• Applications must include an evaluation plan to evidence the benefits to stakeholders/ audiences and to research/researchers.
• Funds may be used to pay staff who will coordinate the project but not to cover the salaries of University staff.

Awards are expected to be in the range of £2,000 - £10,000.

Applicants are encouraged to seek advice and support from the PERU team by emailing peru@abdn.ac.uk.

Please note that awarded funds need to be spent by 31 March 2023

Next deadline:

Thursday 8 September 2022
Applications should be emailed to: peru@abdn.ac.uk

• Download application form

General Queries

email - issf@abdn.ac.uk

The Returners Flexible Fund scheme has closed and there are no future calls.

The Clinical Research Support Fund scheme has closed and there are no future calls.

The ISSF Seed Corn Fund will invite proposals from researchers working in a priority area with the aim of supporting new interdisciplinary collaborations by:

• Providing access to core facilities for proof of concept, feasibility or other pilot work needed to strengthen full scale applications to the Wellcome Trust or other similarly prestigious funders;
• In addition to aligning with the Wellcome Trust’s remit, applications to this round will need to feature an International Partnership.  Our application template includes a question on plans to sustain these partnerships beyond the life of the grant.
• Developing new commercialisation or knowledge exchange opportunities, especially for Wellcome Trust funded projects (e.g. through support to develop and implement drug development roadmaps, appointment of external consultants, access to clinical trial design/expertise/health economic advice).

Awards of up to £25,000 must be spent in full by 31 March 2023.

Call for Applications

Next deadline: Thursday 1 September 2022
Applications should be emailed to issf@abdn.ac.uk
Download the ISSF application form here.

The Research leave for academic staff & Mini Researach Break scheme has closed and there are no future calls.

As part of our commitment to recruiting and retaining the highest calibre ECRs, we want to enhance our support for the preparation of fellowship applications within the Wellcome Trust’s remit within the context of our highly successful fellowship management scheme.

The ISSF will provide salary support for recipients who meet our criteria, and have been already given approval to proceed with a fellowship application through the Supporting Fellowship Applications Process, link here.

In addition to aligning with the Wellcome Trust’s remit, applications to this round will need to feature an International Partnership.  Awards of up to £60,000 must be spent in full by 31^st March 2023.

Call for Applications

Next deadline: Thursday 1 September 2022
Applications should be mailed to issf@abdn.ac.uk
Download the ISSF application form here.

Principal’s Prize for Public Engagement with Research in the Biomedical Sciences

As part of ISSF @ Aberdeen we are pleased to introduce a new category in our annual Principal’s Prize for Public Engagement with Research to recognise excellence in Public Engagement with Research in the Biomedical Sciences.

Applications for this new category, “Outstanding Achievement in Public Engagement in Biomedical Sciences” will open concurrently with the other categories and you can find further information and guidelines on the Public Engagement with Research website.

Support for Public Engagement with ISSF @ Aberdeen

Further information about the Public Engagement support offered by the University of Aberdeen can be found at www.abdn.ac.uk/engage.

We strongly encourage those interested in applying for the ISSF fund to embed public engagement and cost it. We can offer support with this, and also help successful applicants to work with our annual programme of events and opportunities.

These might include the annual University of Aberdeen May Festival, European Researchers’ Night, British Science Week and TechFest.  

You may wish to develop skills in public engagement. We offer a range of training throughout the year, many linked to events.

• Researcher Development

For more information email: peru@abdn.ac.uk

Patient and Public Involvement Fund

We are inviting applications for the establishment of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) activities that will contribute to one or more stages of your research, from priority setting and funding applications to undertaking and evaluating projects. For a full definition and guidelines on PPI please see here and UK Standards for Public Involvement.

• Open to all researchers who are University of Aberdeen members of staff
• Projects must demonstrate a potential for improving the quality and outcomes of research conducted at the University of Aberdeen.
• Priority will be given to projects leading directly to an external grant application, demonstrating potential for leveraging further funding
• Applications must include an evaluation plan to evidence the benefits to patients/publics and to research/researchers.
• Funds can be used for a range of costs such as:
  • Payment of staff who will coordinate and support the project. However, funds cannot cover the salaries of University staff.
  • Running costs (recruitment, venues, refreshments, printing of materials, etc).
  • Expenses and payment of participants (for further guidance please see NIHR payment guidance. Please ensure you also follow University finance regulations).
  • Training for researchers and members of PPI group.
    PPI activities do not require ethical approval. For guidance see the NHS HRA and the University Research Governance page . If in doubt about an overlap with research participation, please ask for further advice.

Applicants are encouraged to seek advice and support early in the application process from the PERU team.

Please note that awarded funds need to be spent by 31 March 2023

Next deadline:

Thursday 8 September 2022
Applications should be emailed to: peru@abdn.ac.uk

Download the application here.