Academy Research Projects

In September 2022, the British Academy announced a new round of the Academy Research projects. The scheme was previously open for applications in 2014 and now has additional funds to support new projects. Typically, projects supported through this programme obtain small-scale core funding and the kitemark of recognition that enables them to approach other funders with the Academy's endorsement of quality. The call is aimed at scholars in both humanities and social sciences and, on this occasion, the Academy is particularly interested in collaborative projects intended to provide infrastructural resources for other researchers and the wider public, which have a clear focus on longer-term sustainability, and a clear plan to move to financial self-stability after a fixed period of core funding from the Academy.

The Academy Research Projects are intended to offer the kitemarking of academic excellence to major long-term infrastructural projects or research facilities, intended to produce fundamental works of scholarship rather than to produce interpretative works or monographs.

The Academy grants the title of Academy Research Project to about 55 long-term enterprises, each organised and run by its own project committee. So long as the projects continue to work towards their agreed objectives and remain active and productive, the Academy expects to maintain long-term support. Current projects include some supported since the 1920s and 1930s.

The maximum grant is £5,000 per annum and it is desirable that the projects will be able to complete within 10 years.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Applicants should be at postdoctoral or equivalent level, in the fields of the humanities and / or the social sciences. Equivalent experience may include holding, or having held, an established post, having a record of publications in the field and / or having teaching experience.
• Postgraduate students are not eligible to apply.
• Applicants must be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands (that is, classed as ‘ordinarily resident’ for tax purposes) or currently employed overseas by a recognised UK overseas research organisation.
• UK research organisations based overseas may apply to be recognised by demonstrating that they satisfy both the following conditions:
• Organisations which are, or which are constituent parts of, charities registered with the Charity Commission.
• Which must be able to demonstrate an independent capability to undertake research in the field or discipline in which they wish to be funded, and to lead the research for which funding is received. Applications are welcome from existing collaborations/research infrastructure projects that are already in progress and have prepared or published material previously. Awards of funding under this scheme will, however, only be made to support new work, not retrospectively providing reimbursement for work already undertaken.

Value and duration Up to £25k in the first instance (over 5 years) with the expectation that the projects will be reviewed for further funding if necessary.

Applicants will be asked to specify the expected duration of their project, understanding that the projects should set out a clear plan to move to financial self-stability after a fixed period of core funding from the Academy.