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The Society

Research Grant

BMS Research Grants aim to fund fungal biology research-related activities at different levels. Awards are competitive. The maximum grant that can be awarded is £10,000; a range of activities can be supported.

Research Grants are awarded annually.  The deadline for applications is 31 March and outcomes are communicated to applicants by the end of June.

 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 31 March.  APPLICATIONS FOR 2024 ARE NOW CLOSED

 

Eligibility

Grants are available to Members employed at a university or research institute within the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland, who have held BMS membership for a minimum of one year (i.e. two consecutive membership subscription payments) and who have not received a Research Grant in the previous two calendar years.

What is covered by the grant?

The maximum award is £10,000.  A range of activities may be supported, for example:

  • Small contribution (up to £2000): Laboratory consumables and small equipment; travel and subsistence costs related to the development of a new line of research.
  • Large contribution (over £2000): Pump-prime new research direction or idea; new-investigator start-up projects; training placements at non-host institutions.

Funding is not available: for items of equipment costing more than £2,000; for the purchase of computers or other IT equipment; for overheads; to supplement the salary of the applicant; to cover replacement costs of the applicant. BMS Research Grants are not intended to top-up funds for existing projects.

All costs must be clearly justified within the application and the type of project (small contribution, large contribution) must be described.

​​​​​How to apply

Applications should be submitted via the online application form.  The following will be required:

  • References for five recent publications
  • Summary of recent employment history
  • Details of any current or recent funding awards (within past 5 years) - to demonstrate that the research described in the application is a new research direction.
  • A completed and signed Terms & Conditions form (see Conditions of the award, below).

All required supplementary material must be uploaded via the online form at the point of application. 

Award criteria

Awards are competitive. Applications will be reviewed by at least two independent referees. Applications will be ranked based on the scores provided by the referees. The final decision on how many grants are awarded will depend on budgetary constraints.

Applications will be reviewed under the following criteria:

  • Excellence of the proposed research
  • Quality of the academic applicant’s CV and evidence that the required expertise to ensure the successful completion of the project is in place
  • Clarity and technical feasibility of the proposed research.  For “large contribution” projects sufficient evidence must be provided to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed research
  • Feasibility to complete the research within the proposed time frame
  • Value for money

Assessment of applications

​​​​​​The funding decision will be made in May by an Award Selection Committee.  Panel members of this Committee will include: 

  • BMS President; Treasurer; General Secretary; Chair of the Fungal Biology Research Committee
  • Two senior academic members of the BMS who will be appointed each year

Where there is a conflict of interest, and the applicant is one of the above individuals or belongs to the same institution, the applicant will leave the meeting while the project is evaluated.

Conditions of the award

It is a condition of all Research Grants awarded that the BMS is acknowledged in any publication or publicity arising from the research or activity.  Details of the grants awarded will be published on the BMS digital channels (website and social media) and in the Members' Newsletter.

Download the full Terms and Conditions (opens in a new window). A signed copy of this document is required at point of application.

Administration of awards

Applicants will receive notification of the outcome of their application by email within three months of the closing date. Successful grants will be paid to the institution in advance. The institution is expected to administer the grant.