Leverhulme Research Programme Grants

Overview

In the one major departure from its policy of operating in the responsive mode, the Trust selects on an annual basis certain themes of research for which bids are invited. The grants provide funds to research teams for up to five years to enable them to explore significant thematic issues. The scale of the awards (each one at a sum of up to £1.75 million) is set at a level where it is possible for a research team to study a significant theme in depth by conducting a group of interlinked research projects which taken together can lead to new understanding. The themes are selected not to exclude particular disciplines from the competition but rather to encourage research teams to look upon their established research interests from a set of refreshing viewpoints. It is anticipated that up to two awards will be made.

Value and Duration:

For each theme, a minimum of £500,000 and a maximum of £1.75 million is available for the support of work extending over periods of up to five years.

Eligible institutions:

• universities
• institutions of higher and further education in the UK
• registered charities in the UK
• institutions or organisations of similar status in developing countries where, in the opinion of the Trustees, the provision of research funding is seriously limited.

Joint applications from more than one institution and applicant are welcomed.

Research project grants provide:

(i) salaries for research staff

At least 75% of the resources requested must be used to provide funding for research staff (research assistants; postgraduate students) who will work specifically on the project with the applicant, the award being payable directly to the institution at which the applicant is employed. Research assistants should have a research degree or equivalent research experience. The tuition fees and maintenance costs of a PhD studentship or studentships may be included provided they are set at the base rate for Research Council awards for UK students. Support for an overseas student is allowable, but requires explicit justification, addressing how their specific skills are to contribute to the project.

The Principal Investigator and co-applicants may apply for the costs of staffing replacement. To be eligible for these, applicants must be currently employed by their eligible institution. A maximum of a total of one year’s staff replacement per grant over the course of a three year grant – and pro rata for grants of different lengths – may be awarded. The replacement should not be someone currently studying for a research degree. The staff replacement should normally start at the most junior point of the lecturer scale of the institution concerned.

Awards are not made to cover the salary costs of the applicant, or those of the co-applicants.

(ii) associated research costs

These can be included up to a maximum of 25% of the total budget. This percentage is a maximum and not a target. The following are examples of such eligible associated costs:

• Technical, computing, clerical and secretarial staff costs or services.
• Travel and subsistence costs directly related to the research activity. These can include conference attendance provided that such attendance can be shown to make a direct contribution to the research project.
• Consumable costs.