Pre-announcement: Enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion in BBSRC funded networks

Overview

Apply for funding to provide peer support, networking and related activities for your members who identify as being part of a group currently under-represented within your network.

They encourage collaboration and partnership between networks, communities and other organisations, such as the learned societies.

You must be an established network currently in receipt of BBSRC funding available until at least 31 March 2025.

The full economic cost of your project can be up to £100,000 over one year. BBSRC will fund 100% of the full economic cost.

Who can apply

Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new UKRI Funding Service.

For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual.

Who is eligible to apply

This funding opportunity is available to existing networks who are currently in receipt of BBSRC funding.

To encourage collaborative working and maximise ideas generation, other stakeholders, including the learned societies and other existing networks within the equality, diversity and inclusion space who may not be eligible to apply for this funding as lead applicants, are invited to submit an expression of interest as project partners.

If you are unsure whether you are eligible to apply for this funding or would like to know more about being a project partner and collaborator, please contact them. more.

They encourage network managers and lead applicants to form collaborations with colleagues across their BBSRC-funded network and associated research organisations, who have the necessary expertise in equality, diversity and inclusion and associated activities. They also encourage applicants to apply in the form of a consortia of collaborating BBSRC-funded networks, in order to maximise the impact of the project and utilise expertise and infrastructure across the eligible funded networks.

Leadership team

To make this funding opportunity more inclusive they are piloting a flexible leadership model that allows for one or more project leads to lead the grant. This enables people to bring different knowledge, skills and experience to the leadership team. Allowing more than one project lead also enables the leadership of the funding opportunity to be performed as a job share.

You do not need to be in an existing job share arrangement to apply on this basis.

Where possible, they encourage the involvement of early career researchers and research technical professionals within the leadership or management team. They also encourage the leadership team to consult members of their network with relevant lived experience during the development of this application and include these individuals in the core team as a researcher co-lead.

For teams where there is more than one project lead, the team should choose one of the project lead’s organisations to be responsible for submitting the grant application and administering the grant should the application be successful.

There will be additional terms and conditions stipulated for this funding opportunity at the full application stage.

Standard BBSRC eligibility rules apply.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

They are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

They support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

• career breaks
• support for people with caring responsibilities
• flexible working
• alternative working patterns

Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI.

Scope

This funding opportunity is designed to increase engagement between members of minoritised groups with the goal of tackling underrepresentation within the biosciences.

Examples of under-represented or minoritsed groups may include individuals belonging to a protected characteristic group, such as an ethnic minority group, women, individuals who are disabled or individuals who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, it can also include those who have caring responsibilities or other communities who have requested additional support from their network.

This is a pilot activity to support existing BBSRC investments in identifying opportunities to engage with members of under-represented groups. In doing so, the networks can increase diversity of thought and expertise within their community, thus strengthening the network and their impact by embracing the widest possible range of exceptional talent and skills.

Existing BBSRC-funded networks are well established and are expertly coordinated by network managers who have a comprehensive understanding of their respective communities and demographics. By supplementing existing funding, BBSRC is able to target funding towards directed capacity building to address under-representation, without impacting on the networks’ current workplan.

Expectations for the enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in BBSRC networks fund

The proposal should present a clear strategy for disseminating the awarded funds and building on the networks’ current activities, including how the networks will ensure:

• engagement with their members and stakeholders:
  • we expect our networks to facilitate networking activities and communication between their members who identify as being part of a minoritised or under-represented group, by creating a safe and inclusive space where they are able to seek support and guidance from their respective communities
• engagement in active dialogue to ensure minoritised and underrepresented communities are involved in:
• discussing the short, medium and long-term challenges within the equality, diversity and inclusion space
• identifying the shared and individual EDI challenges the networks face
• identifying opportunities to engage with minoritized and under-represented groups with the goal of tackling any identified challenges and strengthening the network through diversity of thought, skills and expertise

Impact

You are encouraged to think creatively about the range of activities that could support the delivery of the EDI funding grant. Examples include but are not limited to:

• scholarships. For example, conference fees and travel costs
• awards; aimed at undergraduates and post-graduates, or for staff members. This will ‘spotlight’ their achievements within the network
• workshops
• mentoring
• meetings (aimed at members of the network from minoritised groups)
• website fees; a website dedicated to the EDI initiatives associated with the awarded funds
• lectures and seminars (from invited experts)
• expert working groups; to advise on funding allocation and strategic priorities,
• networking events
• secondment support, including travel and subsidence
• training opportunities
• knowledge exchange activities
• equipment; consumables. For example, leaflets, banners and posters

See guidelines for further requirements

Duration

The duration of this award is a minimum of three months.

Projects must start by 1 October 2024.

Funding available

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £100,000.

BBSRC will fund 100% of the FEC.

All costs will be allocated under ‘Exceptions’, including requests for additional admin support.