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Collective Social Futures Securing Our Future Through Research Excellence

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CSF Research Funding

UCC Future - Collective Social Futures will run the following internal funding calls during the 2025/6 academic year.  

CSF Major Events Fund

Call Opens: 23 Oct. 2025. Deadline for submission of applications: 20 Nov. 2025.

This fund is intended to support larger scale symposia, conferences or other research-related events that help build reputation and renown for the subject areas represented by Collective Social Futures. The events supported should invite international attendees, and feature thematic content that explores beyond what European funding bodies call the ‘State of the Art’.  

The fund could be used to complement other funds, or it could be used to finance an event on its own. However, we encourage applications that would be used alongside support from other institutions, from scholarly societies, etc. to maximise the effect of the event and to increase its impact.  

Terms & Conditions 

Eligible members of staff can apply for funding, and may be supported by a project team inside UCC. Successful applicants may receive only a maximum of €1500 in total in any given academic year. 

  1. Permanent and fixed-term academic staff from Schools, Departments and Disciplines in Schedule 1 of the College Rules are eligible to apply as lead applicants.  
  2. Applicants cannot apply  simultaneously for Major Events funding from Collective Social Futures and from the Future Humanities Institute - it is only permissible to apply for funding from one of these programmes. 
  3. Staff’s discipline and primary research areas should be aligned with the Social Sciences, though the grant application may involve interdisciplinary collaboration.  
  4. The event’s thematics should align with those covered by Collective Social Futures.  
  5. Holders of postdoctoral fellowships may apply for research supports from these funds. 
  6. Applications must demonstrate that a grant, if awarded, will contribute in substantive ways to the design, delivery, and promotion of a symposium, colloquium, study day or conference. 
  7. Grants may be used to cover: 
    • Event organisation, rental, production or catering costs.  
    • Promotional costs.  
    • Fees and travel for invited speakers.  
  8.  Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. 
  9.  Any funding which is granted must be expended and claimed by 30 September 2026.  If funds are not used within this period, the grant will expire and cannot be subsequently claimed. 

Applications for funding will be assessed by the executive of Collective Social Futures. Successful applicants will be advised by Collective Social Futures on the processing of grants.

How to apply 

Applications to the CSF Major Events Fund must be submitted electronically using the application form at: https://forms.office.com/e/a7yTkpmVqn Deadline: 20 November 2025.

CSF Interdisciplinary Research Fund

Call open 23 October 2025. Deadline for submissions: 20 November.

The Interdisciplinary Research Funding Scheme is intended to provide support for interdisciplinary research initiatives in response to emerging and changing societal challenges locally and globally.  This seed-funding scheme is aimed at bottom-up initiatives aligned with Collective Social Futures. The scheme will prioritise collaborative interdisciplinary work led by Social Science researchers in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, working with partners across disciplines inside or outside CACSSS.  

Seed funding is intended to help start scholarly collaborations that are daring, forward-facing, and that intend to build new relationships, partnerships, and bodies of work that might lead on to further projects. Part of the activity of seed funded projects may involve seeking sources of funding or other support that would allow the project to continue after the seed funding end date. This fund is intended to allow groups of scholars to establish new, exploratory partnerships that have the potential to be transformative.  

Applications for this fund are invited, using the relevant application form.  Applicants may apply for up to €3000, and there will be a limited number of awards. 

Terms & Conditions 

  1. Project teams led by permanent and fixed-term academic staff from Schools, Departments and Disciplines in Schedule 1 of the College Rules are eligible to apply. 
  2. The application must be led by, and the teams must be led by, scholars from the Social Sciences, who align with the mission of Collective Social Futures.  
  3. Applicants cannot apply for Interdisciplinary Research funding from Collective Social Futures and from the Future Humanities Institute - it is only permissible to apply for funding from one of these programmes.
  4. Costs may be sought for expenditure on travel for conference attendance or network development, conference support or management, archival research, publication or dissemination costs, or other such costs as an applicant may appropriately justify in relation to the terms of the scheme. Teaching buyout costs must be approved by the Head of School or College (as appropriate) in advance of the application submission. 
  5. Applications for the funds will be assessed by the executive of Collective Social Futures and will be evaluated on a competitive basis according to the following criteria: 

    - Excellence of qualifying research project (20) 

    - Excellence of proposed research team (20) 

    - Clarity of definition of interdisciplinary innovation (20) 

    - Quality of response to societal challenges (20) 

    - Alignment with the mission of Collective Social Futures (20). Click on the following link for details: Vision and Mission

  6. Applications must be supported by the relevant Head of School or College (as appropriate).
  7. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
  8. Announcements of the awards will be made in November/December 2025. Any funding which is granted must be expended and claimed by 30 September 2026.
  9. For approved grants, expenses must be carefully detailed. Expenditure must be vouched, including proofs of payment. 

How to Apply

Applications to the Interdisciplinary Research Fund must be submitted electronically using the appropriate application form, available here https://forms.office.com/e/RTn1bUkM8a. Deadline for applications: 20 November 2025.

 

CSF Major Grant Application Support Fund

Call opens - 23 October 2025. Deadline for submissions - 20 November. 

This fund is intended to support major applications to non-national funding sources, primarily but not exclusively the European Research Council (other funders are acceptable, including the Wellcome Trust).  The fund will provide two main kinds of support: teaching support to allow a member of staff additional time to draft and prepare an application; research supports which will assist a member of staff in meeting the expected research career standards in the funding scheme in question.  Support will be provided only for funding bids with a minimum total value of €350,000; in case of multi-partner bids, those where UCC is the lead partner will be prioritized. 

Applications 

Eligible members of staff may apply for funding up to a maximum of €2000 in total in any given academic year. If applying to Horizon Europe, applications are expected to apply to Enterprise Ireland supports first, and to approach this fund subsequently.  

Conditions 
  1. Permanent and fixed-term academic staff from Schools, Departments and Disciplines in Schedule 1 of the College Rules are eligible to apply. 
  2. Staff’s discipline of situation and primary research areas should be aligned with Collective Social Futures, though the grant application may involve interdisciplinary collaboration.  
  3. Applicants cannot apply for Major Grant funding from Collective Social Futures and from the Future Humanities Institute - it is only permissible to apply for funding from one of these programmes.
  4. Holders of postdoctoral fellowships may apply for research supports from these funds, excluding teaching support. 
  5. Applications for funding will be assessed by the executive of Collective Social Futures.   
  6. Applications must demonstrate that a grant, if awarded, will contribute in substantive ways to the completion of a major research funding application already under active development.  Applications must be supported by Heads of School/Discipline.  Heads of School should seek the support of the Head of College in making applications. 
  7. Grants may be used to cover: 
  • Teaching support to provide time to complete a major research funding application. Teaching buyout costs must be approved by the Head of School or College (as appropriate) in advance of the application submission.  
  • Personal research costs in support of a major research funding application, including archival or library visits, conference fees at major international conferences where support beyond that provided by the College Research Support Fund may be required, travel and accommodation costs, publication costs, networking costs. 

     8. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. 

     9. Any funding which is granted must be expended and claimed by 30 September 2026.  If funds are not used within this period, the grant will expire and cannot be subsequently claimed. 

     10. Successful applicants will be advised by Collective Social Futures on the processing of grants. 

How to Apply

Applications to the Major Grant Application Support Fund must be submitted electronically using the appropriate application form, available here https://forms.office.com/e/KD3YFeHNrY. Deadline for applications: 20 November 2025.

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