Introduction

UCC Future - Collective Social Futures has three internal funding calls during the 2024/5 academic year. 

Collective Social Futures Interdisciplinary Fund

Opening: 22 October 2024

Deadline for applications: 15 November 2024, 5pm. 

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 futher 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 daring 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. 

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 lead by, scholars from the Social Sciences, who align with the mission of Collective Social Futures.  
3. Costs may be sought for expenditure on travel for conference attendance or network development, conference support or management, archival research, equipment purchase, publication or dissemination costs, or other such costs as an applicant may appropriately justify in relation to the terms of the scheme. 
4. 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 (25) 

   - Excellence of proposed research team (25) 

   - Clarity of definition of interdisciplinary innovation (25) 

   - Quality of response to societal challenges (25) 

5. Applications must be supported by the relevant Heads of School and must be submitted electronically using the appropriate application form, available here https://forms.office.com/e/YnivunaHvJ. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
6. Announcements of the awards will be made in November, 2024.  Any funding which is granted must be expended and claimed by 30 September 2025.
7. For approved grants, expenses must be carefully detailed. Expenditure must be vouched, including proofs of payment. 

There will be only one Interdisciplinary Research Funding call per year.  

Collective Social Futures Major Events Fund

Call Opening: October 2024 

Deadlines: 6 November 2024, 22 January 2O25, 27 March 2025, 8 May 2025 

Funds are competitively attributed on a first-come, first served basis in each round until the funds are used.  

Fund availability will be posted three weeks before each call. 

COLLECTIVE SOCIAL FUTURES MAJOR EVENT SUPPORT FUND 2024-2025 

This fund intended to support larger scale symposia, conferences or other research-related events that help build reputation and renown for the clusters and 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 in complement to other funds, or it could be used to finance an event on its own. However, we strongly encourage applications that would be used alongside support from other institutions, from scholarly societies, etc. to maximmise the effect of the event and to increase its radiance.  

Applications 

Eligible members of staff may apply for funding, but should be supported by a project team inside UCC, and may receive only a maximum of €1500 in total in any given academic year. The total fund will be disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis annually.  

Conditions 

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. Staff’s discipline of situation and primary research areas should be aligned with the Social Sciences, though the grant application may involve interdisciplinary collaboration.  
3. The event’s thematics should align with those covered by Collective Social Futures.  
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. Successful applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis across four annual deadline dates, until the fund is fully committed.  
7. Applications must demonstrate that a grant, if awarded, will contribute in substantive ways to the design, delivery, and promotion of a symposium, colloquiumstudy day or conference. 
8. Grants may be used to cover: 

• Event organisation, rental, production or catering costs.  

• Promotional costs.  

• Fees and travel for invited speakers.  

        9. Applications to be submitted electronically using the application form at:  

https://forms.office.com/e/hTW9EKG12c

       10. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. 

       11. Any funding which is granted must be expended and claimed by 30 September 2025.  If funds are not used within these periods, the grant will expire and cannot be subsequently claimed. 

       12. Successful applicants will be advised by Collective Social Futres on the processing of grants.

Collective Social Futures Major Grant Application Support Fund 2024-2025

Call Opening: 22 OCTOBER 

Deadlines: 6 November 2024, 22 January 2025, 27 March 2025, 8 May 2025 

Funds are competitively attributed on a first-come, first served basis in each round until the funds are used.  

Fund availability will be posted three weeks before each call.  

This fund 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 either for 2024-2025, and may receive only 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. Holders of postdoctoral fellowships may apply for research supports from these funds, excluding teaching support. 
4. Applications for funding will be assessed by the executive of Collective Social Futures.  
5. Successful applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis across four annual deadline dates, until the fund is fully committed.  
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 
• 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. Applications must be presented on the appropriate application form, linked to here:  https://forms.office.com/e/uKuNAAPCKU 

      9. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. 

     10. Any funding which is granted must be expended and claimed by 30 September 2025.  If funds are not used within these periods, the grant will expire and cannot be subsequently claimed. 

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