ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) Call for Proposals
LSSI has been awarded from ESRC funding through the IAA to support researchers in social sciences to maximise impact. The ESRC IAA will run from 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2028. The first call for this funding is now open. Deadline for submission is 10th May 2023.
The IAA supports a comprehensive portfolio of activities and resources across the social science community which will maximise the potential for impact of social science research and contribute to economic and societal development regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Focused on delivering impact from the outputs of on-going or completed research. It is designed to support engagement with external non-academic partners which could include national and international businesses, public and third sector organisations, or community bodies.
Applications are invited for projects across the following strands of activity:
Responsive Mode Impact Fund - Providing funding of up to £15,000.
The purpose of the Responsive Projects funding is to provide flexible funding for projects that demonstrate strong user engagement and potential for local/ regional/ national/ international societal impact. We seek to particularly support projects that embed and develop co-designed and co-produced impact relationships to contribute to our ambition to drive culture change across social science activities. We encourage interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary engagement beyond the usual disciplinary mixes; ensuring the right mix of expertise can drive workable solutions to real world issues.
Knowledge Exchange Fellowships – Providing funding of up to £10,000 per fellowship.
The aim of the Knowledge Exchange Fellowship scheme is to facilitate interactions between external organisations and the University which builds and strengthens relationships to facilitate knowledge exchange. The scheme will provide academic staff with an opportunity to work with a non-academic partner at their site, of for a non-academic partner to work on a project at the university (or a mixed approach) for up to 12 months on either a full-time or part-time basis (with an indicative budget of up to £10k per placement).
Rapid Action Fund - Funding of up to £2k is available.
The rapid action fund will allow social scientists to react quickly to influence governmental, national, and international debate, or respond to tactical, urgent, and pressing opportunities in short timescales.
This funding could be used for but not limited to:
- The creation of short-term impact projects
- Workshops, events, conferences or meetings that may inform impact.
- Travel to meet with national policy departments (this does not include travel to attend conferences)
- Developing and pitching ideas for broadcast media
PGR Placement Scheme - A scholarship of up to £2,150 will be awarded based on a 130-hour research placement.
The placement scheme offers PGRs the opportunity to undertake part-time research projects within local organisations. Working in a research capacity with an external partner, the researcher will have an opportunity to engage with the needs of the external organisation and to build the knowledge gained from the placement into their future research plans.
How to Apply
• The closing date for applications is, please submit applications to Cheryl Harris (c.a.harris@leeds.ac.uk)
• All application forms and guidance are available on the LSSI website here
• Before applying please ensure you refer to the full guidance document, please consult with your Faculty Research and Innovation Office at least two weeks prior to the submission deadline for sign off and costings. Please discuss your intention to apply to the IAA with your Head of School early in the process.
• The awards will only cover directly incurred costs associated with the project and all expenditure must comply with the University’s financial regulations.
• Please ensure your proposed timelines are realistic and any projects are deliverable within the current government restrictions. If your project requires requirement of staff, please consult your local HR teams to ensure the current University of Leeds recruitment processes are followed and be mindful of any possible delays.
Timeline
• Deadline for applications: 10th May 2023
• Panel review: w/c 29th May 2023
• Funding decision circulated by 9th June 2023
If you have any queries regarding the IAA funding, please do not hesitate to contact Cheryl Harris (c.a.harris@leeds.ac.uk)