AHRC grant application

[Stuckonthis]

I am putting together an AHRC grant application for a curiosity award. I’m proposing to write two journal articles, create a research network, hold a workshop, spend 3 months working in the archives, and do some interviewing. I’m proposing 2.5 years with 0.2FTE in terms of funding time. The specific grant scheme I’m applying for does not allow funding to be used to cover teaching. My university would not give me any more research time above the 0.2.FTE that would be provided by the AHRC, I can’t decide whether i am being realistic in terms of how much I plan to do versus the time I’m asking for. I’m conscious that I don’t want to set myself up for something that is impossible, while also wanting to provide value for money. Any opinions?

curiosity awards seem to be more about creating new opportunities than about using existing ones. so I'd probably focus more on the research network and workshops, and less on the journal articles etc. Maybe have 2 or 3 workshops so you can really show you are building on your ideas and developing momentum. Make sure to be clear about where the grant will lead next and any links beyond academia.

i'm in science but there used to be a 'rule of thumb' of £50K per journal article - but there is inflation and this grant does more than just produce journal articles. so one article + the other stuff might well be fine.

good question - I’d have a look for people who have already got them - anyone in your institution?

Thank you! My department isn’t helpful so I’m moving back and forth over how long to request. The grant would be used to facilitate a pivot to a new research area, which is exactly one of the purposes of the curiosity grants.

Part of my deliberations is that the last time I got a large AHRC grant, one thing that the reviewers mentioned on a number of times was that it was ‘value for money’ so I’m being pushed towards 2.5 years instead of 3 years r
to keep the costs down. Frustratingly, these grants can’t be used for replacement teaching cover. I will get no extra time over my regular allowance for research in the workload model.

So annoying! Bring in a grant and they give you no extra time for it. I think the curiosity grants are akin to the old network grants so I agree with @parietal / I would be pushing the network / workshop part & go easy on yourself about journal articles. I think @parietal has some excellent advice about thinking through where it’s going to go next being a really important aspect of the grant application.
A pivot to a new research area sounds fantastic and just in line with what the curiosity grants should be supporting

Yes! We’ve also had our research allowance in the workload model go from 35% to 20% so they can make people redundant.

It will be e blow if j get the grant, but I’m made redundant 😳

Oh, hopefully it will ward it off! Such a difficult point at the moment in HE. Sending you really good luck & all the best

Happened at my place as well. Then they threatened to make people redundant if not enough took "voluntary" severance ...

The old Network grants didn't necessarily have publication at their centre - it was about bringing people together to develop new ideas. I think the main thing is to show that you can't do this innovative work without external funding. So in terms of "value for money" what will this extra money allow you to do that can't be done via attending conferences or organising research seminars?