SPA - Small Grants Scheme

The SPA invites applications for its Standard and Postgraduate Small Grants Schemes, designed to help fund seminars and workshops dealing with research and/or learning & teaching in a way that is of benefit to the social policy community and SPA members. The focus should be on activities that will benefit a group or network rather than individuals.

During 2010, applications for awards to support events with an international focus and/or to facilitate attendance from overseas, are particularly encouraged.

Funds will be made available in two rounds of applications over the year. Round one runs from 1st January to 30th June and round two from 1st July to 31st December. Applications are welcomed at any point within each award period, and funds are allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Each award offers a maximum of £500. 

Applicants will be expected to:

• Be SPA members;
• Publicise their seminar/workshop as widely as possible, including through SPA channels;
• Write a short report after the event to SPA members via Policy World;
• Use this as an opportunity to recruit new SPA members (including marketing via other channels, distribution of SPA leaflets, use of SPA logo, etc.);
• Make the seminar/workshop as inclusive as possible (attendance need not be limited to SPA members);
• Raise the profile of the SPA to external agencies (government, independent sector, research centres, etc) in the UK and other countries as appropriate;
• Provide a provisional budget which must include a full breakdown of costs, indicating the items on which the award will be spent, and specify whether additional funding from other sources is being sought or has already been secured.  

Applications, which should take the form of a letter (2 sides maximum), should contain an outline description of the aims, rationale and nature of the proposed event. Applicants should also clearly demonstrate how it meets each of the above criteria. As much detail as possible about your plans to ensure that the award will benefit SPA members should be included at this stage. Additionally, applications to the Postgraduate Scheme require confirmation (signature and stamp) from a departmental postgraduate tutor/head of department that a host institution would be able to raise an account to hold funds transferred by the SPA (administered by the SPA treasurer).

The SPA reserves the right to pay the award in more than one instalment if this is appropriate. It also reserves the right to reject applications from those who have failed to fulfil small grant award conditions in the past. 

Please send your application (no more than two sides) as an attachment to an email to Dr Majella Kilkey: [e-mail]. Enquiries about the schemes should also by directed by email to Majella Kilkey.