British Institute Research Grants

The British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) invites applications for research funding for projects beginning between December 2012 and February 2013. The applications should reach us by the closing date of Friday 2nd November 2012.

Twice a year (in November and March), the British Institute in Eastern Africa invites applications for funding for research projects in the following thematic areas:

1. Contemporary Lives
2. Governance and the Rule of Law
3. Heritage Research
4. The History and Practice of Elections
5. Landscape Archaeology
6. Memory and Belonging

BIEA research funding is available to support original research within these thematic areas in any discipline in the humanities and social sciences across the region.

This funding supports original research in the humanities and social sciences, and we particularly encourage applications from the wider eastern African region, including Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.  Grants are normally between £500 and £1,000; in exceptional circumstances, up to £1,500 may be awarded.   The grant should contribute towards actual research costs and not include institutional overheads, applicant’s stipend or publication costs.   Priority is given to researchers based in the UK or eastern Africa.

The applications should reach the institute by the closing date of Friday 2nd November 2012. All applications and references must be submitted by email to grants@biea.ac.uk by this date.

Late applications will not be considered. Please Complete the Application Form(downloadable here).

BIEA’s research funding is competitive, and we can only fund a limited number of applicants. Your application must make a clear and compelling case for why we should support your proposed research.  Applications should include

• a covering letter making your case for a grant and explaining the background to your project
• a detailed proposal (maximum 4 pages) setting out how the project fits into the thematic area
• a clear and realistic budget detailing how you will use the amount requested
• a plan for dissemination – PhD thesis, journal article, conference papers, etc.  BIEA will not fund research if there is no prospect that anyone will ever hear about the results.

You will need to arrange for two references to be sent directly to BIEA by the closing date.   The referees must both support you and endorse the project in your application.   For postgraduate students, one referee must be your supervisor.

Successful applicants will be informed within one month of the closing date.   If you have not heard from us by then, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

We would particularly encourage applications from the wider region, including Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.

For more information on the grants, see guidelines forapplying.