Awards

Small grants will be awarded to successful applicants, exceptionally up to £5,000. Applications over £3,000 should include justification for why they merit an exceptional award. The total amounts available for all grants in any financial year varies.

Funding Guidelines

1. The proposal should contain a detailed list of expenditure items to be covered by the Trust.

2. The Trust expects that organisers of conferences and activities who are seeking grants from the Trust will invite both male and female speakers, or explain why this is not appropriate or possible, and will give consideration to the provision of mechanisms to enable participation by people with children or family responsibilities.

3. Repeat proposals should not be submitted before a final report for the previous grant has been received.

4. Evening entertainment may be included where appropriate; for example applicants may request funds towards the costs of a conference dinner, for example covering or partially covering the cost for speakers, organisers, early career researchers, and research students. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, some level of contribution will normally be expected from participants. The cost of catered lunch and coffee breaks may also be included where appropriate.

5. Travel expenses for speakers, organisers, early career researchers, and research students may be included.

6. Regional network events: expenses relating to networks who run collaborative activities through regular meetings, amd where some of these meetings are in Scotland, will be funded.

7. Events taking place outside Scotland will only be supported if the organiser is able to clearly demonstrate the benefit to mathematics in Scotland.

8. Applications from postgraduate students will require a member of staff to act as financial guarantor.

9. The proposal should make clear what other support for the project has been awarded or has been sought and how the award will be of benefit to mathematics in Scotland.

10. We do not fund mini-symposia at larger conferences.

11. The Trust will not normally consider applications from individuals for their travel and/or subsistence expenses in connection with attendance at conferences.

12. Research visits: requests for support for research visits must include a plan for an external talk or activity. Please include a brief (2 pages max.) CV for the visitor.

13. The Trust will not cover the cost of conference or workshop registration fees.

14. Travel support guidelines: the Trust will grant travel support at the following rates: up to £125 for travel within the UK; up to £250 for travel within Europe; and up to £600 for travel from the Rest of the World.

Assessment

The main criteria used to assess applications are their academic merit and benefit to the mathematical community (either individuals, groups or the mathematical community in general). The Trust expects that organisers of conferences and activities who are seeking grants from the Trust will invite both male and female speakers, or explain why this is not appropriate or possible and give consideration to the provision of mechanisms to enable participation by people with children or family responsibilities. It may be used to top up support from other sources. Please note that grants will not be made retrospectively.

Closing Dates for Applications

There will be three rounds of awards each year. Closing dates for application are the 15th of January, April and October. It is hoped that confirmation of awards will be made within about six weeks from these dates. Please note that late applications will not be considered.