Call for Proposals: Eva Crane Trust Grant Program

They aim to foster innovative projects and collaborations that explore and expand knowledge in apiology, beekeeping practices, and the historical significance of bees. Central to their mission is the promotion of knowledge-sharing for the benefit of science and the public.

Objectives

• The principal objectives of the Trust when considering an application are as follows:
  • That research projects will benefit and/or improve an understanding of bees. In the case of scientific projects, that they will support the dissemination of findings in peer-reviewed research and/or academic publications.
  • That outcomes are widely disseminated in order to improve apicultural practice internationally.
  • There must always be a strong intellectual and/or strategic rationale for the particular project for which the Trust’s help is sought.
  • That the project is innovative and original, with investigative research being favoured. The Trust is especially interested in pump priming funding (start-up funding without which a project might not get off the ground). There is also a particular preference for giving support to students starting their research in this field who have already received a fellowship elsewhere.
  • In the case of historical and/or archaeological projects, that the gathering of new information, the further expansion of existing knowledge and the dissemination of this material reaches the widest possible range of interest groups including those beyond the normal scope of the bee world.
  • In the case of Citizen Science projects they should contribute to the collection of substantial amounts of data that are impossible to obtain by other means. Or proposals should involve beekeepers and/or the public to create awareness about various aspects of apiculture and the environment through monitoring and information gathering.

Funding Information

• An application that requests a grant for more than £30,000 will be referred to independent assessors/referees.

Ineligible Costs

• Standalone travel or conference registration fees
• Academic chairs
• Long-term or core funding (such as overheads or infrastructure within organizations)
• Retrospective funding of projects (i.e. costs already incurred)
• Entrepreneurs seeking funds for enterprises leading to commercial gain.
• Other charities whose intention is to redistribute funds to external applicants
• Basic beekeeping enterprises
• The Funds do not cover Institution overheads.

Eligibility Criteria

• An application directly from a PhD student should be accompanied by a letter of detailed support, for the student and the project, from their supervisor.
• A stipend covering the 1st year of the project would be considered in exceptional circumstances.
• For projects lasting more than 1 year, the supervisor should evaluate the progress being achieved after 12 months and report back to the Trustees.

Application Requirements

• Subject to referee reports and responses to any trustees’ queries, all applicants are usually notified within 8 weeks of the application deadline. After this, you will be required to do the following:
  • Either you, or an appropriate authority, will sign a Grant Agreement document.
  • Provide the Trust’s administrator with the correct bank details. Please note that transfers are only made to recognised Universities/organisations and not to personal accounts.
  • Provide the Trustees with progress reports which will be required at stipulated intervals and a final report which must contain accurate financial accounts.
  • Provide a final report at the end of the project that will be posted as a Case Study on the ECT website.
  • Acknowledge the Trust’s support in any written, online or published material relevant to your project (this also includes Social Media outlets).
  • Once a grant has been awarded it is possible that projects will be inspected if they are of some considerable size or ongoing over a long period.

For more information, visit Eva Crane Trust.