Knowledge Exchange Fellowship 

Open Call 

The AHRC IAA Knowledge Exchange Fellowship Scheme promotes strategic partnerships with non-HEI organisations across the arts and humanities at the University of Cambridge. The fund supports partnership building with specific organisations such as (but not limited to) museums, theatres, social enterprises, NGOs, and government departments. Funds are available for a range of activities including teaching replacement costs, costs for incoming fellowships from the partner organisation, postdoctoral or administrative support, travel and subsistence expenses, and workshops. The scheme aims to allow researchers to create new partnerships with external entities more generally, collaboratively shape research agendas, contribute to future research funding applications (including match-funding for studentships in the DTPs), and further facilitate impact generating activities. 

Applications are invited for up to c. £20,000, covering 100% of directly incurred costs but not indirect costs. The scheme intends to make up to four awards in 2023. Each award should not exceed twelve months duration. 

Please contact the Arts and Humanities Impact Facilitator Dr Lucy Sheerman on AHimpact@admin.cam.ac.uk to discuss project ideas and the application process. 

Aims 

The AHRC IAA Knowledge Exchange Fellowship Scheme supports sustained partnerships with non-HEI organisations that aim at defined strategic outcomes, such as collaborative research project applications, match-funding for studentships, structured dialogue with the partner organisation into the future. 

Applications need to include at least one non-HEI entity (with their written expression of interest and commitment to the collaboration). Cash or in-kind contributions are encouraged (but not required) from the partner organisation to demonstrate commitment to the collaborative project. 

Applicants are encouraged to think creatively about the kind of activities that might prove most effective, but examples include inviting senior staff members from the partner organisation to spend time in Cambridge, workshops to promote broader collaborations, or the placement of a postdoc or member of staff in a partner organisation for a defined period (exceptionally for this scheme including limited teaching replacement costs), as well as strategic planning and evaluation. 

The fund will support staff costs, teaching replacement costs, postdoctoral and administrative support, venue hire, equipment, catering costs, travel expenses, accommodation, IT provision, and software development and licenses. It will not cover research seminars or lectures with academic speakers and a mainly academic audience, academic conferences with no clear Knowledge Exchange component or academic publications.   

Eligibility 

The AHRC IAA Knowledge Exchange Fellowship Scheme supports partnerships based on all arts and humanities research that generally falls within the remit of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).1 

Applications are invited from researchers active in the arts and humanities who hold a current contract of employment as a senior independent researcher – at the point of application – with the University. Relevant non-school institutional staff (such as from Museums or Libraries) on academic-related contracts are eligible to apply (—award holders will normally be at the level of University Lecturer, or equivalent, or hold a senior Fellowship). CTOs may apply with the endorsement of a hosting department, confirmed by a letter of support from the relevant Chair of Faculty/Department. Research staff (including research associates and JRFs) may not normally apply, except with the written support of their Faculty or Department, and if a senior independent researcher participates in the project as Principal Investigator and award holder. Postgraduate students are not eligible to apply. 

All applications must be approved by the respective Head of Department/Faculty, and applications to the fund must be approved before the scheme’s closing date. Impact activities should be completed in accordance with all relevant University Guidelines, Policies and Procedures, including, Financial Regulations, University travel and subsistence rates, Data Protection, Research Integrity and Risk Assessment; heads of faculties/departments should be satisfied that these obligations have been met before approving applications. 

Application Process 

Applications to the Impact Fund are to be submitted via an expression of interest followed by the digital application form. The fund covers direct costs. It does not attract ICC. 

Applicants must also inform their Head of Faculty/Department and Research Grants Administrator at the earliest opportunity to ensure that internal approval procedures are completed. Once completed, applications are to be signed off by the Head of Department through the mechanism provided in the digital application form before submission or before the closing date of the respective call. We encourage interdisciplinary and cross-departmental bids, but in such cases there must still be a designated lead applicant and an expression of support from each of the departments involved. 

A letter from the applicant’s Head of Department and all proposed partner organisations are required for each application. The letter from the Head of Department should outline the strategic aims and expected outcomes of the partnership. 

The letter from the partner organisation should explain their commitment and what support (if any) they are providing to the partnership, for example, financial support, staff time, web hosting facilities etc.  

Applicants are required to consult the AH Facilitator (AHImpact@admin.cam.ac.uk) to discuss their proposal prior to submitting. The deadline for applications is Monday 22 May at 4pm. 

Assessment criteria & evaluation 

Awards will be made available to fund partnerships which will significantly increase the probability of the ideas and findings generated by Cambridge research having an impact on the private, public, and third sectors. Collaborative, innovative, and co-funded projects are encouraged. Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis. Successful projects are likely to be based on existing partnerships which can be further developed with the investment of additional funds. Applications will be considered by the AHRC IAA steering group, a cross-disciplinary panel of academics with experience in impact collaboration. 

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria: 

• Quality of project plan, including creativity and feasibility of planned activities. 

• Track record/relevance of partners (as explained by the Head of Department’s support letter). 

• Commitment and contribution of external partner as well as of University Faculties. 

• Potential benefits to all partners, including intended outcomes that lead to sustained interactions with the external partner 

Desirable but not essential criteria: 

• Co-funding of activities to be supported by the scheme is encouraged, but not required.  When activities are aimed at developing impacts targeted at specific organisations, then a clear statement of any commitment in kind or in terms of co-funding by those organisations should be provided. 

• Multi-/Inter-disciplinary approaches can be helpful in addressing challenges related to the execution of impact, and so are encouraged where appropriate. 

• Innovative and unusual projects leading to impactful outputs and outcomes. 

The applications will be evaluated by a cross-departmental Steering Group comprised of experienced arts and humanities researchers and cultural practitioners. Decisions on bids to the Impact Fund will be made within 2 months of the call closing and projects must be completed within twelve months of the award. Bids for testing experimental or innovative approaches are welcomed. 

Progress and Final Reports 

All project holders will be required to complete an online questionnaire at the end of their funded period. 

Expenditure should be posted on a monthly basis against the grant. Project holders and their departmental grants/finance officers must ensure that all expenditure is posted against projects within 2 weeks of the end of the project. Further financial reporting will be requested at project close.