The AHRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) (previously the Arts and Humanities Impact Fund, or AHIF) aims to enhance the non-academic impact of arts and humanities research at the University of Cambridge.
It supports ‘on the ground’ impact and knowledge exchange activities, which enable researchers at all levels to engage with the public, private and third sectors, and provides a sustainable support structure within the University to promote wider and more effective engagement with external non-academic organisations.
The Fund is intended to contribute to the University’s objectives for Knowledge Exchange (KE) which enable researchers to engage proactively and effectively with external partners to drive socioeconomic impact through the exchange, translation and application of knowledge.
If you would like to discuss your project idea please approach the Impact Facilitator Dr Lucy Sheerman AHimpact@admin.cam.ac.uk. The AHRC subject remit is covered in the AHRC Funding Guide (section 7). Other research councils such as the ESRC and EPSRC run Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAAs) with regular internal funding calls at Cambridge. Please check if you are eligible to apply for these if your research falls within their funding remit.
Below: Abigail Brundin, Professor of Italian, shares her experience of participating in exciting collaborations with heritage organisations. For more interviews about impactful research in the Arts and Humanities, visit the Resources page.
The purpose of the IAA is to support and promote the following types of activity:
- Activities to broaden the experience of engagement with business, NGOs and the public and third sectors. This can cover deepening and strengthening relationships with existing contacts as well as establishing new contacts.
- Collaboration with public, private and third sector organisations
- Developing and promoting new engagement methods to help promote best practice across arts and humanities knowledge areas.
- Short projects to define routes to impact, liaising with partners and finding the resources to enhance impact activities will be eligible. This would include, but is not limited to, holding a workshop to scope interest with a suite of external organisations that would ideally lead to a further impact project.
- Innovative and unusual projects leading to impactful outputs and outcomes.
- Larger scale, cross-disciplinary opportunities for impact through strategic impact partnerships
AHRC Impact Acceleration Account
The AHRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) (previously the Arts and Humanities Impact Fund, or AHIF) aims to enhance the non-academic impact of arts and humanities research at the University of Cambridge.
It supports ‘on the ground’ impact and knowledge exchange activities, which enable researchers at all levels to engage with the public, private and third sectors, and provides a sustainable support structure within the University to promote wider and more effective engagement with external non-academic organisations.
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Open Calls
The AHRC IAA Impact Fund Call
now open to support knowledge exchange and impact projects within Arts and Humanities disciplines
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Call opens: 23rd January 2023.
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Call closes: 25th March 2023 at 4pm.
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Awards are for between £5,000 and £15,000.
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Project duration: up to 12 months,
The AHRC IAA Early Career Researcher Call
now open to support early career researchers in their knowledge exchange and impact projects within Arts and Humanities disciplines
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Call opens: 23rd January 2023.
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Call closes: 25th March 2023 at 4pm,
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Awards are for between £5,000 and £10,000.
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Project duration: up to 12 months,
The All-Council Rapid Response Impact Acceleration Account Call
is now open to support a wide range of impact activities when researchers are confronted by time-sensitive opportunities or need to test new ideas quickly
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Call opens: 12 January 2023 (applications accepted on a rolling basis),
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Final deadline for applications: 4 September 2023 at 16:00,
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Awards are up to £15,000 per application,
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Project duration: up to three months,
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Who can Apply?
The AHRC IAA Impact Fund is open to Principal Investigators employed within a University department with project proposals within the AHRC remit.
AHRC IAA Early Career Researcher Call is open to early career researcher, e.g. JRFs, Post-docs, BA/Leverhulme fellows, with project proposals within the AHRC remit. Applicants will require a senior researcher to act as a Co-Investigator, to benefit from existing experience in grant management and to facilitate mutual learning between research staff.
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What can be funded?
Applications to both calls should can be used for a wide range of activities, including but not limited to:
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Activities targeting policy, business and the third sectors.
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proof-of-concept studies and/or trials.
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Performances of dramatic or musical works.
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Exhibitions & public engagement activities.
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The production of software, websites etc.
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Engagement with schools/educational institutions.
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Monitoring and evaluation of achieved impact.
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Application Process
Application is via the online IAA Application System. Please submit PDF versions of:
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A completed AHRC IAA application form, including HoD signature.
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A PDF copy of the project costing from X5.
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A letter of support from external partner (if applicable).
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A Gantt chart showing the intended timeline of your project may be provided (optional).
Application forms are available from Dr Lucy Sheerman, the AHRC IAA Coordinator (AHimpact@admin.cam.ac.uk)
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Queries and Guidance
Please click here for guidance documents for the AHRC IAA Impact Fund Call and AHRC IAA Early Career Researcher Call.
There will be two training sessions aimed at supporting applications to the Impact Fund this term:
- Engaged Researcher Training: Introduction to Impact
A general introduction to Impact and to applying to the AHRC IAA Fund on Wednesday 8 February 10:30 – 11:45. To register please follow this link.
- DTP Training: Impact and Legacy
An introduction to Impact for PhD students. DTP Training, online. To register please follow this link.
All applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss your project with Dr Lucy Sheerman (AHimpact@admin.cam.ac.uk) before application.
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| 2021-2022 Awards | Project Leads |
| Berlin Exhibition 2023 | Dr Maximilian Sternberg and Dr Sofia Singler |
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Developing a communications forum for 'The Cambridge Seminar on the Future of the Island of Ireland' |
Dr Niamh Gallagher and Prof Eugenio Biagini |
| Telling their stories: Using collection interpretation to build capacity, skills and engagement in small museums of local history | Dr Rachel Hooper and Dr Dacia Viejo-Rose |
| Prick Up Your Ears | Dr Rebecca Barr and Dr Diarmuid Hester |
| Nuclear Policy Story listening Exercise: Learning from 20th century nuclear story-policy-publics interaction to inform present and future UK nuclear policy” | Prof Sarah Dillon |
| Romeyka Exhibition in Athens | Prof Ionna Sitaridou |
| Medieval London Murder Map | Prof Manuel Eisner |
| Gaming the Industrial Revolution | Dr Alexis Litvine and Prof Amy Erickson |
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2020-2021 Awards |
Project Leads |
| Unfolding - London Design Biennale 2021 | Dr Antiopi Koronaki, Dr Michael Ramage, Dr Ana Gatóo |
| Travelling in Ancient Sumer: Urban Studies and Sensory Archaeology to Recreate Ancient Sumer | Dr Augusta McMahon, Dr Marie-Françoise Besnier |
| Community Engagement in the Redisplay of Egyptian Objects at the Fitzwilliam Museum | Dr Helen Strudwick |
| Archaeological Heritage Conservation, Stakeholders Forum, and Public engagement | Dr Abidemi Babalola |
| Developing a National Cataloguing Standard for Medieval Religious and Secular Seals | Dr Philippa Hoskin |
| Owned by Everyone: The Cultural and Ecological Importance of Chalk Streams | Dr Mark Wormald |
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Sonic Accompaniment to Birth in the Jewish Sahara |
Dr Vanessa Paloma Elbaz, Prof. Katherine Ellis |
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Love Letters to a Liveable Future: In Digital Performance |
Dr Zoe Svendsen |
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Marvelous Micromuseums |
Dr Dacia Viejo Rose, Rachel Hooper, Victoria Mitchell |
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New Digital Framework for Hidden Histories |
Dr Chris Burgess, Dr Lucy Delap, Dr Ben Griffen |
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2019-2020 Awards |
Project Leads |
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Secondary Education and Social Change in the UK after 1945Secondary Education and Social Change in UK since 1945 |
Prof. Peter Mandler, Dr Laura Carter, Dr Chris Jeppesen |
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Jomon Matsuri: Changing Perceptions of the Japenese Past, Contemporary Art and Archaeological Enquiry |
Dr Liliana Janik |
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Scripture and Violence: Resources to Help Stakeholders in Their Efforts to Change Prevalent Attitudes |
Dr Daniel Weiss, Dr Julia Snyder, Dr Giles Waller |
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Forma: Vernacular Building for Sustainability |
Dr Wesam Al Asali, Dr Michael Ramage |
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A Publicly Available Geographical Information System (GIS) Boundary Dataset and Gazetteer for Mapping Data in Historic English Parishes |
Dr Alice Reid, Dr Leigh Shaw-Talyor |
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Florence 4D: Tailoring Augmented Reality Smartphone Apps for Impact |
Dr Donal Cooper |
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Building the Indus Civilisation in Minecraft: Digital Heritage, Alternative Pasts, Coding, and Student Imagination |
Dr Adam Green, Dr Cameron Petrie |
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Arabic Phonics: Development of a Research-led Toolkit for Teachers of Arabic |
Dr Saussan Khalil |
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Ways of Seeing: Jacopo del Sellaio's story of Cupid and Psyche in Augmented Reality |
Dr Donal Cooper, Dr Kate Noble, Dr Paola Ricciardi, Mr Dan Pett |
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Rosenöl und Deutscher Geist: The Fortunes of Intellectual History in Germany |
Prof. Richard Bourke |
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Good Practice in Digital Commemorations of the Holocaust |
Dr Gillian Carr |
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Recording Decisions and Actions connected with Claims for the Removal/Protection of Statues in UK Civic Spaces during the Summer of 2020 |
Prof. Marie Louise Stig Sorensen |
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A Good Death? Explorations of Dying Well |
Dr Laura Davies |
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Life Under The Sun: Amarna Children's Website |
Dr Kate Spence |
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Learning Together: Introduction to French Literature and Film in HMP Whitemoor |
Dr Emma Gilby |
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Community Heritage and Education for Sustainable Development in Tanzania |
Prof. Paul Lane |
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Writing in the Ancient World |
Dr Philippa Steele |
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2018-2019 Awards |
Project Leads |
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City Women in the Eighteenth Century |
Dr Amy Erickson |
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Phish and ChYpPS: Using digital technologies in the heritage sector to engagepatients and participants in health and wellbeing programmes |
Mr Daniel Pett |
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Hiraeth: An arts outreach programme for unaccompanied asylum seeking children in Cambridgeshire |
Dr Brechtje Post, Prof. Ianthi Tsimpli |
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Timber Towers of Tomorrow: Explore the science and engineering of super talltimber from cells to skyscrapers |
Dr Michael Ramage |
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Children of the ICTY |
Dr Maja Spanu |
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Firing Like the Romans 2: Construction of a Roman Potter's Workshop |
Dr Simon Stoddart |
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My Little Enlightenment Plays |
Dr Sophie Seita |
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An Account of Italy: Audley End and the Grand Tour |
Prof. Abigail Brundin |
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'A Good Death': Explorations of Dying Well |
Dr Laura Davies, Dr Emma Salgard-Cunha |
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EAT FEAST FAST: Material Culture and Food Memories in Contemporary Cambridge Communities |
Dr Melissa Calaresu, Dr Victoria Avery |
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Romeyka: Let's Speak It! |
Dr Ioanna Sitaridou |
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Women of the Avant-Garde: The American Surrealist Dorothea Tanning (1910-2012) |
Dr Alyce Mahon |
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Factory of the Future: Producing International Impact of Performance Research |
Dr Zoe Svendsen |
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Ashurbanipal: the Last Great King of Assyria |
Dr Selena Wisnom, Dr Martin Worthington |
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Learning Pontic Greek: A Pedagogical Impact Project |
Dr Ioanna Sitaridou |
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Learning Together: Introduction to French Literature and Film in HMP Whitemoor |
Dr Emma Gilby |
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Liszt’s Unheard Opera: Sardanapalo |
Dr David Trippett |
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2017-2018 Awards |
Project Leads |
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The Pop-Up Museum: Ancient Egyptian Coffins at the Fitzwilliam |
Dr Julia Dawson, Dr Helen Strudwick |
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Kepler’s Harmonies |
Dr Tim Watts |
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Scripture and Violence |
Dr Daniel Weiss |
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Text and Meaning: the Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language as Treasure-Trove |
Prof. Máire Ní Mhaonaigh |
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Sharing the Amarna Story: Coproducing a Community Learning Resource |
Dr Kate Spence |
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Early Modern Parisian Soundscapes |
Dr Nick Hammond |
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Changing Public Perceptions of Ancient Mesopotamia |
Dr Martin Worthington, Dr Selena Wisnom |
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Materialising the Digital Archive: Multi-Media Tennyson |
Dr Ewan Jones |
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Restoring Lost Songs |
Dr Sam Barrett |
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Narrating Climate Change in the Colombian Caribbean |
Dr Rory O'Bryen |
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An Account of Italy: Audley End and the Grand Tour |
Prof. Abigail Brundin |
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Electronic Shakespeare |
Prof. Peter deBolla, Mr Scott Mandelbrote |
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New Light on Newton |
Mr Huw Jones |
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Mind Your Language: Focus on Valencia |
Prof. Dominic Keown |
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Scores of Scores |
Dr Mark Gotham |
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Architecture for Resilience in China |
Dr Emily So |
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Bruno Munari: The Lightness of Art |
Dr Pierpaolo Antonello |
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Firing Like the Romans |
Dr Simon Stoddart |
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Polychromy Matters |
Dr Victoria Avery |
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Playing Medieval Lives |
Prof. John Robb |
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Pursuing best Practice in Supporting Muslim Service Users in Community Probation Contexts |
Dr Ryan Williams, Dr Paul Anderson |
This fund is available to fund timely, tactical opportunities in short time scales, which require a quick turnaround for funding. This could include, but is not limited to, activities such as select committee attendance, workshop organisation, or the creation of short-term impact projects. Funding is also available for initial meetings with non-academic partners that can demonstrate a potential to lead to further impact.
Awards will typically not exceed £2,000 and will cover 100% Directly Incurred Costs only.
Applications to this scheme are accepted on a rolling basis, through the dedicated application system.
If you wish to apply contact Lucy or Greta at AHImpact@admin.cam.ac.uk
