Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: Developing innovative approaches to gender-based violence

Opportunity status:
Closed
Funders:
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
Funding type:
Grant
Total fund:
£4,200,000
Maximum award:
£400,000
Publication date:
12 April 2023
Opening date:
Closing date:

Collaborate with international partners to explore ways in which social violence, specifically sex and gender-based violence (GBV) manifests and can be addressed using arts and humanities-led interdisciplinary approaches.

Projects will seek to understand the drivers behind GBV to develop methods of prevention, safeguarding and behavioural change.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £400,000. AHRC will fund:

  • 80% FEC for UK based researchers
  • 100% FEC for eligible international co-investigator costs

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding.

Who can apply

Before applying for funding, check the following:

Who is eligible to apply

To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity you must be at an eligible research organisation.

This is any UK higher education institution that receives grant funding from one of the UK higher education funding bodies, or a UKRI-recognised research institute or organisation.

See AHRC’s funding guide for further information on institutional and contractual eligibility requirements for investigators.

Your application must fall primarily within the remit of the AHRC but we encourage cross-disciplinary approaches both within and beyond the arts and humanities. Applicants from any discipline can apply as part of cross-disciplinary teams.

Your application must:

  • focus on the areas listed under ‘what we’re looking for’
  • involve at least one international co-investigator based in a low or middle income country on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Note that the primary focus of research cannot be India or China for this funding opportunity, further information is available under ‘what we’re looking for’

International applicants

AHRC’s international co-investigator policy applies to this funding opportunity. If you are a researcher based outside of the UK, you can be named as an international co-investigator if you meet AHRC’s eligibility criteria for international co-investigators.

With the aim of easing barriers to collaboration and partnership, for this funding opportunity there is increased flexibility applied to the standard AHRC eligibility criteria for international co-investigators.

Contrary to the standard eligibility guidance, it is not a requirement that co-investigators be “based at an established research organisation with significant research capacity of comparable status and standing to a UK organisation which is eligible for UK research council funding”.

However, you should clearly demonstrate that each co-investigator is contracted to an organisation or institution that has the capacity to support them in carrying out the research activity proposed. It should be acknowledged that ‘research capacity’ can present differently in different contexts.

It is the responsibility of the lead UK research organisation to ensure that an international co-investigator’s organisation:

  • is appropriate to receive funds
  • has systems in place to manage the funding provided
  • can support the co-investigator

This includes issues of governance, control, safeguarding, financial stability and ability to deliver and support research production.

Although your application must be submitted by a UK-based researcher, it is expected that the research design, plans for delivery and dissemination are all co-designed and delivered equitably between all researchers and partners involved. This needs to be evidenced in the application.

Unless indicated in the funding opportunity text, standard eligibility and funding requirements of AHRC’s research grant scheme will apply.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

  • career breaks
  • support for people with caring responsibilities
  • flexible working
  • alternative working patterns

Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI and AHRC’s equality, diversity and inclusion policy.

What we're looking for

Scope

This funding opportunity is for research projects that will explore the ways in which social violence, specifically sex and GBV, manifests and can be addressed using arts and humanities-led interdisciplinary approaches. Projects will seek to understand the drivers behind GBV to develop sustainable methods of prevention, safeguarding and behavioural change.

It is recognised that GBV is a global issue and needs to be tackled as such. While the focus of this funding opportunity is on working with partners in low and middle income countries, we welcome approaches that would enable lessons learned in addressing GBV across the globe. Issues concerning accessibility and inclusion should be addressed throughout the application with the inclusion of diverse voices.

This funding opportunity responds to and builds on a wealth of related research funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and one of AHRC’s ‘Where Next’ reports. It also complements related global initiatives such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office’s ‘what works to prevent violence’ programme. See ‘additional info’ for more about these initiatives.

Your application should have a focus on contexts in low and middle income countries on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list. Note that the primary focus of research cannot be India or China for this funding opportunity, see section on ‘Official Development Assistance’ for further guidance.

Research projects supported through this funding opportunity are expected to:

  • develop arts and humanities-led interdisciplinary approaches and interventions that will contribute to GBV prevention, response and recovery
  • expand the current evidence base for GBV research and interventions by focusing on current and historical contexts, including:
    • how COVID-19 and post-COVID contexts have exacerbated gender-based violence and further diminished gender equality (including all gender identities)
    • recent increases in human trafficking
    • how conflict, climate, economic or humanitarian crises have increased risks of violence, especially for the most vulnerable populations or groups
  • consider how different contexts result in different manifestations, for example private and public, rural and urban spaces, conflict and post-conflict contexts
  • consider how evidence and research methodologies can be applied across southern contexts as well as to relevant northern contexts. This includes opportunities that support two-way south-south and south-north learning

Boundary crossing proposals which support the development of interdisciplinary perspectives connecting within and beyond the arts and humanities, and engagement with policy, practice and civil society are encouraged. We welcome creative and innovative impacts and outcomes that are relevant to the intended beneficiaries of the research, and tailored interventions that meet the needs of particular groups.

To support research creativity and innovation, we will accept a wide range of topics and approaches for this funding opportunity, provided that they meet the overall aims and scope outlined above. Examples of research areas emerging from engagement activities in the development of this funding opportunity and from current activities under the AHRC GBV portfolio, which research projects could seek to address, include but are not limited to:

  • an understanding of what constitutes violence, in particular cultural contexts and the importance of linguistic nuances when talking about GBV
  • intersectional or systems approaches to GBV
  • how GBV interacts with other forms of violence and how one kind of violence can spill over to another
  • how different individuals or groups experience GBV and how arts-based interventions can be developed, tailored and adapted for local needs
  • historic and spatial dimensions of GBV, including how post-colonial power structures, and structural inequalities have evolved over time
  • impact opportunities for and with both local communities and policy makers
  • how laws, legal frameworks or limited access to justice systems can exacerbate the experience of GBV
  • sustainable prevention of GBV, for example through innovative educational and community initiatives

In addition, we are looking for research projects which:

  • reflect the heterogeneity of GBV through voices and experience
  • recognise the intersecting factors that shape experience, including issues such as discrimination, power, protection of human rights, access to justice, violence, displacement, conflict and fragility
  • consider all gender identities
  • support participatory or co-researched approaches which are inclusive of the voices, ideas and experiences of survivors of GBV, either directly or indirectly
  • embed equitable partnerships
  • embed and exemplify accessible, inclusive and sustainable working practices
  • fully address ethical and safeguarding issues
  • generate a variety of context-sensitive innovative impacts and outcomes

Proposals can develop new ideas and partnerships that address research gaps or expand on previous work in a relevant area. Where proposals build on existing partnerships, you will need to clarify how they will add value to them and develop new collaborations, for example by expanding their international reach.

Equitable partnerships and collaboration

We are looking for proposals that embed principles of equitable partnership working into the design, delivery and dissemination of research. Projects must include collaboration between researchers and wider partners from outside of academia, which may include:

  • community groups
  • non-governmental organisations
  • civil society organisations
  • creative, cultural and heritage sectors
  • relevant local partners
  • charities
  • policymaking bodies

The nature of collaboration and partnership should be balanced and appropriate to the aims of the project as well as local contexts. Your application must demonstrate how the project team will ensure an equitable, collective and inclusive approach to partnership, including co-design and co-delivery of research and outcomes.

The balance of intellectual leadership between researchers and partners involved should also be equitable. Read further guidance on principles of equitable partnership working.

Please see AHRC’s funding guide for information on including project partners and sub-contractors in your application. If costs are included for a project partner or sub-contractor, this can be paid at 100% if it is counted as part of research costs linked to an international co-investigator (see ‘funding available’).

Safeguarding and ethical research

Full consideration should be given to the relevant collaborating country’s context and ethical issues in the planning and conduct of research, implementing a ‘do no harm’ duty of care approach. This includes languages, cultures, faiths, public engagement, legal frameworks, political and regulatory systems.

Proposals must fully address ethical and safeguarding issues, referring to local guidance and regulations where applicable. Ethical considerations are amplified in spaces of fragility and violence, requiring additional reflection and safeguarding when planning research.

A toolkit (PDF, 335KB) for those involved in planning research in fragile and conflict-affected contexts has been developed via UKRI and UNICEF. You are strongly encouraged to consult this document when planning your research.

UKRI’s preventing harm in research page outlines our key principles for safeguarding and preventing harm in research.

UKRI also has wider guidance on safeguarding, ethics and expectations around due diligence. See research in a global setting for further guidance.

As this funding opportunity is aimed at international development research, we expect researchers to consider and act on this guidance.

Official Development Assistance (ODA)

This funding opportunity is part of the UK’s ODA commitment. This is government aid that promotes and specifically targets the economic development and welfare of developing countries.

Successful awards under this funding opportunity will be supported via ODA funding, as such projects must demonstrate how they are ODA compliant and will contribute to the economic development and welfare of developing countries.

Your research must relate to countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients.

Any proposal to this funding opportunity must make it clear that its primary purpose is to promote the economic development and welfare of a developing country or countries. Your application should:

  • seek to investigate a specific problem or seek a specific outcome which will have an impact on a developing country or countries on the DAC list
  • provide evidence as to why this is a problem for the developing country or countries
  • address the issue identified effectively and efficiently
  • use the strengths of the UK to address the issue, working in collaboration with others as appropriate
  • demonstrate that the research is of an internationally excellent standard
  • identify appropriate pathways to impact to ensure that the developing country benefits from the research

Any benefit to the UK or other developed countries has to be the secondary consideration and should not lead to a project being funded if it doesn’t primarily deliver the development objective.

Please note the following exceptions to eligible partner countries:

  • UKRI’s partnerships with India have a renewed focus for ODA funding opportunities. The outcomes and outputs of any applications involving India must have a primary benefit outside the UK or India, benefitting other countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients as the direct and primary objective. Secondary benefits to India and the UK are possible. Where India is involved in an ODA funded project, it should not be the sole or primary beneficiary of the activity
  • from 2023, UKRI is unable to support research and innovation partnerships with China on any ODA funded activity. As such, the beneficiary of your proposed activity must not be China. Researchers or other partners based at Chinese organisations are not eligible to apply in any capacity and no research activity should take place in or benefit China. No ODA funded research and innovation activity can take place in China

Applicants working with partners in in India or China who wish to apply for this funding opportunity are strongly advised to contact AHRC for guidance as early as possible.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

ODA funds provided by UKRI must comply with the gender equality and other requirements of the International Development Act.

Under the International Development (Gender Equality) Act 2014, development assistance should be provided in a way that is likely to contribute to reducing inequality between persons of different gender.

You should consider the potential for positive impacts in gender equality. Any possible negative impacts of the proposed project on inequalities of different genders, and how the project proposes to remove these, should also be considered. These considerations need to be presented in a gender equality statement, which will be assessed.

Additionally, you are encouraged, where appropriate, to extend the statement to cover intersecting and wider issues relating to equalities, diversity, identities and inclusion. This includes consideration of the UN Sustainable Development ‘no-one left behind’ agenda as well as any context-specific factors which need to be taken into account in addressing issues of gender and inequalities.

Read further guidance on writing your gender equality statement (PDF, 538KB). This guidance was issued as part of previous GCRF and Newton Fund opportunities but is also relevant for this funding opportunity.

Duration

The maximum duration of this award is 36 months.

Projects must start on 1 February 2024.

Each project will have an initial six-month period for networking, partnership development and project set up before the core research activities are expected to begin. The six-month networking stage will allow for activities including:

  • refinement of plans and research areas for delivery
  • partnership development activities
  • incorporating reviewer feedback (where appropriate)
  • project set up activities
  • workshops and other networking activity
  • planning meetings

Your application should have a clear idea of the overall research questions, aims and objectives from the outset and the networking phase will allow for refinement as well as partnership building to support those aims.

Towards the end of the networking phase, you will be required to submit a short progress report that shows how plans have been refined. A light-touch review of progress reports will be carried out by AHRC towards the end of the networking phase. Feasibility of the application to progress from networking to the core research phase is a key assessment criterion for this funding opportunity.

It is not expected that substantial changes will be made to projects between the networking and research phases, but refinement of plans and partnerships is acceptable.

We expect to support 10 to 12 awards through this funding opportunity. Throughout their duration, the cohort of project teams will be convened to share learning and findings. The exact nature and frequency of this will be determined with the project teams.

Funding available

The FEC of your project can be up to £400,000.

AHRC will fund:

  • 80% of the FEC for UK-based researchers
  • 100% of the FEC for eligible international co-investigator costs

All requested costs must be in line with the guidance set out in section three of AHRC’s funding guide, any exceptions are noted in this opportunity text.

Given the international focus and emphasis on equitable partnerships and collaboration, the following exceptions apply to this funding opportunity for international co-investigators based in low and middle income countries on the DAC list:

  • AHRC’s standard 30% cap on international co-investigator costs may be exceeded up to a maximum of 50% of total grant costs
  • a contribution towards indirect and estates costs at overseas organisations is permissible, calculated as up to 20% of the total direct costs charged to the grant relating to the activities of each international co-investigator
  • costs for project partners in low and middle income countries may also be funded at 100% where it is not possible for contributions to be made. The total costs associated with project partners should not normally exceed 30% of the total grant cost

The justification of resources in your application should include individual figures for the total amount of international costs and costs for UK-based researchers.

Given the ODA focus of this funding opportunity on collaborations with low and middle income countries, costs for overseas co-investigators in countries not on the DAC list should be kept to a minimum. They should be fully justified in terms of the unique capabilities which they will bring to the research which are not available within the UK or partner countries.

Costs may be included to support inclusive participation in development impact activities. These may be incurred by either the UK or partners based in low and middle income countries as appropriate. Where possible, accessible venues and facilities should be selected; please note that infrastructure costs cannot be requested for example to make structural alterations to venues for improved accessibility.

Between the networking and research phases only minimal changes to costs will be permissible and must:

  • be within the original amount of funding requested
  • only be made within fund headings as submitted in your application

Within the £400,000 maximum budget you must include an amount of £10,000 under other directly incurred (UK) costs to cover cohort building and knowledge exchange activities. There is no need to specify what this will cover at the application stage; the use of this funding will be determined in consultation with AHRC.

International collaboration

International collaboration is compulsory for this funding opportunity, visit Trusted Research for more information on effective international collaboration.

You should also take note of UKRI’s guidance on undertaking research in a global setting.

Successful projects will require a contractual relationship or collaboration agreement to be put in place between the lead UK research organisation (RO) and the international co-investigator’s organisation.

The lead RO must also deploy their own due diligence and risk management processes and policies.

How to apply

UKRI Funding Service

We are running the funding opportunity on the new UKRI Funding Service. You cannot apply for this opportunity on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

If you do not already have an account with the Funding Service, you will be able to create one by selecting the ‘start application’ button at the start of this page. Creating an account is a two-minute process requiring you to verify your email address and set a password.

If you are a member of an organisation with a research office that we do not have contact details for, we will contact them to enable administrator access. This provides:

  • oversight of every UKRI Funding Service application opened on behalf of your organisation
  • the ability to review and submit applications

Research offices that have not already received an invitation to open an account should email: support@funding-service.ukri.org

To find out more about the role of research office professionals in the application process, watch a recording of a recent research office webinar on YouTube.

Submitting your application

Applications should be prepared and submitted by the lead research organisation but should be co-created with input from all investigators, and project partners, and should represent the proposed work of the entire consortia.

To apply:

  1. Select the ‘start application’ button at the start of this page.
  2. This will open the ‘sign in’ page of UKRI’s Funding Service. If you do not already have an account, you’ll be able to create one. This is a two-minute process requiring you to verify your email address and set a password.
  3. Start answering the questions detailed in this section of ‘how to apply’. You can save your work and come back to it later. You can also work ‘offline’, copying and pasting into the text boxes provided for your answers.
  4. Once complete, use the service to send your application to your research office for review. They’ll check it and return it to you if it needs editing.
  5. Once happy, your research office will submit it to UKRI for assessment. Only they can do this.

As citations can be integral to a case for support, you should balance their inclusion and the benefit they provide against the inclusion of other parts of your answer to each question. Bear in mind that citations, associated reference lists or bibliographies, or both, contribute to, and are included in, the word count of the relevant section.

Deadline

AHRC must receive your application by 27 June 2023 at 4:00pm UK time.

You will not be able to apply after this time.

You should ensure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines that may be in place.

Processing personal data

AHRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your funding service account and the registration of your funding applications.

We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.

Outcomes publication

AHRC UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at board and panel outcomes.

If your application is successful, some personal information will be published via the UKRI Gateway to Research.

UKRI Funding Service: section guidance

Summary

In plain English, provide a summary that can be sent to potential reviewers to determine if your proposal is within their field of expertise.

This summary may be made publicly available on external facing websites, so please ensure it can be understood by a variety of readers, for example:

  • opinion-formers
  • policymakers
  • the general public
  • the wider research community

Guidance for writing a summary. Succinctly describe your proposed work in terms of:

  • its context
  • the challenge the project addresses and how it will be applied to this
  • its aims and objectives
  • its potential applications and benefits

Word count: 550

Applicants

List the key members of your team and assign them roles, for example:

  • principal investigator
  • co-investigator
  • researcher
  • technician

You should only list one individual as principal investigator.

Section: vision

Question: what are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your proposed work:

  • is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the fields or areas
  • has the potential to advance current understanding, generates new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area
  • is timely given current trends, context and needs
  • impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment
  • demonstrates a strong and central alignment to the funding opportunity’s focus on gender-based violence
  • has a clear pathway to achieving development impact which considers the relevant partner country’s cultural, linguistic and historic contexts

Within the vision section we also expect you to:

  • identify the potential direct or indirect benefits and who the beneficiaries might be

Word count: 750

Section: approach

Question: how are you going to deliver your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how you have designed your approach so that it:

  • is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
  • is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
  • if applicable, uses a clear and transparent methodology
  • if applicable, summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed
  • will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
  • describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place, its location, and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work
  • ensures equitable, ethical and inclusive collaboration and co-design between researchers, partners and participants
  • demonstrates a clear pathway from the networking to the research phase
  • considers issues of equality, diversity and inclusion both in relation to the composition of the project team and framing of the research itself

Within the approach section we also expect you to:

  • demonstrate access to the appropriate services, facilities, infrastructure, or equipment to deliver the proposal
  • provide a detailed and comprehensive project plan including milestones and timelines. This must be in the form of a Gantt chart or similar (mandatory additional one-page A4)

Word count: 2,500

Section: data management plan

Question: how will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed research?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a data management plan (DMP) that outlines your project’s approach to managing data. You must follow AHRC’s guidance on writing a DMP, which can be found in the AHRC’s funding guide. Your DMP should describe:

  • how your approach to managing data is appropriate for the research project being proposed
  • how the DMP will enable the project’s data creation, outputs and storage needs
  • how the plan for data is feasible, sensible, appropriate and valid

Word count: 1,000

Section: applicant and team capability to deliver

Question: why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:

  • the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work
  • the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work
  • the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others

Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you, and if relevant your team (investigators, researchers, other (technical) staff for example research software engineers, data scientists and so on, and partners), have and how this will help to deliver the proposed work.

You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.

Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed below. You should use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI. You can enter N/A for any you think irrelevant, and will not be penalised for doing so, but it is recommended that you carefully consider the breadth of your experience:

  • contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
  • the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
  • contributions to the wider research and innovation community
  • contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit
  • additions (you can use this heading to provide information which provides context to the wider application, such as detail of career breaks, it is not a requirement)

You should complete this as a narrative and you should avoid CV type format.

Word count: 2,000

Section: project partners: contributions

Question: provide details about any project partners’ contributions using the template provided.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you do not have any project partners, simply add ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move to the next section.

If you do have project partners, download and complete the project partner contributions template (DOCX, 52KB) then copy and paste the table within it into the text box below.

Ensure you have obtained prior agreement from project partners that, should you be offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the template.

Word count: 500

Section: project partners: letters (or emails) of support

Question: upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the table in the previous ‘contributions’ section.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you do not have any project partners, simply add ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move to the next section.

If you have named project partners in the previous ‘contributions’ section, enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box below.

Each letter or email you provide should:

  • confirm the partner’s commitment to the project
  • clearly explain the value, relevance and possible benefits of the work to them
  • describe any additional value that they bring to the project
  • be no longer than two sides of A4
  • please refer to the AHRC’s funding guide for more guidance

Please do not provide letters of support from host and UK co-investigator’s research organisations.

Unless specifically requested, please do not include any personal data within the attachment.

Upload details are provided within the service on the actual application.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Word count: 5

Section: international co-investigator: head of department letter (or email) of support

Question: upload a single PDF containing letters of support from the head of department for each international co-investigator.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you have named international co-investigators in the applicant’s section, enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box below.

Each letter you provide should:

  • state how they will deliver the project’s objectives
  • describe how their institution will support them during the lifetime of the project
  • provide assurances that their contract will be in place for the duration of the project
  • be no more than two sides of A4

Unless specifically requested, please do not include any personal data within the attachment.

Upload details are provided within the service on the actual application.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Word count: 5

Section: ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)

Question: what are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Using the text box, demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations, and how you will manage them. This should include how your project will manage:

  • the safeguarding of participants and researchers
  • risks and sensitivities relating to the context in which research is being undertaken
  • prevention of harm
  • inequalities in power

Word count: 750

Section: resources and cost justification

Question: what will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Download the full economic costings template (DOCX, 96KB), complete it and then upload it as explained.

Using the text box, demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:

  • are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
  • represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
  • maximise potential outcomes and impacts

This section should not simply be a list of the resources requested, as this will already be given in the detailed ‘costs’ table. Costings should be justified on the basis of FEC of the project, not just on the costs expected from UKRI. For some items we do not expect you to justify the monetary value, rather the type of resource, such as amount of time or type of staff requested.

Where you do not provide adequate justification for a resource, we may deduct it from any funding awarded.

You should identify:

  • support for activities to either increase impact, for public engagement, knowledge exchange or to support responsible innovation
  • support for access to facilities, infrastructure or procurement of equipment
  • support for preserving, long-term storage, or sharing of data
  • support from your organisation or partner organisations and how that enhances value for money
  • international co-investigator costs that do not exceed up to a maximum of 50% of total grant costs
  • an amount of £10,000 under directly incurred costs as part of the UK costs to cover cohort building activities and knowledge exchange. There is no need to specify or breakdown what this will be used for at the application stage, this will be determined in consultation with AHRC

Word count: 1,000

Section: Official Development Assistance (ODA) compliance

Question: how does your proposed work meet ODA compliance eligibility?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

This funding opportunity is part of the UK’s ODA commitment. This is government aid that promotes and specifically targets the economic development and welfare of developing countries.

When assessing whether an activity is eligible for ODA funding under this funding opportunity, AHRC will assess whether projects satisfy the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development criteria on eligibility. To demonstrate how your proposed work meets ODA compliance criteria, please explain:

  • which country or countries on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list will directly benefit from this proposal and whether these countries are likely to continue to be ODA eligible for the duration of the research
  • how your proposal is directly and primarily relevant to the development challenges of these countries
  • how you expect the outcomes of your proposed activities will promote the economic development and welfare of a country or countries on the DAC list
  • what approaches you will use to deliver development impact within the lifetime of the project and in the longer term. Please consider the potential outcomes, the key beneficiary and stakeholder groups and how they will be engaged to enable development impact to be achieved

Word count: 500

Section: gender equality statement

Question: how does your proposed work contribute to reducing inequality between persons of different gender?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Read further guidance for applicants on gender equality statements (PDF, 538KB). This guidance was issued as part of previous Global Challenges Research Fund and Newton Fund opportunities but is also relevant for this funding opportunity. AHRC and expert reviewers will assess whether your proposal has demonstrated sufficient consideration of gender equality.

Provide a gender equality statement that explains:

  • what measures have been put in place to ensure equal and meaningful opportunities for people of different genders to be involved throughout the project. This includes the development of the project, the participants of the research and the beneficiaries of the research
  • the expected impact of the project (benefits and losses) on people of different genders, both throughout the project and beyond
  • the impact on the relations between people of different genders and people of the same gender. For example, changing roles and responsibilities in households, society, economy, politics, power, etc.
  • how any risks and unintended negative consequences on gender equality will be avoided or mitigated against, and monitored
  • whether there are any relevant outcomes and outputs being measured, with data disaggregated by age and gender (where disclosed)

Word count: 500

How we will assess your application

Assessment process

We will assess your application using the following process.

Peer review

We will invite peer reviewers to review your application independently, against the specified criteria for this funding opportunity.

Principal investigator response

After peer reviews have been collated, the principal investigator response allows you to correct any factual errors or conceptual misunderstandings, or to respond to any queries highlighted in the comments from the peer reviewers.

It is not intended to be an opportunity to change or re-constitute a proposal in the light of the reviewers’ comments. You are not obliged to submit a response, but it is recommended that you do so as responses from applicants are forwarded to the moderation panels and are taken into account in the grading and prioritisation of proposals.

Applicants are given 14 days to respond to reviewers’ comments. Please refer to the AHRC research funding guide.

Panel

Following peer review, we will invite peers to collectively review your application against the criteria and rank it alongside other applications after which the panel will make a funding recommendation.

In making a funding recommendation, the panel will also seek to ensure a balanced portfolio of awards in terms of thematic focus.

AHRC will make the final funding decision.

Find out more about AHRC’s assessment process.

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making.

We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.

Assessment criteria

The criteria we will assess your application against can be found in the ‘how to apply’ section under ‘what the assessors are looking for in your response’.

Contact details

Get help with your application

For help on costings and writing your application, contact your research office. Allow enough time for your organisation’s submission process.

Ask about this funding opportunity

Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org
We aim to respond to emails within two working days.

Phone: 01793 547490

Our phone lines are open:

  • Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm
  • Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

Additional info

Background

This funding opportunity responds to and builds on a wealth of related research funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and one of the AHRC’s ‘ Where Next’ projects focusing on ‘performing arts and social violence: innovating research approaches to sexual and gender-based violence in the global south’. It also compliments related global initiatives such as Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office’s What Works to Prevent Violence programme.

You can find more about the awards funded through GCRF and search the database of projects on Tableau Public.

Webinar

Please register via Zoom for the AHRC gender based violence funding opportunity launch webinar to be held on 4 May at 3:00pm to 4:30pm.

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