GrantRadar

Ecological Continuity Trust

ECT Small Grants Scheme

Grants for ecological research, maintenance and data curation at long-term ecological experiments (LTEs) in the UK that are on the Ecological Continuity Trust's register. Small Grants and Student Grants give up to £3,000 and Maintenance Grants up to £5,000 for fencing, infrastructure and equipment repairs. Applications are by emailed form with no deadline, and the Trust aims to give a decision within two months. Co-funded by the Ramble Worldwide Outdoor Trust.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £5,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Researchers and students (with their institution) whose activities are undertaken on, or associated with, a long-term ecological experiment within the UK that is currently on the ECT register; the eligible sites are listed in a downloadable spreadsheet
  • Student applications need a personal reference from the project supervisor, who also signs the form
  • Applications are scored on ten criteria including experimental design (number of randomised replicates and treatments), feasibility and the applicant's experience, track record in grants, publications and PhD supervision, value for money, impact on the LTE and data-sharing arrangements
  • Recipients must comply with the ECT Data Policy

What it funds

Small Grants (up to £3,000) for research projects on registered LTEs, covering:

  • Consumables
  • Extraordinary work such as supporting visiting scientists, students or public engagement
  • Support for researchers to visit or to facilitate comparative studies between existing long-term ecological experiments
  • Data curation activities, including database development and on-line archiving
  • Student Grants (up to £3,000) for undergraduate or postgraduate research projects: consumables or specialist equipment, and travel and accommodation where no institutional funding exists
  • Maintenance Grants (up to £5,000): replacement of fencing and other infrastructure, and repairs to existing research equipment used exclusively on the site

replacement or new equipment may be funded with extra justification - that it will be used exclusively on the experiment and the applicant's institution provides at least some matched funding, or that funds cannot be found elsewhere. ECT may offer only a contribution.

What it will not fund

  • Activities not undertaken on, or associated with, a UK long-term experiment on the ECT register
  • Conference travel and accommodation
  • Costs not clearly justified in the budget
  • More than £3,000 to any one applicant in a year from each fund (excluding the maintenance fund)

How to apply

  1. Check that your experiment is on the ECT register (download the list of eligible sites)
  2. Complete the ECT Grant Application Form: applicant and organisation details, grant type, amount and costs (in GBP, all justified), project dates, the LTE to be used, aims and how the work adds value to the LTE, and how results will be reported
  3. Sign the form (student applications also signed by the supervisor) and email it to ben.sykes@ecologicalcontinuitytrust.org
  4. ECT acknowledges receipt and aims to notify the outcome within two months

recipients must comply with the ECT Data Policy.

Have ready

  • Completed and signed ECT Grant Application Form
  • Personal reference from the project supervisor (Student Grants)

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