Please address each of the topics listed on the Application Form. You are welcome to structure your answer in any way you prefer, but it is often helpful to use the topics as subject headings, and to cover each in turn – that way, you are less likely to forget anything important.
The aims of the project.
The principal aims of the project are the overarching purposes of your research (what it is trying to achieve in terms of knowledge and what the potential impacts of this are). Aims are often provided as a short list.
The research question(s) or problems, the research context, and the project’s contribution to knowledge.
What are the research questions, issues or problems that you will be exploring in the course of your research? Why is it important that these questions or issues are explored? What other research has been conducted in this area, and how will you contribute new knowledge? What contribution will your project make to enhancing creativity, insights, knowledge or understanding in your chosen area of study? To whom will the outcomes of your research be of particular interest (academically and practically)?
The UCP database is a user-friendly way of finding the latest research on UCP, including academic research, working papers and NGO documents. You can easily search the database using keywords or specific regions and countries.
The relevance of the project to the Creating Safer Space network, and how it contributes to our understanding of unarmed civilian protection and self-protection in the midst of violent conflict.
We will only fund projects that are directly relevant to the Creating Safer Space network, and specifically, to understanding unarmed civilian protection and self-protection in the midst of violent conflict. Explain the relevance of your project carefully, and explain which of the three research themes listed in the Call Specifications your project will address and how.
The research design and methods.
What research methods will you be using to address the questions or issues that you have set yourself, or solve the problems you have identified? Why have you chosen these methods? Why are they the best way to answer the research questions or problems you have identified?
Please describe the research design and methods in detail. For example, if you have chosen to conduct interviews: How many people are you hoping to interview? How will you select and approach participants? How will you ensure representation of different groups in the community (e.g. different genders, ages, ethnicities, religions)? How will you conduct the interviews? How will you analyse the data?
The role of each team member and project partner.
What will be your role, and what expertise or experience do you bring to the project? What will be the roles of other researchers or project partners, and why are they the appropriate people or organisations to be involved?
How the project will be managed, the work plan and timelines.
How will the project be managed? What is the timetable for the project? Does it include appropriate milestones and is it realistic? When will the outputs of the project be completed?
If a research assistant is to be employed, you should state clearly the nature of the work they will be undertaking and describe the working relationships that are envisaged between all the members of the research team. You should describe fully the arrangements for supervising and managing the research assistant. If the researcher is unknown, you should state the skills and qualifications sought.
If a contracted researcher or consultant is to be hired, please describe the proposed arrangements in detail.
The Creating Safer Space network strongly encourages projects to provide development opportunities for research staff (especially early career researchers). For example, will they receive relevant training, the opportunity to present at conferences, or the opportunity to (co-)author publications? We encourage projects to budget development opportunities for research staff into the proposal.
The project’s planned outputs, dissemination strategy and beneficiaries.
You should address two main questions: who might benefit from the research and how might they benefit?
Please consider both academic and non-academic beneficiaries of your project. Are there researchers within your own research area, or in other academic disciplines, who will benefit from your research? Will specific communities living in the midst of violent conflict benefit from the research? What about policymakers at different levels, or humanitarian organisations working to protect people from violence? What will you do to identify additional potential beneficiaries as the research progresses?
How will these people or organisations benefit from your research? What will you do to engage with them, and what will you do to ensure potential benefits are realised? For example:
- If your project has the potential to benefit researchers in the field of Peace and Conflict Studies, in what ways will they benefit – why will the research be interesting to them? What will you do to ensure they find out about the research? Will you present your research at a relevant academic conference? Will you publish the research in an academic journal, and if so, do you have a target journal in mind?
- If your project has the potential to benefit a community living in the midst of violent conflict, in what ways will they benefit – how can the research findings improve their situation? Will you engage with them at an early stage, to find out what they hope to get out of the research? What will you do to ensure they find out about the research outcomes? For example, will you present the research at a community workshop, or will you produce a video recording in the local language, to explain the research? Will you engage with community groups to help them implement any findings?
Please see Question 13 in these FAQs for detailed guidance.
How the project includes some elements of the arts and humanities.
Our project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and it is a requirement of all projects to include some elements of the arts and humanities. Please describe how your project meets this requirement, and see question 12 for further guidance.
Any other important information in support of the project, which is not covered elsewhere on the application form.
While you are welcome to include additional relevant information, please think carefully about whether the information is relevant and important. For the most part, the questions on the application form will be the questions that interest the Funding Panel.
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