John Fell Fund 2019, UK

Oxford University Press transfers £5m to the John Fell OUP Research Fund each year.

The fund was created in 2006 and is named after the seventeenth-century 'father' of the modern Press, Dean of Christ Church, Vice-Chancellor and Bishop of Oxford.

The fund aims to foster creativity and a proactive approach to research opportunities in all subject areas, and particularly interdisciplinary fields. It makes seedcorn and start-up grants, and provides staff and funds to stimulate applications to external agencies.

Reports on completed projects indicate that awards made from the John Fell Fund are successfully fulfilling its purpose, leveraging additional funding at a ratio of up to 1:7.

The John Fell OUP Research Fund is open to both academic and service units. All subject areas are encouraged to apply, and interdisciplinary and/or interdivisional projects are especially welcome.

The applicant should normally be a current salaried employee of the collegiate university holding an academic post (Professor or Associate Professor), or a research fellowship awarded competitively and intended to enable the holder to establish an independent research career (eg Royal Society University Research Fellow, Junior Research Fellow).

Main awards

For main award applications (more than £7,500), you must hold a post that includes responsibility for developing your own research agenda. If you do not hold an academic post, but the department would support a research application to an external body in your name as principal investigator, then you will normally be eligible to apply. You are advised to consult your departmental administrator and/or head of department (or chair of faculty). Your application will not be considered unless it is supported by your department or faculty via the online application process. 

Small awards

For small award applications (up to £7,500), the same rules apply as for main awards, except that the committee will also consider applications from an early career researcher employed by the collegiate University who aspires to an academic post or fellowship, but does not yet hold such a post, provided that the applicant has the support of their line manager. The line manager should supply a letter of support, including confirmation that holding the John Fell award would be consistent with the applicant’s existing duties (eg meeting the requirements of external funders). The application must also be supported by the department via the online process.

Medical Sciences – non-academic

If you are in Medical Sciences and are not an academic or equivalent, you should consult the divisional office and, subject to their advice, supply a covering letter from your head of department confirming your eligibility to apply to the John Fell Fund. Clinical research fellows who have not yet completed their DPhil may not apply.

Retired and emeritus fellows, and DPhil and other students, are ineligible for funding.

Awards are normally made only for the directly incurred costs of research including posts, equipment, consumables and other items required for the project.

Eligible Costs

Grants are not made for:

• building costs
• the salary of the applicant or principal investigator
• other academic posts, ie new academic posts or academic posts held by individuals other than the applicant (provided that in exceptional circumstances funds might be made available towards an academic post for a limited period where this is tied to a specific bid to an external body under category 'Support related to current bids for external funding')
• bridging support (see separate bridging support scheme)
• article processing charges (APCs) incurred under the Open Access publication model
• honoraria

In exceptional cases, grants may be made towards refurbishment costs, but only as part of a bid for equipment, where refurbishment is required in order to house the equipment. Bids for refurbishment only may be made to the Capital Steering Group.

For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.