The BCSS Research Committee invites applications for grants for research projects that will provide new information on the biology, propagation or cultivation of succulent plants. Research proposals with immediate and direct application to the interests of the BCSS membership are a priority.
Instructions for Applicants
Proposals should be emailed to the BCSS Research Committee Chairman: Proposers may also submit informal enquiries to this address before planning a full proposal.
Projects should concern cacti and/or other succulents, and should
- be of immediate and direct interest to BCSS members
- provide significant new information or understanding
Grants will normally be up to a maximum of £2,000 although larger amounts (to £10,000) may be granted in exceptional circumstances.
Proposals for funding should be no more than 2 sides of A4 / US Letter paper, and should cover
- Background to the project
- What you will do in the project, and methods to be used
- Timetable for the project, including start and finish dates
- How the requested funds are to be used
- What the expected outcomes of the project are, in terms of tangible deliverables
- Where you hope to publish the results (see below)
- Names and email addresses of up to 3 referees who could assess your proposal
- Whether funding is being or has been sought from other awarding bodies and whether or not such applications have been successful
The BCSS Research Committee will consider the following questions when assessing your proposal, which you should thus address:
- Are the context and motivation for this research clear?
- Does the proposal have sufficient novelty and scientific merit?
- Are the scope and ambition of the project realistic?
- Is the proposed methodology suitable?
- Does the applicant have the necessary background and skills?
- Are the funds requested commensurate with the uses to which they will be put?
- Is there a clear list of expected outcomes?
- Is the project of interest to BCSS members?
Obligations:
All grants awarded are subject to the following conditions, in addition to any other specific conditions placed on any individual project:
- the grant holder must send the BCSS Research Committee Chairman a brief public summary of the project for the BCSS Website (see https://bcss.org.uk/research/)
- this should be provided within 1 month of the grant starting
- the grant holder should update this summary annually with brief progress reports
- the grant holder should update this public summary within 3 months of the end of the project to describe the project’s main findings
- the grant holder must inform the BCSS Research Committee Chairman of any papers submitted / accepted for publication as a result of the grant
- grant holders are encouraged to submit their findings for publication in Bradleya, the BCSS journal
- if they prefer to submit their findings to other scientific journals, they must in any case provide a short popular article on their research for BCSS CactusWorld
- all publications arising should acknowledge that the research was supported by a BCSS Research Grant
- the grant holder must within 3 months of the end of their project submit to the BCSS Research Committee Chairman a final report of up to 1 page summarising
- the main results and outcomes of the project, explaining any differences from the expected outcomes
- where the results have been published or submitted for publication
- how the funds awarded were used
Failure to meet the above obligations are likely to bar the applicant from holding any future BCCS grants.