Welcome to the Early Career Researcher Institute's Postgraduate Community Fund webpage - we are pleased that you are interested in organising an event/activity and look forward to hearing from you!
The Postgraduate Community Fund is designed to enhance research culture by providing you with a grant in which to develop your student community networks.
Available to all postgraduate students, including student representatives, the fund can be used to support student-led activities and events which enhance the student experience, develop research and professional development skills, and support peer connections. Activities can be multi-mode, remote or in-person.
We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups of students and activities which promote sustainability.
Anyone wishing to submit an application should read the criteria and additional information below carefully. Please note that applications which do not meet the criteria, or are not submitted by the deadlines stipulated, will not be considered.
If you require any advice on the Postgraduate Community Fund please contact Manager of the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) Administration, Bethan Ritchie
Funding Criteria
Events/Activities must:
- Be Student-led
- Benefit a minimum of 8 postgraduate students.
- Take place between 1st of October and the 30th of June each year.
- Seek to develop the research and/or professional skills of participants and/or enhance research culture and community.
- Be delivered with sustainability in mind.
- Applications from students registered within CDTs will also be asked to confirm how the event/activity will be opened to the wider student community
- The event or activity must be student-led and for the benefit of a minimum of postgraduate students. However, it is recognised that Imperial staff may be involved or be participants.
- Only one application per student is permitted each academic session.
- The fund is not available to support repeat activities i.e. those which have previously received funding through this grant
- Retrospective applications will not be considered.
- Activities must take place between 1st of October and the 30th of June each year (any expenses should be claimed by the middle of July at the very latest). Those which take place outside this timeframe will not be considered.
- When thinking about how to ensure your event/activity is sustainable, you may wish to review Imperial’s sustainability objectives (Imperial Zero Pollution | About | Imperial College London) and consider the impact of your event on travel, goods, waste, the impact of your event on the environment etc.
- The fund cannot be used to purchase alcohol and requests for catering must be in line with Imperial’s expenses policy.
- The maximum grant available per application is £500 (events or activities which exceed this amount will require match funding from elsewhere).
- In order to share examples of best practice with the postgraduate community, grant recipients are required to write a blog post about the activity. All blog posts must be received by the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) no later than early July so that funds can be distributed in the same financial year in which the activity took place. Funds will not be transferred if this deadline is missed or if the blog post is not submitted. Guidance for writing your blog post can be downloaded here - Guidance for Writing a Blog Post.Pdf
- It is usual practice for ECRI to reimburse the academic Department of the student organiser for the agreed cost, following the event.
- Applications from under-represented student groups are particularly welcome.
- All applications are considered by the Early Career Researcher (ECRI) Administration Group which meets on a monthly basis.
Apply for funding, submit your post-activity report or view previously funded activities:
