A million pounds worth of funding for environmental social science work is available through an ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) funded project, ACCESS (Advancing Capacity for Climate and Environment Social Science). The aim of the ACCESS Flex Fund is to develop new ways of thinking, methods or practices that enhance the visibility, use and impact of the social sciences to address climate and environmental problems.
There are two funding calls, round 1 has a total value of £250,000. This will fund 8-10 small grant awards (up to £30,000) with proposals led by Early Career Researchers strongly encouraged. Round 1 opens on Wednesday 8 March and closes on Friday 23 June 2023. On Thursday 23 March, there will be an online Flex Fund webinar where those interested in applying can find out more about the fund and ask questions. Round 2 in 2024 will provide funding for larger-scale projects.
Professor Patrick Devine-Wright, ACCESS Director, University of Exeter explains how the Flex Fund differs from typical calls for research. “The ACCESS Flex Fund is an exciting opportunity to try out new ideas and approaches to advance the visibility, use and impact of environmental social science. There is so much we still need to learn about how to advance interdisciplinarity and knowledge co-production with tangible impact. And all the while we face a range of environmental crises that make action on these issues more urgent than ever before”.
Those bidding for funding will need to show they have incorporated ACCESS’s Guiding Principles. Professor Kate Burningham, ACCESS EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) Lead, University of Surrey co-wrote the principles “Successfully tackling climate and environmental challenges – such as biodiversity loss, sustainable use of resources, and decarbonisation – will only be achieved if we actively include diverse voices in both the design and delivery of solutions and if we reduce the environmental impacts of our own research practices.”
Further information and details on how to apply can be found here.
On Thursday 23 March at 10am join the ACCESS team for a Flex Fund webinar.