1 The Nuffield Foundation Sharon Witherspoon Deputy Director

2 The Nuffield Foundation Endowed charitable trust Endowed in Morris Motors shares, 1943 General objective: to advance social well-being, particularly by means of scientific research

3 Main Areas of Activity Social research, social science and social innovation (welfare) Education Science (mainly new capacity and some areas of science policy)

4 Two Types of Grants: Two Types of Grants: I Project grants: -Self-contained, usually larger grants -Implications for policy or practice in short or medium term -Grants of £10k - £250k (larger grants over more than one year)

5 Two Types of Grants: II Schemes: -Each has own particular purpose -Mainly science, social science, or Commonwealth -Not linked to policy or practice -Usually for amounts smaller than project grants

6 Project Grants : Engagement with real world: - Implications for policy or practice Both practical projects and research: - Critical synthetic reviews, pulling together evidence -Evaluation -Self-contained research projects Methodological rigour: - NO preference for any one method -But methodology must be appropriate Mainly responsive mode: - Though we commission some projects -And have areas of special interest

7 Key Criteria for Project Grants (Questions Trustees ask) Is the topic of interest to the Foundation? Does project have implications for policy or practice? Does the plan for dissemination back this up? Will it be disseminated to practitioners or policy makers? Is the research design rigorous and appropriate? Methodology of highest standard, precisely described? Is methodology apt for the questions being asked? Are the results truly of interest, or is it fancy that research? Is the right sort of team assembled?

8 Project Grant Funding University overheads are NOT funded Except in exceptional circumstances (for instance,commissioned work) Relatively generous and flexible view of direct costs Includes secretarial support, all costs directly related to project BUT … the world is changing QR money … Investing in Innovation … New Roberts Report Teaching relief allowed in special circumstances Budgets are scrutinised No one way of working with grantholders: Often use advisory committees, have closer involvement, if we can truly add value

9 Areas of Special Interest Social Research and Innovation Child protection and family justice£700k pa Access to justice£450k pa Older people and their families£450k pa Open Door:£850k pa Education & Science Education & Science £620k pa Curriculum innovation (especially science, maths and technology) Education

10 In-house Projects (linked to grants) Also in Education and Science, 3 in-house projects With related grant activity: Nuffield Curriculum Centre Nuffield Languages Project (ending soon) Nuffield Bioethics Council (joint funded with Wellcome, MRC)

11 Child Protection and Family Justice Wide ranging socio-legal and policy concerns: The development of an integrated system of family justice Legal and financial aspects of divorce or separation Contact following separation or divorce Family issues in minority ethnic communities Children at risk or in need Placement and planning for children, including adoption & fostering Other government policies with implications for families (for instance, child support) Children in legal system, including youth justice

12 Access to Justice Developments in the legal system that improve accessibility Alternative dispute resolution Greater public understanding of the role of law in society Greater knowledge of the rights and duties of the individual, including those of the European citizen Implications of human rights obligations on civil (not criminal) justice Complaints against the state, the police or other authorities

13 Older People and their Families Financial circumstances and economic planning for later life Long-term care, pensions, private vs state provision Family solidarity and family obligations Changes resulting from family change such as divorce Autonomy and decision-making in later life Socio-legal matters: competence, powers of attorney, advance directives Retirement, work and citizenship Retirement, employment rights, age equality Interface of health and social care Unlikely to be suitable if main interest is medical or NHS IN ALL AREAS, EUROPEAN COMPARISONS ARE OF SPECIAL INTEREST

14 Curriculum Innovation Types of project : Redefining or up-dating curriculum Developing new materials Evaluating impact of teaching and assessment Areas of interest : Science, mathematics and technology Information and communication technologies (ICTs) Citizenship education Work usually done in conjunction with Nuffield Curriculum Centre

15 Open Door Special concern with disadvantage, poverty and welfare Reviews of current statutory provision across broad range of issues Otherwise related to social well-being Work that crosses disciplinary boundaries Special interests in European comparisons Examples in last two years include: Assessment of impact of minimum wage on employment of disabled people; practical project on womens representation in UK politics; Study of police community relations in London; Study of video-taped identification parades

16 Project Grants: Application Procedure Full details given in Guide and on our Website Procedure: 2-3 page outline Full application In-house scrutiny Referees: independent and peer review but this may include experts other than academics Decision by Trustees or expert Committee Usually yes, conditional yes or no; rarely revise and resubmit

17 SchemesSchemes Each scheme has its own objectives, criteria, and application procedures Social science schemes -Small Grants Scheme -New Career Development Fellowships Science schemes -School bursaries -Undergraduate bursaries -Newly-appointed lecturers -Oliver Bird post-graduate awards in rheumatology research Other schemes -Commonwealth Grants -Elizabeth Nuffield Educational Fund (grants for women in education)

18 Social Science Small Grants Scheme Awards up to £10,000 (about 100 grants each year) 3 main priorities: Developing research capacity for instance grants to those new to research careers or for new work Pilot or self-contained projects bearing on the advancement of social well-being Covers all disciplines and areas. Basic research welcome but not, say, classical archaeology or humanities Outstanding basic research of no policy relevance

19 Social Science Small Grants Scheme: How to Apply Short application (3 pages). Decisions in 10 or so weeks No outline or enquiry stage Nominated and independent peer review Decision by Trustees Research expenses up to £10,000 per year Travel, equipment, research assistance NOT teaching replacement NOT costs of attending academic conferences

20 Social Science New Career Development Fellowship Scheme Aim:to increase research capacity of post-doctoral students Funding:4 - 5 Fellows each year, maximum £120k each Partnership between a new post-doctoral social scientist and an established senior social scientist Jointly proposed project that will increase the skills and knowledge of the Fellow, and has a clear relation to the advancement of social well-being; Funding up to three years salary for the new career post and some support (teaching replacement and/or other support costs) for the senior partner, as well as research project costs. Scheme will be reviewed in 2004 and some changes likely though commitment to new careers likely to continue

21 Research Capacity General concern with social science research capacity Willing to fund interventions in specific areas (viz, Socio-Legal Studies Association for commission of enquiry into empirical research capacity in socio-legal studies) Interest in bringing new and rigorous research design (broader than methodological skills) to bear on areas of substantive interest

22 … the advancement of social well-being particularly by means of scientific research … the advancement of social well-being particularly by means of scientific research