Overview
Applications for the next round of BSG grants will close on 01 February 2025.
Research grant applications may be made by both postgraduate and non-postgraduate BSG members. All successful research grant applications are expected to contribute to the delivery of the BSG missions to support scientific excellence in geomorphology through:
- Fostering excellence and increased investment and support for geomorphology
- Developing applied geomorphological research, having a major impact on environmental policy and practice and providing a public benefit
- Disseminating new geomorphological research and policy agendas
- Developing a new generation of geomorphologists equipped to address interdisciplinary challenges.
Details of the assessment criteria and procedures for our grants are available at the bottom of this webpage. Prospective applicants should note that the BSG will only accept one application per applicant per funding round and that applicants can only hold one grant at any given time (with the exception of the Carer Support Grant and any funding received from the organisers of the BSG Annual General Meeting to assist with postgraduate attendance to this conference).
There are two rounds of grant applications each year – the deadlines for applying for each round are 1st February and 30th September, but please consult the individual grant pages for more information, as certain grants are only available once per year and others may be awarded outside the usual timeframe after discussion with the relevant committee.
The overall success rate for BSG grants was 42% between February 2013 and Feb 2024 (353 grants were funded out of 845 applications).
Please note that it is a condition of any award provided by BSG that BSG accepts no liability for the manner in which the work connected with the award is undertaken. The recipient of an award is responsible in all respects for the work and its consequences.
Criteria and Application Process
The following outlines the criteria for each of the grants provided by the BSG. Please read the information carefully prior to applying and refer to the Research Grant Application Criteria at the bottom.
To apply, please login to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
If you have any questions about the BSG grants please email grants@geomorphology.org.uk
Postgraduate Grants
Deadline(s): 30 September and 1 February
Postgraduate Research Grants of up to £2000 are available to:
- Contribute towards the specific costs (e.g. travel for research, consumables, etc) of research projects proposed by postgraduate members of the Society. Eligible costs would normally include such items as the costs of field visits, purchase of data, items of equipment, etc. The BSG Postgraduate Research Grant aims to provide additional research funds for postgraduates to extend the scale and scope of their projects and should not be used to fund standard Ph.D. or Masters activities.
- A Covid-19 Relief fund is available for postgraduate members of the Society whose work or training has been directly impacted by Covid-19. This may include costs associated with:
- Delay or cancellation of fieldwork;
- Increase of fieldwork costs due to Covid-19 quarantine regulations;
- Extra field (or other) assistance related to Covid-19 H&S compliance;
- Buying extra equipment or secondary data due to a change in plans due to Covid-19;
- Laboratory-based project funds due to Covid-19 mitigation strategies for fieldwork;
- Extra computing resources due to changes from fieldwork to remote work;
- Field or laboratory training that may have that applicants may have missed out on due to Covid-19 restrictions impacting practical elements of undergraduate and Masters courses.
This is not an exclusive list and we acknowledge that Covid-19 has affected the postgraduate community in different ways. We will assess the applications on a case-by-case basis, hence we ask that you give as much detail as possible regarding how Covid-19 has affected your research so that we can make a fair assessment.
Applicants are advised that the Society does not make awards on a full economic costing basis, and that the following costs are not eligible: salaries, core funding or overheads to institutions, bench fees, charges to access laboratory facilities at your home institution (though the Society will support the direct costs of laboratory consumables where these are fully justified), and conferences (support designed to enable postgraduate attendance of conferences is available under a separate scheme). The rental of equipment is considered favourably if it lowers the overall cost requested, however purchase of equipment may be funded is appropriately justified.
Applicants must fully justify any resources requested. Applicants should outline the full cost of the research, taking care to fully justify any resources requested from the BSG. Applicants are also required to provide details of how any additional costs associated with the project (i.e. those not requested from the Society) will be met, indicating how the request for support relates to any existing projects. Value may be added to proposals if applicants can demonstrate matched or partial funding from other sources. Particular attention should be paid to justifying requests for subsistence (e.g. during research visits or fieldwork) – the BSG is only likely to offer partial support for subsistence, taking into account the normal costs of living. Where funding is sought for dating costs, a quote or evidence of the cost must be provided and the scientific merits of the dating must be emphasised; projects that include multiple research techniques rather than a sole reliance on funding for dating will be treated favourably.
The BSG recognizes that the climate emergency is one of the greatest threats to the planet and to people, and that the geomorphological work we do creates GHG emissions. The BSG will continue to advance scientific knowledge and application of that knowledge while reducing our GHG emissions in a way that ensures fair and equitable treatment for all members. Our main sources of emissions are from flying or other travel (for data collection, fieldwork, meetings or collaboration). We therefore want to encourage BSG members to minimise the environmental impacts of their activities and/or maximise the scientific/professional benefits from any travel undertaken. As such we ask that in each grant application you consider how this can be done and include a statement on this in your application form; please note that the application will not be considered complete without an appropriate environmental statement and assessment of the mitigations that are being considered to address these (please see this link for guidance and examples).
For the purpose of this grant we define a postgraduate as someone actively undertaking their PhD or Masters project prior to submission of their thesis, and the application must clearly demonstrate how the funding will be incorporated into their PhD or Masters project or will enhance their postgraduate development.
Applications will be evaluated for the quality of the research, overall value for money, and either (1) how the proposed research enhances the core PhD or Masters work, with explicit statement of how this research has been developed and why it was not part of the original PhD or Masters plan, OR (2) the impact of Covid-19 on the applicant and how the proposed funding will help support the development of the grant-holders career. The reference from your supervisor will be used to support your application and the reviewers will refer to this, but the focus of the evaluation is on the application itself.
All successful applicants are required to:
- acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant, including in the acknowledgements of publications (including the grant reference number) and inclusion of logos on presentations, blogs and other outputs;
- regard Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as the primary outlet for publication of papers and special issues;
- claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award;
- within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded;
- upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), you should supply a report on the outcome of the project.
BSG follows the UK Concordat on open data and we would normally expect any recipients of funding to adhere to this policy. BSG maps to HEFCE and RCUK policy on publishing and expects results to be published using at least a green open access route.
Application procedure
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. The maximum funding and eligibility are listed in the call. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this for each scheme.
You will also be asked to provide a reference statement (normally your PhD or Masters supervisor/advisor) to be uploaded as part of your application; this signed reference statement on letter headed paper should confirm you are a registered student and eligible for the grant, and provide support for your application. Note that an application is NOT complete until the reference is uploaded. It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that their referee provides a statement to upload by the published funding deadline: incomplete applications will not be considered.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Deadline(s): 30 September and 1 February.
Funds are available to support postgraduate student attendance at conferences, whether in the UK or overseas (Note: funds to support Postgraduate attendance at the BSG Annual Meeting will be organised by the conference organisers rather than through this grant call). Funds are available to attend any conference that is either strongly focused on geomorphology, or have sessions with a strong geomorphological focus. The Research Sub-Committee reserves the right to reject proposals for attendance at conferences that are not suitably aligned to the discipline of geomorphology.
Conferences being held between April and October should be applied for in the February grants round, and conferences being held between November and March should be applied for in the September grants round.
Applicants should note that the BSG will support up to £500 for conferences within the applicant’s continent, and up to £750 for conferences outside of the applicant’s continent.
Applicants should outline how attendance at the conference will benefit them and their postgraduate/career development in the application rather than just focusing on the research to be presented and/or copying the submitted abstract. They should take care to outline the full costs of attending the meeting, taking care to fully justify (not merely list) any resources requested from the BSG. The BSG is unlikely to support requests for subsistence expenses. Costs to cover abstract charges to present at a meeting are considered an eligible cost, however society or organisation membership will not be covered. Applicants should provide details of how any additional costs (i.e. those not requested from the Society) will be met, and if you are in receipt of a funded studentship you must explain why these costs are not being met as part of this.
The BSG recognizes that the climate emergency is one of the greatest threats to the planet and to people, and that the geomorphological work we do creates GHG emissions. The BSG will continue to advance scientific knowledge and application of that knowledge while reducing our GHG emissions in a way that ensures fair and equitable treatment for all members. Our main sources of emissions are from flying or other travel (for data collection, fieldwork, meetings or collaboration). We therefore want to encourage BSG members to minimise the environmental impacts of their activities and/or maximise the scientific/professional benefits from any travel undertaken. As such we ask that in each grant application you consider how this can be done and include a statement on this in your application form; please note that the application will not be considered complete without an appropriate environmental statement and assessment of the mitigations that are being considered to address these (please see this link for guidance and examples).
For the purpose of this grant we define a postgraduate as someone who is a registered PhD student (i.e. until you receive award confirmation from your institution or withdraw from the course).
Applications will be evaluated for the quality of the research, overall value for money, and how attendance of the proposed conference will help support the development of the grant-holders PhD and/or career. In general, preference will be given to attendance at significant meetings by postgraduates who are in a position to present substantive research findings; a core aim of this scheme is to enable postgraduates to disseminate their work. Preference may also be given to applicants who have previously attended a BSG Annual Meeting, and those applicants who do not have access to funded studentships. The reference from your supervisor will be used to support your application and the reviewers will refer to this, but the focus of the evaluation is on the application itself.
All successful applicants are required to:
- acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant with the inclusion of logos on the presentation(s) at the funded conference;
- regard Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as the primary outlet for publication of papers and special issues;
- claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award;
- within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded;
- upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), you should supply a report on your conference attendance and what you gained from this event.
Application procedure
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. The maximum funding and eligibility are listed in the call. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this for each scheme.
You will also be asked to provide a reference statement (normally your PhD or Masters supervisor/advisor) to be uploaded as part of your application; this signed reference statement on letter headed paper should confirm you are a registered student and eligible for the grant, and provide support for your application. Note that an application is NOT complete until the reference is uploaded. It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that their referee provides a statement to upload by the published funding deadline: incomplete applications will not be considered.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Deadline: 30 September
Up to six optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages per round are available to pump-prime geomorphological research undertaken by PhD student or Early-Career Researcher (ECR) members of the Society.
The University of Liverpool-BSG Luminescence Dating award is intended to provide the opportunity for PhD students to extend the scale and scope of their independent research, and should not be used to support core PhD research. For the purpose of this grant we define a postgraduate as someone actively undertaking their PhD project prior to submission of their thesis, and the application must clearly demonstrate how the funding will be used to expand their PhD project.
OSL dating is a geochronological technique that can determine the timing of sediment deposition using quartz or feldspar. It relies upon the fundamental principle that mineral grains can store energy produced by radioactive decay, which is then released during stimulation by light. OSL dating is a versatile technique and can be advantageous over other geochronological techniques as: (1) it directly determines the timing of sediment burial; (2) it can be used in many depositional settings (e.g. aeolian, fluvial, glacial, lacustrine); (3) it can be used for many grain sizes, typically from silt up to sand; and (4) it has the potential to extend the age range beyond radiocarbon dating.
The University of Liverpool-BSG Luminescence Dating award offers the opportunity for one successful applicant to obtain up to six OSL ages for sedimentary samples (silt to sand-sized particles) to inform geomorphological research. The request for OSL ages must be for samples from depositional environments where grains were likely to have been exposed to sunlight prior to burial (e.g. aeolian, lacustrine, proglacial, fluvial). Note that the Liverpool Luminescence Laboratory can provide advice on sampling of sediments for luminescence dating, but will not be responsible for collecting samples in the field.
The BSG recognizes that the climate emergency is one of the greatest threats to the planet and to people, and that the geomorphological work we do creates GHG emissions. The BSG will continue to advance scientific knowledge and application of that knowledge while reducing our GHG emissions in a way that ensures fair and equitable treatment for all members. Our main sources of emissions are from flying or other travel (for data collection, fieldwork, meetings or collaboration). We therefore want to encourage BSG members to minimise the environmental impacts of their activities and/or maximise the scientific/professional benefits from any travel undertaken. As such we ask that in each grant application you consider how this can be done and include a statement on this in your application form; please note that the application will not be considered complete without an appropriate environmental statement and assessment of the mitigations that are being considered to address these (please see this link for guidance and examples).
The applicant should include details on the sample characteristics, their context in the depositional environment and also how the ages that will be determined fit within the wider setting (e.g. other analysis performed on the sediments to facilitate an environmental interpretation). They should also outline the significance of the research.
Applications will be evaluated for the quality of the research and how these dates will be used to expand the PhD and career development (e.g. publications, new avenues of research). For postgraduate students the reference from your supervisor will be used to support your application and the reviewers will refer to this, but the focus of the evaluation is on the application itself.
All successful applicants are required to:
- acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant, including in the acknowledgements of publications (including the grant reference number) and inclusion of logos on presentations, blogs and other outputs;
- regard Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as the primary outlet for publication of papers and special issues;
- claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award;
- within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded;
- upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), you should supply a report on the outcome of the project;
- acknowledge the support of the University of Liverpool through co-authorship on any publication arising from the luminescence ages provided to the successful applicant.
BSG follows the UK Concordat on open data and we would normally expect any recipients of funding to adhere to this policy. BSG maps to HEFCE and RCUK policy on publishing and expects results to be published using at least a green open access route.
For further enquiries about this award, please contact Dr Rachel Smedley at the University of Liverpool. E-mail: rachel.smedley@liv.ac.uk.
Application procedure
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. For University of Liverpool-BSG Luminescence Dating Award the award is for up to 6 luminescence samples and you must select the number that you require.
For postgraduate members you will also be asked to provide a reference statement (normally your PhD supervisor/advisor) to be uploaded as part of your application; this signed reference statement on letter headed paper should confirm you are a registered student and eligible for the grant, and provide support for your application. Note that an application is NOT complete until the reference is uploaded. It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that their referee provides a statement to upload by the published funding deadline: incomplete applications will not be considered.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
All Members
Deadline(s): 30 September and 01 February
Up to £5000 is available to pump-prime geomorphological research undertaken by an Early-Career Researcher (ECR). This grant is intended to support the transition of the applicant to research independence and leadership; new projects will be assessed favourably but expansion of existing work are not precluded however justification of how the applicant is extending beyond the scope of the original project and the impact of this must be given.
We define an ECR as a member of staff who holds a PhD and started their academic career within four years of the closing date of applications. Note that to be eligible for this scheme, the primary employment function of applicants must be in a Higher Education Institution or other similar organisation, whether in the UK or overseas, and not within a consultancy or statutory body. We regard postdoctoral researchers hired on funded projects as having started their academic career. We allow for part-time work, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, career breaks (for example, parental leave or long-term sick leave) and other significant amounts of time spent outside of a Higher Education Institution or other similar organisation. If applicants are not currently employed you must be able to justify your feasibility to conduct the research in terms of insurance, H&S requirements and access to equipment, field assistance and laboratory facilities as appropriate.
ECR awards are intended to support the career development of the named researcher, and although field assistants may be funded, this scheme is NOT intended to support established colleagues. Eligible costs would normally include such items as the costs of field visits, purchase of data, items of equipment, etc. Applicants are advised that the Society does not make awards on a full economic costing basis, and that the following costs are not eligible: salaries, core funding or overheads to institutions, bench fees, charges to access laboratory facilities at your home institution (though the Society will support the direct costs of laboratory consumables where these are fully justified), conferences and publishing costs (including fees to publish open access). The rental of equipment is considered favourably if it lowers the overall cost requested, however purchase of equipment may be funded is appropriately justified.
Applicants must fully JUSTIFY (not merely list) all the resources requested, paying particular attention to the justification for subsistence (e.g. during research visits or fieldwork) – the BSG is only likely to offer partial support for subsistence, taking into account the normal costs of living. Where funding is sought for dating costs a quote or evidence of the cost must be provided and the scientific merits of the dating must be emphasised; projects that include multiple research techniques rather than a sole reliance on funding for dating will be treated favourably. The Research Sub-Committee reserves the right to adjust the value of awards made to reflect insufficiently justified costs. Where the requested resource is integral to the execution of the proposed research, failure to adequately justify that resource may lead to the proposal being rejected.
The BSG recognizes that the climate emergency is one of the greatest threats to the planet and to people, and that the geomorphological work we do creates GHG emissions. The BSG will continue to advance scientific knowledge and application of that knowledge while reducing our GHG emissions in a way that ensures fair and equitable treatment for all members. Our main sources of emissions are from flying or other travel (for data collection, fieldwork, meetings or collaboration). We therefore want to encourage BSG members to minimise the environmental impacts of their activities and/or maximise the scientific/professional benefits from any travel undertaken. As such we ask that in each grant application you consider how this can be done and include a statement on this in your application form; please note that the application will not be considered complete without an appropriate environmental statement and assessment of the mitigations that are being considered to address these (please see this link for guidance and examples).
Applicants to the ECR scheme cannot be a Principal Investigator on any other grant bids to the BSG in the same funding round.
Applications will be evaluated for the quality of the research, overall value for money, and for the potential to pump-prime subsequent work (e.g. publications, research grant proposals, new avenues of research). Applications MUST include a description of how an award would help support the development of the grant-holders career.
All successful applicants are required to:
- acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant, including in the acknowledgements of publications (including the grant reference number) and inclusion of logos on presentations, blogs and other outputs;
- regard Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as the primary outlet for publication of papers and special issues;
- claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award;
- within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded;
- upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), you should supply a report on the outcome of the project.
BSG follows the UK Concordat on open data and we would normally expect any recipients of funding to adhere to this policy. BSG maps to HEFCE and RCUK policy on publishing and expects results to be published using at least a green open access route.
Application procedure:
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. The maximum funding and eligibility are listed in the call. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this for each scheme.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Deadline: 30 September
Up to six optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages per round are available to pump-prime geomorphological research undertaken by PhD student or Early-Career Researcher (ECR) members of the Society.
The University of Liverpool-BSG Luminescence Dating award is intended to provide the opportunity for ECRs to extend the scale and scope of their independent research, and should not be used to support core funded postdoctoral research. We define an ECR as a member of staff who started their academic career within four years of the closing date of applications. Note that to be eligible for this scheme, the primary employment function of applicants must be in a Higher Education Institution or other similar organisation, whether in the UK or overseas, and not within a consultancy or statutory body. We regard postdoctoral researchers hired on funded projects as having started their academic career. If applicants are not currently employed you must be able to justify your feasibility to conduct the research in terms of insurance, H&S requirements and access to equipment, field assistance and laboratory facilities as appropriate for the wider project that the dates will feed into.
OSL dating is a geochronological technique that can determine the timing of sediment deposition using quartz or feldspar. It relies upon the fundamental principle that mineral grains can store energy produced by radioactive decay, which is then released during stimulation by light. OSL dating is a versatile technique and can be advantageous over other geochronological techniques as: (1) it directly determines the timing of sediment burial; (2) it can be used in many depositional settings (e.g. aeolian, fluvial, glacial, lacustrine); (3) it can be used for many grain sizes, typically from silt up to sand; and (4) it has the potential to extend the age range beyond radiocarbon dating.
The University of Liverpool-BSG Luminescence Dating award offers the opportunity for one successful applicant to obtain up to six OSL ages for sedimentary samples (silt to sand-sized particles) to inform geomorphological research. The request for OSL ages must be for samples from depositional environments where grains were likely to have been exposed to sunlight prior to burial (e.g. aeolian, lacustrine, proglacial, fluvial). Note that the Liverpool Luminescence Laboratory can provide advice on sampling of sediments for luminescence dating, but will not be responsible for collecting samples in the field.
The BSG recognizes that the climate emergency is one of the greatest threats to the planet and to people, and that the geomorphological work we do creates GHG emissions. The BSG will continue to advance scientific knowledge and application of that knowledge while reducing our GHG emissions in a way that ensures fair and equitable treatment for all members. Our main sources of emissions are from flying or other travel (for data collection, fieldwork, meetings or collaboration). We therefore want to encourage BSG members to minimise the environmental impacts of their activities and/or maximise the scientific/professional benefits from any travel undertaken. As such we ask that in each grant application you consider how this can be done and include a statement on this in your application form; please note that the application will not be considered complete without an appropriate environmental statement and assessment of the mitigations that are being considered to address these (please see this link for guidance and examples).
The applicant should include details on the sample characteristics, their context in the depositional environment and also how the ages that will be determined fit within the wider setting (e.g. other analysis performed on the sediments to facilitate an environmental interpretation). They should also outline the significance of the research.
Applications will be evaluated for the quality of the research and for the potential to pump-prime subsequent work and career development (e.g. publications, research grant proposals, new avenues of research).
All successful applicants are required to:
- acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant, including in the acknowledgements of publications (including the grant reference number) and inclusion of logos on presentations, blogs and other outputs;
- regard Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as the primary outlet for publication of papers and special issues;
- claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award;
- within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded;
- upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), you should supply a report on the outcome of the project;
- acknowledge the support of the University of Liverpool through co-authorship on any publication arising from the luminescence ages provided to the successful applicant.
BSG follows the UK Concordat on open data and we would normally expect any recipients of funding to adhere to this policy. BSG maps to HEFCE and RCUK policy on publishing and expects results to be published using at least a green open access route.
For further enquiries about this award, please contact Dr Rachel Smedley at the University of Liverpool. E-mail: rachel.smedley@liv.ac.uk.
Application procedure
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. For University of Liverpool-BSG Luminescence Dating Award the award is for up to 6 luminescence samples and you must select the number that you require.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Deadline: 30th September and 1st February
Full Member Research Grants of £2000 are available to:
- contribute towards the specific costs (e.g., travel for research, consumables, etc) of research projects proposed by full members of the Society.
- establish fixed-term working groups to discuss and take forward specific developments or topic areas within geomorphology. Fixed-term working groups are intended to address areas in which rapid developments are taking place, or in which key issues are arising which would be aided by increased communication between small communities of interested researchers. Working Groups will normally comprise 5-15 members but meetings will be advertised and open to all BSG members. The BSG will provide funds to facilitate meetings, aid dissemination and publication of group research activity, and will fund up to three fixed-term groups at any one time.
- set up and maintain long-term geomorphological monitoring. Applications for funds to support long-term geomorphological monitoring should demonstrate that this will provide crucial information that is presently unavailable. It is expected that data collected during monitoring will be made available to members of the BSG and applicants will need to demonstrate how they will facilitate this.
Eligible costs would normally include such items as the costs of field visits, purchase of data, items of equipment, etc. Particular attention should be paid to justifying requests for subsistence (e.g. during research visits or fieldwork) – the BSG is only likely to offer partial support for subsistence, taking into account the normal costs of living. The rental of equipment is considered favourably if it lowers the overall cost requested, however purchase of equipment may be funded is appropriately justified. Where funding is sought for dating costs a quote or evidence of the cost must be provided and the scientific merits of the dating must be emphasised; projects that include multiple research techniques rather than a sole reliance on funding for dating will be treated favourably. Applicants are advised that the Society does not make awards on a full economic costing basis, and that the following costs are not eligible: salaries, core funding or overheads to institutions, bench fees, charges to access laboratory facilities at your home institution (though the Society will support the direct costs of laboratory consumables where these are fully justified), and conferences.
Applicants should outline the full cost of the research, taking care to fully justify any resources requested from the BSG. Applicants are also required to provide details of how any additional costs associated with the project (i.e. those not requested from the Society) will be met, indicating how the request for support relates to any existing projects. Value may be added to proposals if applicants can demonstrate matched or partial funding from other sources. The Research Sub-Committee reserves the right to adjust the value of awards made to reflect insufficiently justified costs. Where the requested resource is integral to the execution of the proposed research, failure to adequately justify that resource may lead to the proposal being rejected.
The BSG recognizes that the climate emergency is one of the greatest threats to the planet and to people, and that the geomorphological work we do creates GHG emissions. The BSG will continue to advance scientific knowledge and application of that knowledge while reducing our GHG emissions in a way that ensures fair and equitable treatment for all members. Our main sources of emissions are from flying or other travel (for data collection, fieldwork, meetings or collaboration). We therefore want to encourage BSG members to minimise the environmental impacts of their activities and/or maximise the scientific/professional benefits from any travel undertaken. As such we ask that in each grant application you consider how this can be done and include a statement on this in your application form; please note that the application will not be considered complete without an appropriate environmental statement and assessment of the mitigations that are being considered to address these (please see this link for guidance and examples).
Applications will be evaluated for the quality of the research, overall value for money, and the proposed outcomes of the research (i.e. funding bids, publications, contribution to policy). Where competition for grants is strong and applications are of equal scientific merit, preference may be given to applications for funding that can clearly lead to a grant application to, for example, a Research Council or other major funding agency.
All successful applicants are required to:
- acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant, including in the acknowledgements of publications (including the grant reference number) and inclusion of logos on presentations, blogs and other outputs;
- regard Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as the primary outlet for publication of papers and special issues;
- claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award;
- within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded;
- upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), you should supply a report on the outcome of the project.
BSG follows the UK Concordat on open data and we would normally expect any recipients of funding to adhere to this policy. BSG maps to HEFCE and RCUK policy on publishing and expects results to be published using at least a green open access route.
Application procedure
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. The maximum funding and eligibility are listed in the call. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this for each scheme.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Deadline: 30 September
One grant of up to £5000 is available for the Decolonising Geomorphology grant.
Proposals should align with at least one of the following topics:
- Applications could cover a topic that includes global regions outside Europe and North America (especially the Global South). It may cover a theme which is relevant to diversifying the reach of our research or the research may aim to interrogate colonialism and racism in our field and/or identify ways to address extant structural biases.
- Applications will engage Indigenous, minority or other underrepresented communities in its research process or explore/develop strategies for doing so in equitable and respectful ways.
- Explicitly address the decolonisation of geomorphology through another means; this could be to assess the impacts and legacy of past contemporary colonialism within geomorphology and associated disciplines, to foster inclusive collaborations to actively engage students from the Black, Asian, Indigenous and other minority ethnic groups.
Proposals can include – but are not limited to – primary research, collaborative research, literature studies, online-writing retreats, workshops, or short-courses within geomorphology or associated disciplines.
This special call is open to all BSG members. Proposals can be submitted by individual researchers or collaborative teams, but where primary research is being undertaken this should NOT be led by researchers from Europe and North America to contribute to ending parachute science. Western’ researchers can apply for research, provided they evidence that it is to enable them to contribute expertise to an existing project being driven and led by a Global South researcher(s).
Eligible costs would normally include such items as travel, meeting room hire, the purchase of data, etc. The Society does not make awards on a full economic costing basis, and the following costs are not eligible: salaries, core funding or overheads to institutions, bench fees, charges to access laboratory facilities at your home institution or conferences. The rental of equipment is considered favourably if it lowers the overall cost requested, however purchase of equipment may be funded is appropriately justified.
Applicants should outline the full cost of the research, taking care to fully justify any resources requested from the BSG. Particular attention should be paid to justifying requests for subsistence (e.g. during research visits or fieldwork) – the BSG is only likely to offer partial support for subsistence, taking into account the normal costs of living. Applicants are also required to provide details of how any additional costs associated with the project (i.e. those not requested from the Society) will be met.
The BSG recognizes that the climate emergency is one of the greatest threats to the planet and to people, and that the geomorphological work we do creates GHG emissions. The BSG will continue to advance scientific knowledge and application of that knowledge while reducing our GHG emissions in a way that ensures fair and equitable treatment for all members. Our main sources of emissions are from flying or other travel (for data collection, fieldwork, meetings or collaboration). We therefore want to encourage BSG members to minimise the environmental impacts of their activities and/or maximise the scientific/professional benefits from any travel undertaken. As such we ask that in each grant application you consider how this can be done and include a statement on this in your application form; please note that the application will not be considered complete without an appropriate environmental statement and assessment of the mitigations that are being considered to address these (please see this link for guidance and examples).
Applications will be evaluated for the quality of the research, overall value for money, and on the impact of the proposed project and who will benefit from this.
All successful applicants are required to:
- acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant, including in the acknowledgements of publications (including the grant reference number) and inclusion of logos on presentations, blogs and other outputs;
- regard Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as the primary outlet for publication of papers and special issues;
- provide a copy of any resources produced, these must be made freely and easily available to the membership;
- claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award;
- within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded;
- upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), you should supply a report on the outcome of the project.
BSG follows the UK Concordat on open data and we would normally expect any recipients of funding to adhere to this policy. BSG maps to HEFCE and RCUK policy on publishing and expects results to be published using at least a green open access route.
Application procedure
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. The maximum funding and eligibility are listed in the call. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this for each scheme.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Deadline: 30th September and 1st February
Caring responsibilities can sometimes be hard to balance alongside an academic career. The BSG therefore has instituted a Carer Support Grant, which will help recipients undertake dedicated geomorphology-related academic activities that they might not otherwise be able to undertake because of their caring responsibilities, such as (but not limited to):
- attending geomorphology-related conferences, meetings, workshops (this can include non-BSG events);
- conducting geomorphology-related field-based research;
- geomorphology-related training or professional development events (this can include non-BSG events)
- partaking in national/international geomorphology-related internship.
The proposed grant scheme offers up to £1000 in support, which can be used towards any additional caring costs incurred by the carer whilst undertaking the academic activity.
The BSG Carer Support Grant is available to all BSG members. Previous Carer Support Grant awardees can apply for a subsequent Carer Support Grant. However, priority will be given to those who have not previously claimed. For applicants seeking support for conference attendance, priority may be given to those who will be presenting.
Normally, the BSG will not allow an applicant to submit more than one grant application in each BSG grant round – even if these are for different BSG grant schemes. The Carer Support Grant is an exception to this. Thus, an applicant can, for example, apply for a BSG Research Grant or a BSG Conference Attendance and can apply for a supplementary Carer Support Grant in the same round. However, each Carer Support Grant application will be assessed on its own merits (e.g. having been awarded a BSG Research Grant does not increase the chances of being awarded a supplementary BSG Carer Support Grant, or vice versa).
Applications must be submitted prior to the activity. Retrospective applications will not be considered.
The BSG appreciates that the arrangements members have in place may be varied and we do not wish to place restrictions on how the Carer Support Grant will be used, except that it must contribute towards additional costs incurred by the recipient whilst undertaking their academic activity. However, the grant cannot be used to cover costs for care that would be in place irrespective of the activity. Acceptable expenses include (but are not limited to) the cost of alternative care either at the conference/fieldwork location or in the applicant’s home location, whilst the applicant is undertaking geomorphology-related academic activity, such as (but not limited to):
- extra home help or nursing care for a dependant whilst the member will not be present;
- additional medical/respite care for a dependant whilst the member will not be present;
- travel expenses to allow a dependent and/or a relative/carer to accompany the member in order to care for the member’s dependant whilst they attend a meeting or event;
- additional travel expenses associated with long-term illness or any other disability;
- extended hours with a care worker/childminder/play scheme to allow the member to return home later than normal.
Please note that the BSG Carer Support Grant will not cover the cost of the academic activity itself (e.g. fieldwork cost, conference travel cost, conference registration for member etc.).
As the BSG Carer Support Grant can be used to support a wide range of allowed academic activities, there is no single evaluation criterion. Instead, applications are evaluated on the academic value of the academic activity that is enabled. Applicants will need to make the case that the dedicated geomorphology-related activity to be undertaken will be of notable value to the applicant’s career and/or to the discipline; personal details of their home situation is not required other than a brief contextual overview.
All successful applicants are required to:
- acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant, including in the acknowledgements of publications (including the grant reference number) and inclusion of logos on presentations, blogs and other outputs;
- complete a short form following completion of their activity, confirming their participation and any benefit obtained. Recipients may also wish to comment on the effectiveness of the fund contributing to additional caring costs;
- claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award;
- within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded.
BSG follows the UK Concordat on open data and we would normally expect any recipients of funding to adhere to this policy. BSG maps to HEFCE and RCUK policy on publishing and expects results to be published using at least a green open access route.
Application procedure
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. The maximum funding and eligibility are listed in the call. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this for each scheme.
The application should provide an overview of the intended activity and how the applicant would benefit from partaking in that activity. The application should also outline the need and nature of the carer support that will requested. The BSG recognizes that, at the time of application, applicants may not be able to state with certainty the alternative care arrangements they will make. Thus, the application should include an indication of intended plans and likely costs.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Deadline(s): Normally 1 February and 30 September, but exceptions can be discussed with the Vice-Chair of the Research Committee.
The BSG provides up to £500 sponsorship for conferences/conference sessions/event organisers that meet the stated Missions of the BSG, to support scientific excellence in geomorphology through:
- Fostering excellence and increased investment and support for geomorphology,
- Developing applied geomorphological research, having a major impact on environmental policy and practice and providing a public benefit,
- Disseminating new geomorphological research and policy agendas,
- Developing a new generation of geomorphologists equipped to address interdisciplinary challenges.
Typically sponsorship has been used to support BSG keynote speakers, break-out discussion groups or workshops, as well as social/publicity events (not supporting individual attendance).
Applications will be evaluated on the quality of the conference/conference session/event in disseminating geomorphology to a wider audience, overall value for money, and on how well the suggested event fits within the stated Missions of the BSG. Note that preference will be given to those events that consider a publication or Special Issue within Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as part of the activity output.
The BSG requires that:
- The BSG is fully acknowledged at the event and in all publicity materials, including display of the BSG logo.
- BSG Sponsored speakers use a BSG and Wiley PowerPoint slide (available from the BSG) and or logos at the beginning of their presentation.
- Organisers discuss with BSG event publicity, so that we can help with advertising BSG sponsored events.
- The BSG encourages conference/session organisers to consider Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as an outlet for eventual publications.
- The BSG requires a report from the conference (typically written by an attending postgraduate) to review the event for the BSG website and newsletter.
- Those awarded funding must claim their awards within 6 months of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the award.
Application procedure
Applicants should complete the on-line application form. The maximum funding and eligibility are listed in the call. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this for each scheme.
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Deadline(s): Normally 1 February and 30 September*
Maximum Value: £1000
The Geomorphology Outreach Grant supports projects that seek to promote geomorphology as a science and/or the British Society for Geomorphology to a general public audience and in education. Supported projects should not be self-contained and will provide either experiences or resources that can be used by the wider Membership and geomorphological community to enhance their own activities. For example, an application to support an exhibit within a festival will be expected to return documentation on evaluation, lessons learned, and suggestions for best practice to be shared with the Membership, or an application to run school workshops should provide copies of their resources and lesson plans to share. All applications must demonstrate the benefit of the project to the Society.
Examples of benefits for the Society:
- Increases public understanding and interest in geomorphology
- Stimulates discussion about geomorphology and its relevance to global issues and society
- Encourages and supports the teaching of geomorphology at all levels of education
- Equips people (e.g. Members, Teachers) to further geomorphology outreach and education
Costs we cannot cover:
- Salary and indirect costs,
- Purchasing of computer and camera equipment unless integral to the application,
- Academic meetings
Conditions for all applications
The following conditions apply for all applications, if you cannot guarantee these will be met we cannot support your application. Further conditions may be applied as appropriate to individual applications.
- Acknowledge BSG and Wiley where appropriate, including display of the BSG logo on all produced materials
- Any resources produced must be made freely and easily available to the membership for as long as the BSG wishes. This includes lessons plans, posters, activity sheets, books, etc.
- Claim the award within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserves the right to withdraw the grant award
- Provide a written report to the Secretary of the Outreach and Education Committee within 12 months of claiming the award to be shared with the Membership
*Applications outside the cycle may be considered in exceptional circumstance through discussion with the Chair of the Outreach and Education Committee
To apply, please log in to your BSG account using the button at the top right of this page. You will find all grants applicable to your membership type available on the menu under ‘Grants’, just click ‘apply’.
Research Grant Application Criteria
Assessment criteria
In evaluating applications for funding, members of the Research Committee employ a set of generic assessment criteria which apply for all of the schemes within the BSG’s grants portfolio. These criteria are summarised as follows:
- All proposals are screened to ensure that: (i) they focus on some aspect of geomorphology (i.e. that proposals fall within the remit of the Society); (ii) they match the requirements of each grant scheme as listed on the BSG web site, (iii) that the applicant is eligible, and (iv) that the applicant isn’t currently in receipt of BSG funding (with the exception of the Carers grant and support for PGR students attending the BSG Annual General Meeting). All applications should therefore demonstrate how the proposed activities will further the mission of the BSG and meet the specific funding and eligibility criteria listed in the call grant.
- Assuming these hurdles are passed, proposals are graded independently by each member of the Research Committee and the Junior Deputy Chair on a scale from 5 (highest priority for funding) to 1 (flawed). Final grades are assigned based on discussions of the respective scores by the Research Committee (see Evaluation and Post-Award Process, below).
- For most funding schemes the primary criterion used is the quality of the science, evaluated based on the case for support and, in the case of postgraduate applications, the associated reference. The exception to this is the Carer Support grant which has separate criteria.
- For all funding schemes, the secondary criterion used is value for money, evaluated by scrutinising proposals to ensure that all requested resources are adequately justified, and (where applicable) by assessing the level of resource currently available to the applicant from other funding sources. In some cases, value may also be added if proposals can demonstrate matched or partial funding from other sources, though the Research Committee recognises that this is not always possible or appropriate. In all cases, where funds are not justified, or where requests are made for inappropriate items, the Research Committee will decide whether to reject the proposal or deduct these items from the maximum award.
- Specific funding schemes employ additional criteria, as follows:
- Full Member Research Grants – Applications should make it clear how the proposed research relates either to ongoing research and/or whether the research will be used to pump-prime other activities, and it is therefore important to outline the intended outcomes of the research (i.e. funding bids, publications, contribution to policy). In cases where the proposal indicates that the research is intended to lead to a future grant application (for example, a Research Council or other major funding agency), the Research Committee will make an assessment on whether such applications have the potential to be successful. Note that while it is not a condition that research project grants should lead to future grant applications, this criterion may be used to differentiate between applications that are equal in other respects.
- Early Career Researcher Grants – In contrast to Research Grants (see above), all ECR application must make it clear how the proposed research will be used to pump- prime other activities include a description of how an award would help support the development of the grant-holders career. In cases where the proposal indicates that the research is intended to lead to a future grant application (for example, a Research Council or other major funding agency), the Research Committee will make an assessment on whether such applications have the potential to be successful.
- Postgraduate Research Grants – Applications must make clear either: (a) how the proposed research enhances the core PhD work, with explicit statement of how this research has been developed and why it was not part of the original PhD plan; OR (b) the impact of Covid-19 on the applicant and how the proposed funding will help support the development of the grant-holders career.
- Postgraduate Conference Attendance Grants – Applications must make clear overall value of attending the meeting for the applicant and the BSG’s missions, and ensure that the conference is geomorphology related. In general, preference will be given to attendance at significant meetings by postgraduates who are in a position to present substantive research findings; a core aim of this scheme is to enable postgraduates to disseminate their work. Preference may also be given to applicants who have previously attended a BSG Annual Meeting, and those applicants who do not have access to funded studentships.
- Decolonising Geomorphology – Applications must make clear the impact of the proposed work and who will benefit from this.
Evaluation and post-award process
The process following submission can be summarised as follows:
- On the first working day after the deadline, the Grants Officer (or their representative) will forward a copy of all complete applications to each of the members of the Research Committee and to the Junior Deputy Chair.
- Each application is then assessed and graded independently by each member of the Research Committee and the Junior Deputy Chair following the criteria outlined above.
- All applications and their assessments are then considered at the Research Committee meeting that follows each grant round deadline (these meetings are normally held within 3-6 weeks of each funding deadline). The Research Committee moderates the grades for each proposal, paying particular attention to cases where there is a divergence of assessment comments and grades, and identifying instances where applications do not fully justify the requested resources.
- Assessment comments and grades are then collated, all proposals are ranked, and awards are made accounting for both this ranking, the overall score that application received (only average scores above 4 across all categories will be funded) and the level of funds available to the Research Committee.
- The Grants Officer (or their representative) sends notification to each applicant of the outcome of their application within 6 weeks of the deadline. The decision of the committee is final and there is no right of appeal. However, applicants do have the opportunity to request feedback. The Grants Officer (or their representative) also notifies the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer of the amounts awarded and the recipients.
- Successful applicants should then write to the Honorary Treasurer requesting the allocated funds, this should be within one month of notification of the award. Note that awards are made to individual applicants and not to their host institution(s).
- Within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, the applicant should supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded to the Honorary Treasurer. The account should summarise the overall expenditure into relevant categories (e.g. mileage/fuel, food, accommodation, etc), but equipment purchases should be individually itemised. You should hold scanned or original receipts for 3 years, and we reserve the right to request these copies but do not routinely require that they be submitted to us.
- Upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), the applicant should supply a report on the outcome of the project. This should not normally exceed 1 page of A4, and should refer to any intended public domain outcomes, e.g. conference presentation or manuscript submissions. This report should be sent in in electronic form to grants@geomorphology.org.uk.
- We anticipate that the project will be completed within one year, at which point you will summarise your expenditure and report on the grant. However, extensions can be requested. Please email grants@geomorphology.org.uk to request an extension, outlining the reasons and any changes to the proposed research.
- Reports will be forwarded with a copy of the initial application to members of Research Sub-Committee. If the reports are approved, then these will be provided to the Honorary Secretary who will forward the report to the BSG web officer for publication. If the reports are deemed unsatisfactory, the Vice-Chair of the Research Sub-Committee will write to the award recipient.
- The Report of the Vice-Chair of the Research Sub-Committee to the AGM will include an overview of the success of BSG-sponsored research projects.
- All successful applicants are required to: (1) acknowledge BSG (and Wiley) support where relevant, including in the acknowledgements of publications (including the grant reference number) and inclusion of logos on presentations, blogs and other outputs; (2) regard Earth Surface Processes and Landforms as the primary outlet for publication of papers and special issues; (3) claim the award funding within 1 month of notification, otherwise the BSG reserve the right to withdraw the grant award; (4) within one month after completion of expenditure of the award, and normally within one year of its receipt, supply an account of expenditure of the funds awarded; (5) upon completion of the research (normally expected to be within one year from the point of award), you should supply a report on the outcome of the project.
See the above specific grant criteria to find the application form.