Directories

There are a number of useful directories providing information about grant-giving bodies. These include:

• Charities Aid Foundation. This publishes the Directory of Grant Making Trusts. It is available in hard copy and CD-ROM. Most university libraries/ careers centres should have a recent edition.
• Directory of Social Change. This organisation provides support about funding for community and voluntary organisations, but is also able to provide services for individuals. They have a library in London where you can access information about funding bodies. Their website has more details.
• Charity Choice: The Encyclopedia of Charities. London: Waterlow. http://www.charitychoice.co.uk. Provides a list of UK charities. Educational charities may provide financial support for students.
• International Foundation Directory. London: Europa Publications. Provides a list of ‘foundations, trusts, charitable and grant-making NGOS and similar non-profit institutions’. Again, university libraries should have a copy.

Undergraduate Fieldwork

Before following up the funding sources below, make sure that you have a preliminary budget so that you know how much money you need. You should also check with your department and university as there are often limited funds available. For some suggestions about putting together a budget and application letter for funding click here.

RGS-IBG

• Geographical Fieldwork Grants These grants fund teams, rather than individuals. Several awards of up to £3,000 for researchers working in teams in overseas fieldwork. Deadline 23 January/ 19 June.
• Monica Cole Research Grant. A single grant of £1,000 for a female physical geographer, undergraduate or postgraduate student undertaking fieldwork overseas. Deadline: 23 January.
• Henrietta Hutton Research Grants. This offers research grants to female undergraduate or postgraduate students under 25 years of age who intend to undertake field research overseas as an individual or as part of a multi-disciplinary team. The field research must be of more than four weeks duration but does not necessarily have to be connected to the student's academic studies. Two grants of £500 each are awarded annually. Deadline: 23 January.

Postgraduate Fieldwork

DARG Postgraduate Travel Award

This is an annual award (currently £400) given to a postgraduate geography student to encourage and assist fieldwork in developing countries. It is aimed at those preparing for a PhD in topics related to development studies. Applicants should be based at a British insititution of higher education, but may be of any nationality. The award must be spent on travel costs, and preference may be given to students in the early stages of their research. The successful candidate is required to provide a short report for the DARG Website. For further details see DARG Funding website.

RGS-IBG

• Slawson Awards. Thnaks to the generosity of Fellows Paul and Mary Slawson, two to three awards of up to £3000 are available for PhD students conducting overseas research in developing countries. Deadline: 6 February.
• NEW - Geographical Club Award. A single award of £1,000 for a postgraduate student to undertake fieldwork or data collection (details to be announced)
• Monica Cole Research Grant. A single grant of £1,000 for a female physical geographer, undergraduate or postgraduate student undertaking fieldwork overseas. Deadline: 23 January.
• Hong Kong Research Grant. The Hong Kong branch of the RGS-IBG offers an annual award of £2,500 for PhD research in the greater China Region. The researcher should be in the field for at least four weeks and research should be of an applied nature. Deadline: 28 November.
• Henrietta Hutton Research Grants. This offers research grants to female undergraduate or postgraduate students under 25 years of age who intend to undertake field research overseas as an individual or as part of a multi-disciplinary team. The field research must be of more than four weeks duration but does not necessarily have to be connected to the student's academic studies. Two grants of £500 each are awarded annually. Deadline: 23 January.
• Geographical Fieldwork Grants. These grants fund teams, rather than individuals. Several awards of up to £3,000 for researchers working in teams in overseas fieldwork. Deadline 23 January/ 19 June.
• British Airways Travel Bursaries. Free return flights for postgraduate conservation-related research or fieldwork. Destinations must be on British Airways flight routes, some conditions apply. Deadline: TBC
• NEW - Postgraduate Research Grants. Several awards of £2,000 for PhD fieldwork/data collection. Deadline: 28 November.

Early Career and Established Researchers

RGS-IBG

• Small Research Grants. Grants of up to £3000 are available annually for original field and/or desk-based research for early career researchers. Only available to RGS-IBG members. Deadline: 23 January.
• 20th International Geographical Congress Award. A single grant of up to £3000 for early career researchers for desk or field based research. Deadline: 23 January.
• NEW - 30th International Geographical Congress Award. Support for early career researchers attending international conferences. Deadline: 15 February.
• Peter Fleming Award. A single grant for £9000 for senior researchers. Deadline: 28 November.
• EPSRC Geographical Research Grants. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council provides a number of grants annually of up to £3000 each for early career researchers on desk or field based research related to EPSRC themes. Deadline: 23 January.
• Ralph Brown Expedition Award. A single grant of £15,000 for the study of shallow aquatic environments at a senior academic level. Deadline: 28 November. The award if open to society Fellows from any nation.
• NEW - Jasmin Leila Award. An award of £250 for early career researchers undertaking research focusing on medical/health geography, performance geographies, or transnational communities. Deadline: 23 January.
• Thesinger-Oman International Fellowships. Two awards of £8000 for research into arid environments. Deadline: 28 November.
• Gilchrist Fieldwork Award. A single grant of £15,000 is given biannually fro senior research teams. It is open to teams of up to ten members, the majority of whom shouod be British, conducting original and challenging research which will be of benefit to the host nation. Next deadline 2010.
• Neville Shulman Challenge Award. A single award of up to £10,000 for exploration and furthering understanding of the planet. This is an annual award available to Society Fellows over the age of 25. The aim of the award is to promote a better understanding of the world, its people and its culture. Deadline 2009: to be announced.