Membership Research Grant Scheme (MeRSA) 2020

Applications are invited for RSA Membership Research Grant (MeRSA) 2020. This grant aims to reward excellence and support outstanding individual researchers on a topic related to regional studies and regional science.

In 2015, the Association launched the RSA Membership Research Grant (MeRSA) that aims to reward excellence and supports outstanding individual researchers on a topic related to regional studies and
regional science.

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In offering the Membership Research Grant the Association seeks to raise the profile of regional research and its contribution if appropriate, to policy and practice. All applicants are required to set out how they will disseminate the results of their research not only through academic publishing but also to communities of policy and practice. Awards will be judged on the basis of the excellence of the research proposal and the ability of the applicant to communicate the results of the research broadly.

The MeRSA Research Grant`s procedures are provided to support a discrete piece of regional studies and/or regional science research. The value of the grant is up to £5,000 (or its equivalent in dollars or euros; for your information c. $6,300; c. €5,600). The award has a maximum time span of 18 months and reporting conditions apply. Only one award will be made to any successful applicant.

The allocation of monies in each round will be determined by the quality of applications. There will normally be up to three grants available in each round. The Association may choose to release further funds in any round.

Prioritised research themes

The MeRSA Research Grants respond to the aims of the Association. The Regional Studies Association’s Development Plan highlights the Association’s aims and priorities in the next planning period.

The RSA’s aims are to

  • Lead the regional research, policy and practice communities
  • Develop our members and support our community
  • Deliver high-quality regional research
  • Influence policy debate and practice
  • Innovate in publishing
  • Acknowledge excellence in our field

In line with many other funders, the RSA Board operates a number of schemes and in some of these it allows applicants to apply freely and in others, it requires them to contribute to the research priorities of the Association. Applicants for the MeRSA Research Grant should indicate the ways in which their application adds to research and understanding on the following prioritised themes:

  1. Austerity, risk and resilience
  2. Urban and regional sustainability
  3. Leadership and governance
  4. Geo economy and geo politics
  5. City region building and metro politics
  6. Territorial politics and policy
  7. Urban and regional theory, methodology and data
  8. Developing area studies
  9. Socio spatial inequalities, ageing, demography and wellbeing
  10. Innovation, agglomeration, evolution
  11. Firms, sectors and global production networks
  12. Local and regional economic development and planning
  13. Identity, citizenship and lived differences
  14. Cohesion, competition and smart cities
  15. Infrastructures and built environment

Benefits

The value of the award is up to £5,000 (c. $6,300; c. €5,600).

Eligibilities

  • This award is open to RSA Individual members (excluding student, early career, retired/emeritus or corporate) and in any membership band – A, B, C or D at the time of application. Grant holders must remain members throughout the duration of the grant and its reporting period which ends 12 months after the acceptance of the research report and after the submission of an impact and outcomes report.
  • Members in any territorial band may apply for grant funding.
  • The MeRSA Research Grant will only be allocated to a single researcher. Co-authored or team applications are not eligible.
  • Applicants must be members of the Association and remain in membership throughout the period of the grant and reporting period. Recipients of this grant must be a member of the Regional Studies Association at the time of application and remain a member until the end of the reporting period and acceptance of the end of award report whichever is the latest.
  • Applications from corporate members are not eligible. For clarity, corporate members may not apply for this award either as organisations and nor may individuals as representatives of corporate members.
Eligible Regions: Open for all

Application Process

The MeRSA Grant operates a two-stage application and assessment process.

  1. In the first round, applicants are asked to submit an expression of interest. The Expression of Interest should be submitted via the form avvailbale on the Apply Now link.
  2. Shortlisted applicants from this first round will then be asked to submit a full proposal as part of the final selection round.

The Expression of Interest should include the following (see details in the handbook given on the official link):

  • Applicant information details
  • Title of the research project
  • Timings of the research
  • Summary including details of research and the advances it is hoped that it will make (Max 500 words)
  • Brief overview of costs and budget
  • 1-3 page CV

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Application Deadline: August 4, 2020

Application ClosedOfficial link

For Further Queries

If you have any questions or need any help with the submission form, please send an email to [email protected]
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