Bottom-up initiatives arising from the research community are a key component of the network, with 40% (£500,000) of the Network funding being allocated to flexible funding calls. Taking the scientific evidence on biases in peer review into account, all flexible funding under the IGNITE Network+ will be awarded on the basis of double-blind peer review. The IGNITE Network+ will offer two different types of flexible funding, both of which are outlined below.

In addition, the network will offer a series of workshops that will explore the most challenging areas facing the energy research community and facilitate preparation of collaborative bids for flexible funding. Workshops will be a mixture of in-person and online delivery modes to maximise ease of attendance. Workshops will either focus on eliciting EDI challenges and building project teams to deliver disruptive interventions (FA2), or on developing collaborative research project bids, led by underrepresented PIs (FA1). 

Please join the network as an associate member to stay informed about future funding calls, of if you plan to attend a workshop/apply for funding you, should join as a full member.

Sandpit Event for Flexible Funding: Increasing the number of diverse PIs/PLs on UKRI grants (FA1) 

This call announces ‘Flexible Funding’ available for Increasing the number of diverse PIs/PLs on UKRI grants (FA1). This is to directly address the low number of Project Leads [Principal Investigators in JeS] applying from under-represented backgrounds to UKRI/ EPSRC’s Energy related calls. The total fund available is £360,000 at 100% fEC, we will fund 80% of the eligible full economic cost (fEC), following the standard UKRI funding model.  We are inviting Expressions of Interest to attend a sandpit event (in collaboration with C-DICE - Centre for Postdoctoral Development in Infrastructure Cities and Energy).   See funding calls page more information.

Preannouncement Funding Call - EDI Challenges: Identifying barriers and designing disruptive initiatives (FA2, round 2)

The first Flexible Funding call EDI Challenges: Identifying barriers and designing disruptive initiatives [FA2] closed on 26 May 2023.  The four successful awards can be found on our funded projects page.  The round 2 call for this scheme will be open on 1 April 2024 (closing date 17 May 2024).  We are particularly keen  to receive proposals around the themes of race/ethnicity (see EPSRC detailed ethnicity analysis report, 2020), LGBTQ+, disability and/or intersectionality.  If you have an idea that you would like to discuss or would like to collaborate with a wider team, please get in touch.  See funding calls page more information.