New Foundations

Overview

New Foundations is a key driver in progressing our strategic priorities by enabling awardees to pursue research, networking or dissemination activities within and across the diversity of disciplines. The scheme provides support for:

• research actions;
• the development of networks and consortia;
• conference and workshop development; and
• capacity building for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Since 2015, over 200 community, voluntary and charity organisations have engaged across our programmes with 356 funded projects and an associated investment in excess of €7.5 million.  Through partnerships with researchers, diverse community organisations can bring new evidence and insights to enhance their services and impact for those that need them. The scheme also includes strands supported by government departments and agencies. In each of the past three years, a dedicated strand of the call has provided opportunities for researchers to work on important areas of policy, including global development, crime, creativity and children.

Strands

This year, the call features an open strand together with seven strands run in partnership with government departments and agencies. These eight strands are summarised below with further detail included in the call document.

Strand 1a: Enhancing Civic Society 

Supporting small, discrete collaborative projects between researchers and civic society groups in the community and voluntary sector. These awards will be 9 months in duration up to a maximum value of €12,000.

Strand 4: ‘A Better World’ New Foundations Awards in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs (Irish Aid)

Networking awards to form consortia for prospective global north-south research partnerships focused on areas of strategic importance to Ireland’s Policy for International Development. These awards will be 9 months in duration up to a maximum value of €10,000.

Strand 4b: Education for Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development New Foundations Awards in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs (Irish Aid) and the Department of Education

Supporting research, networking and collaboration for the purpose of increasing public awareness and understanding of issues such as climate change, hunger, global inequality and injustice. These awards will be 12 months in duration up to a maximum value of €10,000.

Strand 8: Department of the Taoiseach Shared Island New Foundations Awards 

Supporting research, networking and collaboration for the purpose of informing and supporting the implementation and development of the Government’s Shared Island initiative. These awards will be 6 or 9 months in duration up to a maximum value of €20,000.

Strand 10: Police Community Relations Collaborative Project Grant in partnership with the Policing Authority

Supporting research seeking to bring the needs or experiences of communities to life in a manner that contributes to enhancing police community relations. This award will be 9 months in duration up to a maximum value of €10,000.

Strand 11: ‘Volunteering Strategy’ New Foundations Award with the Department of Rural and Community Development 

Supporting research with direct linkages to the new National Volunteering Strategy for Ireland and international best practice. Awards will be 12 months in duration up to a maximum value of €15,000 – €25,000.

Strand 12: New Foundations Award in partnership with the Sunflower Charitable Foundation through the Community Foundation for Ireland

These awards will support research, networking and collaboration on themes related to climate change and biodiversity. Up to ten awards will be made under this strand, each up to a maximum value of approx. €20,000.

Strand 14: Utilising Evidence for Child Protection and Welfare Policy Needs New Foundations Award in partnership with Tusla Child and Family Agency

These awards will support research across a range of topics focused on areas of strategic importance to Tusla Child and Family Agency. It is anticipated that a number of awards will be made, each up to a maximum value of approx. €17,500.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be based at an eligible higher education institution (HEI) or research-performing organisation (RPO) in Ireland.
• Applicants must hold a doctoral degree.
• Applicants must, on the call deadline, hold a contract of sufficient duration with
  their eligible HEI or RPO to carry out the proposed research from the project start
  date until the project end date.
• Applicants may only make one application to the scheme in a given year.
• While postgraduate scholars are not eligible to apply, their involvement in the
  proposed projects is encouraged.
• Note there are additional eligibility criteria specific to each strand (see
  Appendices), and the research project must address the required thematic focus
  of the respective strand.

Key dates

All applications must be submitted and endorsed via the Irish Research Council’s WizeHive application system on or before the stated deadlines. Please refer to the indicative form and guide for applicants* for further information.