Grant rules

Rules for all grants

  1. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the Society and the decision of the Award Panel is final.
  2. The project to be supported must be microbiological (research) or of relevance to microbiologists (events).
  3. Retrospective applications will not be considered.
  4. For some of our grants, there is a minimum membership period of one year (two consecutive membership payments) before becoming eligible to apply. This minimum membership period relates to the deadline you are applying for, and not the date of the event or project for which you are seeking funding. You can find out specific details regarding minimum membership periods on each grant scheme’s individual page.
  5. By accepting a grant, recipients agree to provide feedback on how funding for attendance at the event was beneficial to their personal and professional development and give approval for the Society to use this information on our website and publicity communications.
  6. Any changes to awarded projects (including postponement) must be communicated to the Grants Office as soon as possible. Significant changes made to projects without the approval of the Grants Office may result in withdrawal of awarded funding. Significant changes include but are not limited to: purpose, location, and timing.
  7. All claims must be made within three months of the funded project and substantiated by receipts or copies of invoices or other documents as appropriate. Payments to undergraduate students or teaching assistants for events and outreach activities must be supported by evidence, e.g., payslips.
  8. Applicants who receive support from other sources that meets their costs in part or in full are required to inform the Grants Office of the amount(s) as soon as possible. If a Society award has already been paid, then the amount in excess of the stated required sum must be returned.
  9. Successful applicants should submit a brief report within three months of the funded project. The content and format of the report will be outlined in the offer letter. Failure to submit a report may result in withdrawal of awarded funding. We will use the report to celebrate the success of the project via the most appropriate platform, e.g., video, podcast, website, or article in Microbiology Today.

Rules for Travel Grants

  1. In the case of an application for conference attendance, the applicant must present work at the conference for which funds are awarded. Any appropriate area of microbiology, including pedagogy, will be considered if it is relevant to the applicant’s research.
  2. Grant recipients must submit evidence that they are presenting their work either as an oral or poster presentation at the conference. A conditional grant offer can be made without this evidence if it is not available at the time of application. However, it must be submitted to claim offered funds.
  3. Grants are not intended to cover the full costs of the proposed project. Applicants who receive support from other sources that meets their costs in part or in full are required to inform the Grants Office of the amount(s) as soon as possible. If a Microbiology Society award has already been paid, then the amount in excess of the stated required sum must be returned.
  4. Grant recipients who have claimed funds in advance but do not attend the proposed event will be required to repay the grant in full. Recipients are advised to arrange appropriate travel insurance where applicable.
  5. The support of the Society should be acknowledged in presentations given. A logo and guidance on its use will be supplied for this purpose.
  6. If the event you wish to attend has now been cancelled or postponed, please contact [email protected] immediately to withdraw your award. This withdrawal will ensure that you are eligible to apply to forthcoming rounds of the scheme to support your attendance at the rescheduled/alternative event.

Rules for Society Travel Grants 

  1. Eligible members may apply for a grant to support attendance at one Society event per year. This may be the Annual Conference or a Focused Meeting (in person events only). The support of the Society should be acknowledged in any presentation. A logo and guidance on its use will be supplied for this purpose.

  2. 17.Grant recipients are required to complete the main post-event evaluation survey.

  3. Grant recipients who do not register or do not attend the proposed event, will have their award withdrawn and if funds have been paid will be required to repay the excess funds. This includes non-attendance due to travel cancellations, etc.
  4. Recipients are advised to arrange appropriate insurance where applicable. 

Rules for grants supporting the organisation of events (including projects awarded via the EC Forum Event Fund, Education and Outreach Grant, Microbiology in Society Award, International Development Fund)

  1. The event must be advertised as 'Sponsored by the Microbiology Society'. A logo and guidance on its use will be made available for this purpose.
  2. Promotional literature about the Society should be made available at the event.

Rules for grants supporting education, public engagement and outreach activities (including projects awarded via the EC Forum Event Fund, Education and Outreach Grant, Microbiology in Society Award)

  1. The activity should take place within 12 months of an award being made.
  2. The results of the evaluation completed by the audience of outreach and public engagement activities should be shared with the Society within three months of the event (where appropriate).
  3. A copy of the results of the evaluation outlined in the grant proposal should be submitted within three months of the activity taking place.
  4. For awards made to support education development, successful applicants will be required to make the results of their work available to Society members within 18 months of the award being made. Physical materials, whether off-prints, videos, slides, computer programs, microbial strains or in other forms, should be readily available to Society members either free or on low-cost loan or purchase for a period of at least five years after termination of the project.
  5. The Society would encourage commercial or other dissemination of the results of the project to a wider public.

Criteria for Research Visit Grants and the International Development Fund

  1. Projects should commence within 12 months of the award being made.
  2. Grant recipients will normally be expected to continue receiving a salary or student stipend from their home institution or other source.
  3. Grant recipients are expected to have adequate insurance and are responsible for arranging this.
  4. The support of the Society should be acknowledged in any publications arising from the work undertaken during the visit.
  5. The support of the Society should also be acknowledged in any presentation during the project or presentation of data after the project. A logo and guidance on its use will be supplied for this purpose.
  6. Research visits should not be within the same institution in which you study or work.

Criteria for Harry Smith Vacation Studentships

  1. Each applicant (project supervisor) may apply for sponsorship of one student candidate per round of application.
  2. Once an award has been offered, it cannot be transferred to another student.
  3. An individual student may only be supported by a Harry Smith Vacation Studentship once.
  4. Studentships will not be awarded for projects that are part of degree work.
  5. The work must take place in the summer immediately following the award.
  6. Grants are made to the applicants’ institution on the understanding that it will administer the award. The institution is responsible for providing adequate facilities and ensuring that all necessary requirements of regulatory authorities are in place before work begins and are maintained for the duration of the grant. The project supervisor is responsible for the conduct of the research.
  7. A studentship may be held in a laboratory away from the normal place of study, but it must be located in the UK or Republic of Ireland.
  8. A brief report and financial statement must be provided within three months of completion of the project. Failure to submit this evidence may result in withdrawal of awarded funding and will result in ineligibility to apply for the conference attendance bursary.
  9. If the project is not completed or if consumables funds are not used, excess funds should be repaid.
  10. It is not possible to defer studentship awards to the following calendar year. If an award can no longer be administered, please contact [email protected].