Before starting your application please read the guidance notes
Eligibility Criteria and Costs
1. The Frontiers Champion must have attended a Royal Academy of Engineering Frontiers Symposium (including Frontiers of Engineering for Development and Frontiers of Development events) since November 2016.
2. They should be affiliated with an organisation, institution or University that can help administer the funding (this funding will not usually be paid to an individual). Please note that, on award offer, applicants may be required to undergo due diligence checks before the award is confirmed.
3. The projects should primarily focus on and benefit one or more ISPF target countries (the list of countries can be found in Annex A of the Frontiers Champions Guidance). Some projects may be global, and others may focus on countries not included in Annex A. However, please note that the majority of the projects funded are expected to benefit ISPF target countries.
4. The proposed activities must be designed to convene a community of researchers, innovators and practitioners who are working to tackle one or more Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Events should be interdisciplinary and inclusive in nature.
5. Events must not be closed and exclusive to a specific, invite-only group – they should be open to as many previous Frontiers event participants as possible, appropriate, or practical.
6. Individuals are limited to one application.
7. There is no requirement for applications to focus on engineering, or for the Frontiers Champions to be engineers. However, applicants should consider how they will innovatively use technology to engage people in their activities.
8. Efforts towards gender equity and equal representation will be looked upon favourably. Projects must not harm gender equality, and where possible must promote it (even when impacting gender equality is not the primary research or innovation objective). This will be considered in the application review.*Note: Applications assessed as failing will have the opportunity to amend their response. A “fail” score after the chance to revise will result in the application being rejected.
9. To apply for the Frontiers Champions Tranche 5 funding, you must not currently hold another active Frontiers Champions award. Any previous award must have an end date before 7 January 2025.
Please note – this is still a new programme, so we may not have considered every set of circumstances. Please contact us ([email protected]) if you would like to discuss.
Eligible Costs Include:
- Travel costs
- Event costs
- Marketing costs
- Website and design costs
- Administrative fees
- Other Costs (costs realted to printing, distribution, or disemination of project outputs)
The following costs are NOT eligible:
- Research costs.
- Purchasing equipment.
- Indirect costs or overheads related to staff costs.
Please check the guidance for eligible and ineligible cost details.
Commitment required
Frontiers Champions will commit to:
- Arrange at least one event, online or in person.
- Participate in quarterly calls with the Academy to update on project progress and connect with your fellow Champions.
- Complete all required reporting and contracted activities on time – stay in touch with the Academy if things change.
- Be proactive members of the Frontiers community, participating in and launching community activities and networking events, providing feedback on the programme and contributing to decision-making, engaging in community life and promoting the programme and its values to a broader audience.
- Stay in regular contact with the Academy, strive to be a role model to others, and engage with peers around the world.
Benefits and support from the Academy
The Academy will provide support to the Frontiers Champions, including:
- Help to build your profile, including development of a Frontiers Champions profile and promotion via social media. We will actively put you forward for other opportunities offered by the Academy and our partners.
- You will have the opportunity to input into the Frontiers newsletters to promote your activities, ask for input, and access the 1600+ strong Frontiers’ network of innovators, researchers, and practitioners in more than 60 countries around the world.
- In addition to joining the Academy’s Awardee Excellence Community, you will have the opportunity to grow and build the Frontiers alumni community and connect with wider Academy international networks and Academy Fellowship on request.
- If there are other ways we can support our network of Champions, we will remain open to suggestions.
Data Retention Policy
Before completing the application form, applicants are asked to complete a Diversity Monitoring Form to help the Academy monitor and assess its equality, diversity and inclusion policy. The information will be treated as strictly confidential, non-attributable and only reported when collated. It is gathered, stored, and used in compliance with the Academy’s Privacy Notice in line with the General Data Protection Regulations 2018. The information will only be used for statistical purposes with access restricted to staff involved in processing and monitoring the data. It will not be seen by anyone involved in any selection processes. No information will be published or used in any way that identifies individuals. The Academy will retain personal information as per our Data Retention Policy.