To further support this culture, the Technician Commitment Steering Board are pleased to launch a fourth round of the Technician Commitment Collaboration Fund.
The Collaboration Fund is a small grants scheme which provides funding to Technician Commitment Signatory Institutions to pump prime and enable collaborative projects with external partners to advance the aims of the Technician Commitment.
The scheme is open to all Technician Commitment Signatory institutions and funding is awarded on a competitive basis. The Steering Board invites submissions in the range of £100 - £1000 to support the creation of collaborative opportunities. Examples may include, but are not limited to: joint workshops, shared training, development of shared materials, facilitation of work placements/exchanges and seminars/conference styled activity.
Criteria
- Projects must be undertaken between 1 April 2024 and 31 December 2024.
- Projects must demonstrate how they are advancing one or more of the key pillars of the Technician Commitment: Visibility, Recognition, Career Development and Sustainability.
- If the project is to continue, the panel will be looking for applications that evidence how the proposed activity will be sustainable beyond the initial funding.
- The collaboration must be with a UK based partner external to your organisation.
- The organisation that applies for funding must be a Technician Commitment signatory. The collaborating external organisation(s) do not need to be a signatory of the Technician Commitment.
- Any member of staff from a signatory organisation can apply to the Collaboration Fund but they must evidence support from the Technician Commitment lead(s) in the application.
- Applications should include a letter of support from your institutional Technician Commitment lead.
- Applications will not be accepted if you have applied in the last round.
Successful applicants will be asked to produce a short project report, outlining the activity undertaken and the outputs, outcomes and impact. You may be invited to present at a signatory event or technician focussed conference.
Duration
The application window runs from 1st December 2023 – 10 February 2024.
Successful projects should be delivered between 1 April 2023 and 31 December 2024.
Scope of Fund
Collaborations can take many forms and the Technician Commitment Steering Board welcome new and innovative approaches.
The panel will consider any reasonable costs, if justified.
Application Process
Please download and complete the application form available here.
If it is not the Technician Commitment institutional lead making the application, please provide a letter of support from them alongside the application form.
Applications should be submitted to techscommit@gatsby.org.uk by 10 February 2024.
Applications will be reviewed by a panel chaired by a member of the Technician Commitment Steering Board and outcomes will be communicated in March 2024.
Additional Requirements
Successful applicants will be asked to produce a short report, outlining the activity undertaken and the outcomes and impact.
Support
The Technician Commitment team are very happy to discuss ideas for the collaboration fund to help you shape your application. If you would like some support in developing your ideas, or would like more information please contact Clare Stevenson at techscommit@gatsby.org.uk
Applications available here.
