Geoffrey Bond and Thoroton Society Research Awards

Geoffrey Bond, a life member of the Thoroton Society, has since the commencement of the Award generously provided funds to underwrite research into the history and archaeology of the County of Nottinghamshire (the remit of the Thoroton Society). In addition to Mr Bond’s generous grant, the Society has increased the amount available by doubling the annual fund.

Funding may be awarded to one successful applicant or shared between a number of applicants, at the discretion of the selection panel. However, it is also possible that awards may not be granted in any year should the selection panel consider that there have been no applications meeting the criteria.

Terms and Conditions

1. Anyone, or any group, currently researching or preparing to research aspects of the history or archaeology of Nottinghamshire is invited to apply for financial support from the fund. Applicants, whether individuals or groups, are limited to one award per year but are not prohibited from applying for awards in successive years.

2. What can the money be used for?

2a. The money can be used to support research into any topic relating to the history or archaeology of the county. This may include the acquisition of research resources, including books, photography and photocopying, and travel expenses. Applications are also welcome from individuals or groups currently working up a project on Nottinghamshire, especially where some financial support will lead to an application to, for example, the Heritage Lottery Fund, research councils (RCUK) or research charities such as the Leverhulme Trust.

2b. Awards will not be made towards the payment of fees (as in the form of fees to a university for registering for a doctoral programme, or groups wanting to employ someone, or for subventions towards the cost of publication). [Note that the Nottinghamshire Local History Association has awards to support publication.]

3. Applications.

3a. Anyone wishing to apply to the fund for support must do so on or before 1st September 2023.

3b. The application should take the form of a statement (maximum 2 pages of A4) outlining the nature of the research being undertaken, plans for dissemination of the research (including by publication – see condition 4d.) and the way in which it is intended to use the award. The total sum applied for should be clearly stated.

3c. Applicants should include an indicative budget under appropriate headings (i.e., travel, reprographics, readers’ fees, subsistence relating to visiting, for example, archives etc).

3d. Applicants should also include a one-page (A4) curriculum vitae in the case of an individual, or a statement of purpose in the case of a group.

3e. Applications should be submitted by email to the Honorary Secretary at barbaracast@btinternet.com.

3f. Decisions will be taken by a selection panel of the Society’s Council by 30th September 2023. Any money awarded will normally be paid by BACS transfer or Society cheque.

4. What will be expected of the recipient?

4a. The grant recipient will be responsible for guaranteeing the appropriate use of the funds and it is a condition of the award that receipts are kept (for auditing purposes) and that a full account of expenditure, itemising how the monies have been spent, be returned to the Hon Treasurer by 31st October 2025.

4b. Activity associated with the award should be completed within one year (i.e. 30th September 2025). Award recipients will then be expected to submit a short article (of no more than two pages of A4) about their research project for an edition of the Society’s quarterly newsletter – the awardee should have this article prepared for the winter edition of the newsletter, the deadline for which is November 1st, or the spring one, deadline 1st February, outlining the work undertaken, its outcomes and plans for dissemination, including publication (– see condition 4d).

4c. The award recipient will be encouraged to write up some or all of their research for possible inclusion in the Society’s annual volume of Transactions or its online Heritage Gateway. Receipt of an award does not guarantee publication, which is subject to the usual editorial processes. Recipients may be invited to contribute to the Society’s annual lecture programme.

4d. Any publications arising from research funded by the award should first be discussed with the Society, whose Transactions, Newsletter, Heritage Gateway, E-Newsletter and Record Series provide suitable possible outputs. If awardees wish to publish results in other places, they should first obtain permission to do so from the Society. Where permission is given, an explicit acknowledgement of the Society and the award should be made, and a copy of the published output provided for the Society to distribute to its members. Where publishers’ restrictions apply, the Society would expect a detailed summary of the publication, which can be made available to members of the Society.

4e. If the research proves impossible to undertake in the time allowed, awardees are asked to return remaining funds and make a further application. Should it not be possible to undertake any of the project research, all monies should be returned. Awardees will be required to sign an agreement to that effect.

4f. Non-compliance with the conditions herein will normally exclude awardees from being allocated future grants.

 

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