Funding Opportunities
You can apply for a number of different funds and awards through the Geographical Association:
The Frederick Soddy Trust Awards for field study provide modest support for expeditions and fieldwork which include the 'study of the whole life of an area with major emphasis on the human community'. Five awards of between £250 and £500 are made each year.
The GA International Initiatives Fund (GAIIF) is managed by the GA's International Working Group and aims to promote international relationships between individuals and associations concerned with geographical education. Three or four awards of up to £1000 are made each year.
Awards
The GA Awards for publishers recognise material which is likely to make a significant contribution to geography in primary schools, secondary schools or colleges.
The Primary and Secondary Quality Marks have been developed to acknowledge quality and progress in geography leadership, curriculum development, learning and teaching in the school or department.
Funding from other organisations
Many organisations offer funding for geography teachers to participate in expeditions, develop teaching and learning resources and take part in further study. If you'd like to list your funding opportunity here, contact Anne Greaves.
RGS-IBG Geographical Fieldwork Grants
The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) supports UK led research teams carrying out geographical field research and exploration overseas. It does this by granting RGS-IBG approval and/or financial support of up to £3000 to small research teams making a significant contribution to new geographical knowledge.
The Geographical Fieldwork Grant is the Society's longest running grant scheme and each year they help between 40 to 50 teams of students and researchers get into the field.
For further information, visit the RGS-IBG website.
Application deadline: 22 January 2010
Comenius Programme - Funding to Promote European Partnerships between Schools
The European Commission has announced that its Comenius Programme is now open for applications. Comenius is part of the EU's Lifelong Learning Programme and is aimed at schools, colleges and local authorities across Europe.
Grants are available for: projects that bring together pupils, teachers and other staff collaborating with partner schools and colleges in Europe; professional development of education staff in another European country; trainee teacher placements in schools and colleges across Europe; Local Authorities across Europe working together; partnership meetings; and, large scale partnerships and networks to develop staff competencies and to exchange experience and best practice. Applications addressing the National Priorities will have more chance of success.
Deadline: 15 January 2010 for in-service training; 29 January 2010 for trainee teacher placements; and 19 February 2010 for partnership activities.
Full details and application forms available at the British Council website.
Earthwatch Educator Expedition to the Seychelles
The Earthwatch Institute are currently inviting educators who actively communicate environmental issues to their students to apply for a fully funded place on their 'Coral and Coastal Ecology of the Seychelles' research team.
Participants will be in the field from 24 April to 8 May 2010.
This is a unique personal development opportunity. Participants will work alongside leading scientists, contributing to cutting-edge environmental field research. The Earthwatch Institute aims to provide inspiration for teachers, motivating them to bring ideas and dynamic teaching methods back to the classroom.
Deadline for applications is 5 February 2010.
For more information, and an application form, please visit the Earthwatch website.
Who Do We Think We Are? Week 2010 - Grants for Schools
Grants of up to £500 are available for schools to develop activities linked to the Who Do We Think We Are? Week programme for 2010.
Who Do We Think We Are? is an annual programme of advice and curriculum support that helps schools explore the issues of identity, diversity and citizenship at the local and national scales through four key themes:
• School and community
• Relationships, belonging and faith
• History and settlement
• Britishness, national identity/values and the 2012 Games
The programme culminates in a national week of events and activities taking place in the week of 21 – 27 June 2010. During 2009, the project awarded ten grants to maintained schools across the English regions to develop activities. Projects explored issues of identity, diversity and citizenship, involved students and people of all ages, across many diverse British communities and served to highlight the ties that bind us together in our local communities and nationally.
As part of 'Who Do We Think We Are? Week' 2010, schools are again being offered the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £500 to develop activities linked to the focus week. View Further details of the application process. Applications will be accepted until 12 February and should be submitted to the Project Officer.
Earthwatch Educator Expedition - Whales and Dolphins of the Hebrides
The Earthwatch Institute is currently seeking applications from secondary educators to take part in a whale and dolphin survey off the Hebridean coast. The expedition is fully funded and will take place from 10-17 April 2010.
- An all-teacher/educator experience – like-minded professionals in a unique situation
- Experience of cutting-edge conservation science in action
- The chance to work alongside leading scientists, to develop field research skills, and to gather data that will be used to help protect threatened species and habitats
- A forum to exchange ideas with educator team-mates from around the UK and to take part in facilitated group discussion sessions, linking the project experience to the classroom
- Inspiration, ideas, and knowledge, and the opportunity to create teaching resources to help you take the experience back to your students
- A grant to initiate an environmental project and to help your school, college, or community become more sustainable
The deadline for applications is 15 February 2010. Visit the Earthwatch Institute website for further information and an application form.
The Fawcett Fellowships for Geography Teachers
Applications are invited for the Fawcett Fellowships for Geography Teachers at University College London. These provide an opportunity for UK-based mid-career teachers to spend a term at UCL undertaking a self-designed programme of study. You might, for example, bring yourself up to date in particular aspects of the subject, develop new teaching materials, prepare publications or software, explore new fields, and generally rejuvenate your enthusiasm for the subject.
The funds are used primarily to finance teaching cover during the period of each Fellowship. This is normally September to Christmas, but could be from New Year to Easter. Letters of interest are invited by the end of February each year.
For further information see the UCL geography website.
Global School Partnerships Starter Grants
DFID's Global School Partnerships Promgramme has introduced new Starter Grants to encourage school partnerships that promote global learning through the curriculum.
One thousand grants of £250 each will be distributed over the next three years to help UK schools explore the possibility of embarking on a global partnership. The grant is available at the beginning of a school's partnership journey to support them in finding a partner.
The Starter Grants will fund eligible activities and will be available throughout the year to schools that do not already have a DFID Global School Partnership.
Apply online at the Cambridge Education website.
4iP Awards
4iP is an innovation fund, created by Channel 4, to stimulate public service digital media across the UK. It supports great ideas for websites, games and mobile services which help people improve their lives.
Grants of up to £5,000 are available to help individuals develop early stage digital media ideas and prototypes and to turn these prototypes into social businesses. There are two themes that 4iP is looking to support. These are:
- Using the web and mobile to keep an eye on how government, organisations and elected representatives use their power
- Exploring how digital tools, games, applications and services can help people change their lives for the better whether that's their health, well-being, finances, work/life balance or dealing with unemployment.
The awards are available to individuals over the age of 16; as well as informal groups. Successful ideas should:
- Challenge people to see the world differently
- Inspire change and empower communities
- Revolve around the participation and collaboration of users; and
- Use digital media in an innovative and original way to solve an important user need
Visit the UnLtd website for contact details and to request an application form.
Learning & Leading: Fieldwork Opportunities from the RGS-IBG
If you are an A-Level student, teacher or undergraduate and have faced challenging circumstances and not had the opportunity to experience high quality fieldwork and new environments, you can apply to take part in the RGS-IBG Learning and Leading project.
Learning & Leading promotes learning and personal development through fieldwork by providing opportunities for A-Level and Gap Year students, geography undergraduates and A-Level geography teachers.
For full details see the RGS-IBG website or email the Learning & Leading project co-ordinator.
