The USF Seminar Series Awards aim to support the generation of pioneering global research in all areas of urban studies. The Urban Studies Foundation (USF) seeks to support up to twelve awards in the 2024 round of the scheme, in each case up to a maximum of £20,000 per award (or up to £25,000 for proposals containing eligible training elements).
The linked objectives of this award are to use event programming to stimulate collaboration and learning, build new scholarly networks, and generate and disseminate impactful publications and outputs. The USF welcomes applications from urban studies academics, researchers, and/or educators working in any country or institution worldwide, and expects the proposal to be of global interest and relevance in terms of its coverage and scope.
Successful proposals must be capable of generating scholarly exchange and outputs that are compelling and timely. The USF especially welcomes proposals engaging with the themes identified in the most recent or upcoming calls for papers by the Urban Studies Journal, as a recognised platform for exploring the diverse and dynamic nature of cities, their inhabitants, and the powers and policies that shape them. Other relevant topics will also be considered, provided that they are fully engaged with current debates and literature in the field of urban studies. Proposals focusing on geographically specific and isolated case studies, without engaging in wider theoretical debates and comparisons in urban studies, will not be considered. Details of successful Seminar Series grants from previous calls may be found on the USF website, and samples of successful proposals are available upon request via email.
The USF also encourages proposals that include novel and engaging training activities. Additional funding of £5,000 is available to proposals that incorporate training elements for early career researchers (defined here as doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows, and other scholars within five years of a PhD award). The USF especially welcomes proposals which include writing and publication workshops and mentorship, that may be combined with the thematic focus of each proposal to support further publication outputs from the proposal.
The USF particularly welcomes applications from Global South scholars and institutions, and at least half of the awards will be made to support suitable proposals that involve at least one partner organisation or venue based in a Global South country (defined here via the current OECD list of ODA recipients). To support this aim, institutional overheads are permitted for primary host organisations based in these countries. Proposals should also demonstrate an active engagement with issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Value for money is an essential component of all successful proposals, and budgets should demonstrate an excellent use of the funding requested (if possible, this might include third-party funding and/or in-kind support). Proposals containing significant long-haul travel should be especially mindful of how this is justified, and the USF expects that strong proposals should consider virtual and hybrid events alongside in-person participation.
Whilst the emphasis must still be on the generation of high-quality urban studies research and scholarly networks, the publications and other outputs that this grant seeks to encourage may be wide-ranging in format and focus. The USF also looks favourably upon proposals that seek to engage and/or support participation from non-academic partner organisations and audiences.
Eligibility
Eligibility requirements for this grant include:
- Proposals must include at least three distinct events in one or more host institutions/venues globally (hybrid and virtual events are welcome).
- Eligible types of events may include research seminars, colloquia, round-tables, and public talks. Any of which may have workshop and training components. Events may be in-person, virtual, or a mixture of both.
- Proposals must be supported by at least one academic and/or non-profit organisation (the primary host organisation) who are willing and capable to receive and administer the total grant funding, without charging overheads (Global South institutions are exempt from this requirement, see terms below).
- Events must be scheduled to begin within twelve months of the deadline for applications (i.e. start before March 2026).
- Up to three co-applicants may be named, but at least one applicant should be an academic, researcher, or educator working within the field of urban studies.
Further guidance
Details for grant eligibility, terms, application guidance, frequently asked questions, and past successful proposals should be consulted and understood by all applicants, host organisations, and other relevant parties before applying to this grant.
It is recommended to use the application template provided (.docx) to assist offline preparation beforehand, and then to copy-paste the required fields into the web form.
For more resources: https://www.urbanstudiesfoundation.org/funding/seminar-series/
