Research Funding & Awards

We have launched a new policy research initiative worth £15,000 (c. $19,000; c. €16,800) to successful teams aiming to connect their work and wider communities to societal questions and policy needs.

The Association seeks a leading and impactful role for its community, to inform and influence policy and practice in creative and ambitious ways. The aim is to support Expos addressing issues that are important, current and having an impact on society. These Expos will investigate how the communities of regional studies, regional science, urban studies and related fields can respond to new societal challenges and opportunities.

Value: up to £10,000 (c. €11,500; $12,000)

Application deadline (Expression of Interest): 28th May 2020

This award is open to individual applicants in their early career (five years maximum between the date showing on the certificate and the application deadline). Applicants must be based within an eligible higher education institution. This funding is provided to support a discrete piece of regional studies and/or regional science research. The grant has a maximum time span of 18 months and reporting conditions apply.

Value: up to £5,000 (c. €5,700; $6,000)

Application deadline (Expression of Interest): 14th May 2020

This grant aims to reward excellence and support outstanding individual researchers on a topic related to regional studies and regional science. It is intended primarily to provide opportunities for scholars who have already published in the field of regional studies and/or regional science and who are currently individual members of the RSA. The award has a maximum time span of 18 months and reporting conditions apply. The full Terms and Conditions governing the grant are available in the MeRSA Handbook.

Value: up to £7,500 (c. €8,500; $9,000)

Application deadline (Expression of Interest): 14th May 2020

The RSA Fellowship Research Grants (FeRSA) are provided to support a discrete piece of regional studies and/or regional science research. The award has a maximum time span of 18 months and reporting conditions apply. This award is open to Fellows of the RSA only. The FeRSA was introduced to support the research of established researchers and long-term RSA members. RSA Fellows are individual members who have been continuous members for a minimum of 5 years and who have contributed to the life of the Association.

The maximum funding for Research Network is:

• £10,000 (c. $12,700; c. €11,200) for newly established networks
• £7,500 (c. $9,500; c. €8,400) for renewing networks.

Deadline: 30th September 2020

In 1985, the RSA Board agreed to introduce Research Networks (formerly referred to as Working Groups) to our activity portfolio. In 2015, the Research Network funding award was increased as part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Association.

RSA Research Networks are formed by RSA members interested in collaborating to examine an issue that responds to the aims and goals of the Association, and which is of interest and concern to both members and non-members. These issues need not necessarily to have a direct policy focus, but the examination would normally lead to policy-related conclusions.

Value: up to £500 (c. €570; $600)

Application deadlines: 29th May 2020 & 30th November 2020

The RSA offers its members funding towards travel costs when attending a
non-RSA event. This grant is a fantastic opportunity to help you towards your
travel costs to present your work, network and participate at world wide non
RSA events within the field of regional studies and/or regional science.

Apply for conference bursaries taking the form of a reduced conference fee or fee waiver* for the RSA’s Annual conference. Applicants need to be RSA members and precedence may be given to new researchers or those from countries with recognised funding difficulties.

For more information on availability and procedures, please contact the RSA’s Conference Managers Lesa Reynolds or Katharina Bürger.

*Depending on funding availability.