Small Meetings & Events Funds
The BHF is prepared to consider applications of up to £3,000 to contribute to small meetings or events that have an overall purpose of sustaining and developing the UK cardiovascular research community.
These meetings or events should aim to deliver one or more of the following:
- Dissemination of state-of-the-art developments in cardiovascular research, for the benefit of early career researchers.
- Promotion of translational research or collaboration with non-cardiovascular disciplines (for example data science).
- Promotion of patient and/or public engagement related to existing BHF-funded research.
- Increasing awareness of contemporary cardiovascular research tools/technologies/models (including those related to the 3Rs).
- Facilitation of focused workshops to promote inter-disciplinary discussion around specific research areas or topics.
- Facilitation of events to address areas of general need in the UK cardiovascular research community (for example, around professional engagement or involvement of under-represented groups in research).
Support may be requested from the BHF for the following main cost types:
- For physical (onsite) meetings - organisational costs, including venue hire & catering (but only for lunch/breaks that are integrated within the core meeting agenda).
- For virtual meetings, organisational costs may be requested, but a full explanation of how these costs have been determined must be provided (and it will be expected that these will be kept as economical as possible).
- Economy travel costs and accommodation for keynote speakers/workshop contributors.
- Printing and advertising (but prudently and taking advantage of electronic/digital options where suitable as an economical alternative).
- Modest sponsorship for research prizes associated with oral or poster presentations or travel bursaries for early career researchers.
Multiple sources of income may be used to support these meetings or events and organisers are encouraged to seek out such opportunities when preparing their application. Small requests for support for individual components (e.g. sponsorship for prizes) are welcome, as are requests associated with meetings or events to be held in a virtual format.
While each application will be considered on a case by case basis, it should be noted that to ensure the most effective use of the scheme budget, recurring funding for regular meetings will not be available. In exceptional circumstances we may consider a second application for a small meeting award of up to a maximum of £1500, particularly if supporting early career scientists or under-represented groups in research. In this case, this element should be clearly explained in the proposal.
In line with our Equality Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, we encourage applicants to consider diversity and inclusion in the submitted preliminary programme for the meeting (i.e. in identifying speakers and session chairs, but also targeted audience). This information will be requested in the application form, and reviewed as part of the assessment process.
The fund will also not support purely intramural/internal departmental events or non-research/education/clinical training day type events.
How to apply
- Log onto the online application form.
- Complete all the sections of the online application form.
Decision process
There are no deadlines for applications, though they should be received from the organiser at least 6 months before the date of the meeting and you should allow up to 8 weeks to be informed of the outcome of the application.
Successful applicants will be expected to acknowledge our support in the programme and to provide a report to us within a month after the meeting having taken place.