BCSS Research Grants

The BCSS Research Committee invites applications for grants for research projects that will provide new information on the biology, propagation or cultivation of succulent plants. Research proposals with immediate and direct application to the interests of the BCSS membership are a priority.

Instructions for Applicants

Proposals should be emailed to the BCSS Research Committee Chairman: . Proposers may also submit informal enquiries to this address before planning a full proposal.

Projects should concern the biology or cultivation of cacti and succulents, and should

  • be of immediate and direct interest to BCSS members
  • have serious scientific value

Grants will normally be up to a maximum of £2,000 although larger amounts (to £10,000) may be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Proposals for funding should be no more than 2 sides of A4 / US Letter paper, and should cover

  • Background to the project
  • What you will do in the project, and methods to be used
  • Timetable for the project, including start and finish dates
  • How the requested funds are to be used
  • What the expected outcomes of the project are, in terms of tangible deliverables
  • Where you hope to publish the results (see below)
  • Names and email addresses of up to 3 referees who could assess your proposal
  • Whether funding is being or has been sought from other awarding bodies and whether or not such applications have been successful

The BCSS Research Committee will consider the following questions when assessing your proposal, which you should thus address:

  • Are the context and motivation for this research clear?
  • Does the proposal have sufficient novelty and scientific merit?
  • Are the scope and ambition of the project realistic?
  • Is the proposed methodology suitable?
  • Does the applicant have the necessary background and skills?
  • Are the funds requested commensurate with the uses to which they will be put?
  • Is there a clear list of expected outcomes?
  • Is the project of interest to BCSS members?

Publication:

  • all successful applicants must write a brief public summary of their project for the BCSS website
  • this summary should be updated at least annually with brief progress reports, and at the end of the project with a description of the project’s main outcomes
  • applicants are encouraged to submit their findings for publication in Bradleya, the BCSS journal
  • if applicants prefer to submit their findings to other scientific journals, they must in any case provide a short popular article on their research for BCSS CactusWorld

If a grant is awarded, the recipient agrees that

  1. within 1 month of the grant being awarded they will
    1. provide the project summary for the BCSS website
  2. within 3 months of the end of the project they will:
    1. submit to the BCSS Research Committee Chairman a report of up to 1 page summarising
      1. the main results and outcomes of the project, explaining any differences from the expected outcomes
      2. where the results have been published or submitted for publication
      3. how the funds awarded were used
  3. submit the project outcome summary for the BCSS Website as well as the articles required for Bradleya / CactusWorld

Failure to meet the above obligations are likely to bar the applicant from all future BCCS grants.


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