Objectives

• That research projects will benefit and/or improve an understanding of bees. In the case of scientific projects, that they will support the dissemination of findings in peer-reviewed research and/or academic publications.
• That outcomes are widely disseminated in order to improve apicultural practice internationally.
• There must always be a strong intellectual and/or strategic rationale for the particular project for which the Trust’s help is sought.
• That the project is innovative and original, with investigative research being favored. The Trust is especially interested in pump priming funding (start-up funding without which a project might not get off the ground). There is also a particular preference for giving support to students starting their research in this field who have already received a fellowship elsewhere.
• In the case of historical and/or archaeological projects, that the gathering of new information, the further expansion of existing knowledge and the dissemination of this material reaches the widest possible range of interest groups including those beyond the normal scope of the bee world.
• In the case of Citizen Science projects, they should contribute to the collection of substantial amounts of data that are impossible to obtain by other means. Or proposals should involve beekeepers and/or the public to create awareness about various aspects of apiculture and the environment through monitoring and information gathering.

Funding Information

• The maximum grant available for any submission in the year ahead is £5,000.
• When no specific funding limits are in place, any application requesting more than £30,000 will be referred to independent assessors or referees for external review.

Eligibility Criteria

• For PhD Students
  • An application directly from a PhD student should be accompanied by a letter of detailed support, for the student and the project, from their supervisor.
  • A stipend covering the 1st year of the project would be considered in exceptional circumstances.
  • For projects lasting more than 1 year, the supervisor should evaluate the progress being achieved after 12 months and report back to the Trustees.
• Grants can be made to individuals and organizations that might otherwise find funding difficult in this specialized field.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Standalone travel or conference registration fees
• Academic chairs
• Long-term or core funding (such as overheads or infrastructure within organizations)
• Retrospective funding of projects (i.e. costs already incurred)
• Entrepreneurs seeking funds for enterprises leading to commercial gain.
• Other charities whose intention is to redistribute funds to external applicants
• Basic beekeeping enterprises
• The Funds do not cover Institution overheads.

For more information, visit Eva Crane Trust.