From the archive: Stay focused for small-charity funding

Shaping bids for maximum impact with a niche funder

In every discipline, small funders that are often dedicated to niche areas are vital. They not only support pilot studies essential for backing up bids to major funders, but they are also crucial for early career researchers needing to get a first grant under their belt to progress.

Almost invariably, a close fit with a smaller funder’s aims and ethos is essential to success. It certainly was for Emma Clark, at the University of Bristol, and Nachiappan Chockalingam, from Staffordshire University, who scooped grants from the British Scoliosis Research Foundation in 2018. For both of them, “focus” was the watchword for a strong small-charity application.