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Research Grants

BABAO offers funding grants for research projects that are available annually, by competition. The competition is open to ALL members of the association who paid their dues by the 31st of January of the application year.

The application round for 2025 is OPEN! The application deadline is 1st May 2025, 23:59 (GMT). All paid up members (before 31st January 2025) are eligible to apply.

These grants may be used to support research in biological anthropology (on all extant and extinct primates) and osteoarchaeology (human and non-human).

Two types of grants are available. One type is for research in the contract/commercial sector (up to £2,500: £1000 for research costs and £1500 to buy out time from the employer). The other grant is for the academic sector (£1,000 for research costs only). The higher sum available for the commercial sector is to cover the cost of buying out time from their company, to allow for sufficient free time to conduct the research. Applications for more than these sums will not be considered. Care costs (e.g. childcare costs) can be factored in to research grant applications where the research could not feasibly be conducted otherwise. The number of grants awarded each year will depend upon the quality of applications and the state of the association’s finances.

Further guidance and information on eligibility and what can be funded can be found here. Make sure to review these documents before submission.

BABAO offers grants specifically dedicated to the decolonisation of our research, learning and teaching, and diversification of our profession: The Decolonising and Diversifying Osteology and Biological Anthropology (DDOBA) Grant. This grant scheme operates alongside the current research grant scheme. The amount of funding available, application process, general eligibility criteria and deadlines are the same as the research grant scheme. Both academic (for independent researchers, members employed in research/teaching, and students) and commercial applications (where members require ‘buy-out’ from their roles) will be considered.

How to apply

All BABAO Research Grant applications must be submitted electronically to Maia Casna, Grants Secretary, at grants@babao.org.uk and must: 

• Be in pdf format
• Follow the BABAO Grant Guidelines
• Include a two-page summary CV for the applicant
• Include a letter of support where required (i.e., for access to external material, and destructive analysis where relevant)
• All applications for research projects involving destructive analysis are required to complete an additional ‘Destructive Analysis Supplementary Form’, which must be submitted at the same time as the application form

Find below the Academic and Commercial Application forms, and a supplementary form in case your research involves destructive analysis.

The funds associated with the grant have to be spent/requested within one year of the receipt of the grant, and awardees have two years to complete the research and analyse and present results

Grant winners are expected to present their research at the BABAO conference within the 2 years following the award (e.g., 2023 grant winners are expected to present at either the 2024 or 2025 conferences). A breakdown of spending has to be provided to the Grants Secretary before the BABAO conference.

Grant applications will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees. Please note that incomplete applications and those that do not follow the guidelines will be automatically disqualified.

Notification will be given directly to the applicants, the BABAO e-mail list, and the BABAO website.

Past winners