British Association For American Studies

Charity Number: 1170382

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £102,112 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 6 weeks from deadline
  • Grant Range: £150 - £2,000 (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: UK national (supporting American Studies scholars)

Contact Details

Website: https://baas.ac.uk

Email: secretary@baas.ac.uk

Phone: 0151 231 5147

Address: Liverpool John Moores University, John Foster Building, 80-98 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5UZ

Funding-specific contacts:

  • Development Fund: development@baas.ac.uk
  • Awards: awards@baas.ac.uk

Overview

The British Association for American Studies (BAAS) is a learned society founded in 1955 and registered as a charity (1170382) dedicated to advancing education through the promotion of American Studies. With an annual expenditure of approximately £102,112, BAAS supports American Studies scholarship through conferences, publications, and funding for research, teaching, and access to archives about the United States. The organization produces the Journal of American Studies, American Studies in Britain, US Studies Online, BAAS Paperbacks, and Resources for American Studies. In 2025, BAAS demonstrated its commitment to values-driven funding by terminating its partnership with the US Embassy rather than compromise on equality, diversity, and inclusion criteria—a decision supported by current Chair Dr. Michael Collins, who describes their scholarship as “a form of resistance to the threats posed by the ascendent far right.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. BAAS Development Fund

  • Amount: Up to £2,000
  • Duration: Up to 2 years
  • Method: Fixed deadlines (February 1 and October 1 annually from 2026; previously April 1 and November 1)
  • For: Conferences, events, network establishment, workshops, writing retreats, schools outreach, diversity/inclusion initiatives

2. Research Assistance Awards

  • Amount: Up to £1,500
  • Deadline: Early January
  • For: Postgraduate students, early career academics (within 8 years of PhD), and established academics in UK
  • Use: Short-term US visits or hiring research assistance for remote archive consultation

3. Teaching Development Awards

  • Amount: Up to £1,500
  • Deadline: Early January
  • For: UK higher education teachers developing innovative teaching approaches

4. Essay Awards

  • Amount: £150 (winner), £50 (runners-up)
  • Categories: School Essay Award, BIPOC School Essay Award
  • For: UK secondary school, sixth form, and college students

5. Undergraduate Essay Awards

  • Amount: £500
  • Categories: General and BIPOC students (separate awards)
  • For: UK undergraduate students

6. Postgraduate Essay Awards

  • Amount: £500
  • Categories: General and BIPOC students (separate awards)
  • For: UK postgraduate students

7. Teaching Prize

  • Amount: £500
  • For: Recognizing excellence in American Studies teaching

8. BAAS Book Prize

  • Amount: £500
  • For: Best published book in American Studies

9. Barringer/Monticello Teacher Award

  • Value: Full funding for Monticello Summer Institute (travel, accommodation, food)
  • For: UK teachers with 2+ years teaching experience

10. Peter Boyle MA Graduate Assistantship

  • Value: Stipend, health insurance, tuition remission
  • For: Final-year UK undergraduates or recent graduates

Priority Areas

  • Activities supporting scholars currently under-represented in American Studies in the UK
  • Projects supporting postgraduates and early career academics
  • Initiatives enhancing diversity, inclusion, and sustainability
  • Network development and organizational support for American Studies communities
  • Research, pedagogy, and career development in American Studies
  • Schools outreach and public engagement

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual research costs (refer to BAAS Awards instead)
  • Individual attendance at events or conferences (use Research Assistance Awards)
  • Projects that do not align with American Studies focus
  • Activities that don't demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion
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Governance and Leadership

Officers

  • Dr. Mike Collins (Chair) - Reader in American Studies, King's College London. Collins has emphasized BAAS's role as “stewards of a greater legacy of scholarship and free enquiry by promoting meaningful study of the US and supporting the diverse people who do it.”
  • Dr. Christopher Lloyd (Vice Chair)
  • Dr. Kate Ballantyne (Secretary)
  • Dr. Ben Offiler (Treasurer)

Elected Members

  • Dr. David Ballantyne
  • Dr. Emily Brady
  • Dr. Adam Burns (Schools Lead)
  • Dr. Elsa Devienne
  • Dr. Rachele Dini
  • Prof. Kate Dossett (EAAS Representative)
  • Dr. Hilary Emmett (EDI Lead)
  • Dr. Emma Hall
  • Dr. Riziki Millanzi (Targeted Research Panel Lead)
  • David Malcolm (Postgraduate Representative)
  • Claire Watt (Postgraduate Representative)
  • Dr. Will Rees (ECA Representative)
  • Dr. Rebecca Stone
  • Dr. Sarah Thelen
  • Prof. John Wills

Ex Officio Members

  • Dr. Will Norman (Co-Editor, Journal of American Studies)
  • Dr. Katie McGettigan (Co-Editor, Journal of American Studies)
  • Dr. Ahmed Honeini (Associate Editor, Journal of American Studies)
  • Dr. Nicole Gipson (Associate Editor, Journal of American Studies)
  • Katie Edwards (Administration Manager)
  • Ben Atkinson (Digital Communications Manager)
  • Dr. Joseph Genchi (Digital Communications Officer)

Note: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Development Fund:

  1. Download application form from website or request from development@baas.ac.uk
  2. Complete form demonstrating commitment to diversity and inclusion
  3. Review BAAS Funding Guide for budgeting requirements
  4. Submit to development@baas.ac.uk by deadline
  5. Applications assessed by BAAS Executive Committee panel on merit

Research Assistance Awards and Other Awards:

  1. Application forms available online at baas.ac.uk/awards/
  2. Letter of recommendation required (sent separately to awards@baas.ac.uk)
  3. Applicant responsible for ensuring referee submits by deadline
  4. Submit by early January deadline

Membership Requirement: BAAS membership is mandatory for most awards. Non-members may apply for Development Fund but must join if awarded. Membership costs: £30 (individual), £50 (individual with Journal of American Studies), £16 (concessionary), £36 (concessionary with journal).

Decision Timeline

  • Development Fund: Notification within 6 weeks of closing date
  • Awards: Notification by April (for January deadline)

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The fund operates on a competitive, merit-based assessment process.

Reapplication Policy

No specific restrictions on reapplication mentioned. Applicants are encouraged to apply in subsequent rounds if unsuccessful.

Application Success Factors

What BAAS Looks For

Based on previously funded projects and official guidance:

  1. Clear American Studies Focus: Projects must relate directly to American Studies research, pedagogy, career development, or community building.
  1. Diversity and Inclusion Commitment: Applications must demonstrate consideration of diversity and inclusion. BAAS states: “BAAS is committed to promoting best practice in matters of diversity and inclusion and applicants are expected to demonstrate similar consideration when submitting applications.”
  • Minimize travel costs and use public transportation where possible
  • Seek institutional co-funding for event costs
  • Provide clear, itemized budgets
  • Follow BAAS's specified maximum rates (e.g., 40p/mile for first 150 miles, £180/night accommodation in London, £25/day subsistence in UK)
  • Consider needs of those with disabilities
  • Offer subsidized rates for students and early career academics
  • Support childcare and caring costs
  • Pay at least the Real Living Wage
  • Specify exact pay rates and include holiday pay
  • Justify professional fees and honoraria
  1. Broad Impact: Projects that reach under-represented scholars, support early career researchers, or enhance the American Studies community in the UK are particularly welcome.
  1. Sustainability: Demonstrate long-term impact and dissemination plans.

Examples of Successful Projects

  • BrANCH Conference (Nottingham): Supported 2 US-based graduate students' travel, paid a US graduate student conference assistant, and offered childcare costs to participants
  • US Politics Today Conference: Covered speaker fees and 2 days of travel for 5 experts, reached over 500 students over 2 days
  • Civil Rights Photographer Exhibition: First UK exhibition of Maria Varela's civil rights movement images at Oxford, including a talk by Varela
  • Reading America, Reading Loneliness: Conducted book groups at HMP Hull & HMP Full Sutton prisons studying American literature
  • Radical Print Cultures in the US South Conference: Hybrid international event providing travel bursaries for PhD researchers from UK, US, Europe, and India
  • BrANCH Teaching Packs: Created online essays for AQA curriculum to provide expert knowledge for A-Level students

Post-Award Requirements

  • Regular progress reporting throughout grant period
  • Final report submission at completion
  • Acknowledge BAAS in all publicity and future publications
  • Return unused grant money promptly
  • Disseminate project results broadly (potentially through BAAS outlets)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Demonstrate EDI commitment: BAAS takes diversity, inclusion, and accessibility seriously—this is non-negotiable and should be evident throughout your application
  • Budget strategically: Follow the detailed BAAS Funding Guide, minimize costs where appropriate, and ensure all compensation meets Real Living Wage standards
  • Think beyond individual benefit: The Development Fund supports community-building activities, not individual research or conference attendance (use Awards for those)
  • Show value for the American Studies community: Successful projects have broad impact, support under-represented groups, or create lasting resources
  • Be a member: While non-members can apply for the Development Fund, membership (£16-£50) may give applications priority and is required for most other awards
  • Plan for dissemination: BAAS wants to see how your project will benefit the wider community and be shared beyond immediate participants
  • Align with BAAS values: Following their termination of the US Embassy partnership over EDI principles, BAAS clearly prioritizes values-driven work that promotes “meaningful study of the US and supporting the diverse people who do it”

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References