Society For Applied Philosophy

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £192,502 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 4 weeks from deadline
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £20,780
• Geographic Focus: International (UK, EU, and worldwide)

Contact Details

Website: http://appliedphil.org

Email: admin@appliedphil.org

Phone: 01273 582605

Administrator: Jon Cameron, University of Aberdeen

Membership Enquiries: Lori Homer (Membership Service Specialist)

Overview

Founded in 1982 and registered as a charity in 1983 (Charity Number 287331), the Society for Applied Philosophy promotes philosophical work that has a direct bearing on areas of practical concern. The Society arose from the awareness that many topics of public debate—in law, politics, economics, science, technology, medicine, and more—can be illuminated by critical analysis, philosophical questioning, and reflection on questions of value. With an annual expenditure of £192,502 (2024), the Society supports researchers globally through doctoral scholarships, post-doctoral fellowships, event funding, and various research support schemes. The organization is governed by three trustees and publishes the Journal of Applied Philosophy. The Society has demonstrated consistent commitment to advancing applied philosophy across multiple continents, having sponsored research in Australia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, and the United States.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Doctoral Scholarships: Up to £10,000

• Two scholarships annually for UK universities
• One scholarship for EU/EEA/EFTA universities
• Application deadline: Mid-July (opens May 1)
• Open to applicants who have applied for AHRC funding where eligible

Post-Doctoral Fellowships: £20,780

• One-year fellowship for researchers within two years of PhD completion
• Tenable at any university or research institute worldwide
• Application deadline: May 1 (for September start)
• Online application with possible interviews in May

Event Funding: £3,000 (up to £6,000 in exceptional cases)

• Supports workshops, conferences, colloquia, and events
• Rolling deadlines: January 1, May 1, September 1
• Members only (membership required)

Research Trip Support: Variable amounts

• Conference attendance, research visits, summer schools
• Quarterly deadlines: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1
• Members only

Teaching Relief: Variable amounts

• Limited teaching relief to support research project completion
• Quarterly deadlines: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1
• Members only, for full-time temporary or permanent lecturers

Further Support: Variable amounts (up to £1,000)

• Indexing, publishing subventions, survey work, diversity reading lists
• Quarterly deadlines: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1
• Open to postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers, academic staff, independent researchers
• Members only

Accessibility Support: Up to £1,000

• Separate grants for documented accessibility needs
• Available as part of event funding applications

Priority Areas

Applied philosophy broadly defined, including philosophical work with direct bearing on practical concerns in:

• Ethics and bioethics
• Law and political philosophy
• Education philosophy
• Science and technology ethics
• Environmental philosophy
• Medicine and healthcare ethics
• Economics and policy
• Climate ethics
• Speech act theory
• Any philosophical work addressing topics of public debate and practical concern

The Society welcomes both academic and non-academic work, provided it falls within the scope of applied philosophy. Researchers from non-philosophy backgrounds are welcome if their proposed work qualifies as applied philosophy.

What They Don't Fund

General Exclusions:

• Speaker fees or honoraria (travel and accommodation only)
• Institutional indirect costs or overheads (typically not covered)
• Events that clash with existing SAP events (Annual Conference, Annual Lecture)
• Events not open to all interested parties
• Events involving only one academic institution

Specific Exclusions:

• Non-members cannot apply for event funding, research trip support, teaching relief, or further support (doctoral scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships are open to non-members)
• Incomplete applications, including those with missing references
• Applicants who have not applied for AHRC funding where eligible (for doctoral scholarships)
• Projects outside the scope of applied philosophy

Ready to write a winning application for Society For Applied Philosophy?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

The Society is governed by three trustees and operates through an Executive Committee, supported by an Administrator and Membership Service Specialist.

Key Personnel:

• Administrator: Jon Cameron (University of Aberdeen)
• Membership Service Specialist: Lori Homer
• Journal Co-Editors: Avery Kolers (University of Louisville) and Tina Rulli (University of California, Davis)

International Representatives:

• Africa: Thierry Ngosso (St Gallen University)
• Asia: Dong An (Zhejiang University)
• Australasia: Piero Moraro (Edith Cowan University)
• North America: Yuan Yuan (University of California, San Diego)
• South America: Fernando Arancibia (PUC)

The Society maintains a lean operational structure with no employees earning over £60,000 in total benefits, ensuring maximum resources are directed toward grant-making activities.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Membership Requirement: Most funding schemes require SAP membership (£26 annually, £14 for postgraduates). Membership includes online access to the Journal of Applied Philosophy and reduced fees for the annual conference. Doctoral scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships are open to non-members, with successful applicants receiving membership for the duration of their award.

Application Methods:

• Event Funding, Research Trip Support, Teaching Relief, Further Support: Online application via Society website at application deadlines
• Doctoral Scholarships: Online application requiring CV (2 pages max), research outline (500 words max), AHRC application evidence, PhD acceptance letter, funding declaration, plus two academic reference letters submitted directly by referees
• Post-Doctoral Fellowships: Online application requiring CV (2-4 pages), research proposal (1,000 words max), writing samples (10,000 words max total), two reference letters (at least one from outside doctoral institution), PhD evidence, details of other applications, institutional support letter

Out-of-Cycle Applications: Not normally considered, though the Committee may consider applications outside standard dates and process them rapidly if there are reasons why the event must be organized at short notice. Contact admin@appliedphil.org to discuss.

Pre-Application Contact: Applicants uncertain about whether their research qualifies as applied philosophy should contact admin@appliedphil.org with research summaries.

Decision Timeline

Decisions on applications are typically provided within one month (4 weeks) of the relevant deadline. Applicants should apply at the deadline most appropriate to their timing needs, bearing in mind this timeline.

For post-doctoral fellowships, decisions are anticipated in early July, with possible online interviews in May.

Success Rates

Success rate statistics are not publicly disclosed. However, the Society awards:

• Two UK doctoral scholarships and one EU doctoral scholarship annually
• Up to two post-doctoral fellowships per year (£20,780 each)
• Multiple event funding grants throughout the year (amounts vary)

Recent doctoral scholarship recipients include Rebecca Brione (King's College London, 2024) researching applied ethics, speech act theory, bioethics, and philosophy of birth, and Miguel De La Cal Moreno (University of St Andrews and University of Stirling, 2024) researching climate ethics, moral knowledge, and eco-philosophy.

Reapplication Policy

For doctoral scholarships, successful recipients may reapply in subsequent years. No specific waiting periods or restrictions on reapplication are documented for other funding schemes, suggesting unsuccessful applicants may reapply at subsequent deadlines.

Application Success Factors

For Event Funding:

• Ensure events are open to all interested parties and involve participants from multiple academic institutions
• Include participants from diverse backgrounds, including practitioners, policymakers, and non-academic participants where relevant
• Provide carbon emission estimates using MyClimate if flights are funded; prioritize rail over flights for journeys under four hours
• Publicly acknowledge SAP sponsorship in advance materials and at the event
• Encourage speakers to submit papers to the Journal of Applied Philosophy
• Consider hybrid in-person and online formats
• Budget reasonably for conference costs (speaker travel and accommodation, room hire, catering)

For Doctoral Scholarships:

• Demonstrate academic merit in your application materials
• Apply for AHRC funding where eligible and provide evidence of application
• Declare all other funding sources and pending decisions
• Ensure references arrive by the deadline (incomplete applications are not considered)
• Keep CV to 2 pages maximum and research outline to 500 words maximum
• Note that preference may be given to candidates without additional funding sources

For Post-Doctoral Fellowships:

• Ensure PhD defense falls within the eligible timeline (between September 1, 2024 and August 31, 2026 for current cycle)
• Demonstrate how your research falls within applied philosophy
• Secure institutional support letter confirming office space, library access, no administrative duties, and identifying an academic mentor
• Include at least one reference from outside your doctoral institution
• Keep CV to 2-4 pages, research proposal to 1,000 words, and writing samples to 10,000 words total
• Declare all competing post-doctoral applications
• Note that limited teaching is permitted (maximum 3 contact hours weekly during term) if it strengthens CV expertise

General Success Factors:

• Clearly demonstrate how your work falls within applied philosophy—philosophical work with direct bearing on areas of practical concern
• Contact admin@appliedphil.org if uncertain about eligibility
• Adhere strictly to word limits and deadlines
• Ensure all required materials are submitted (incomplete applications are not considered)
• For all funded projects: submit reports within one month of completion (funds are paid after report approval, except doctoral scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships which are awarded in full)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Membership is required for most funding schemes (event funding, research trip support, teaching relief, further support) but not for doctoral scholarships or post-doctoral fellowships
• Applied philosophy scope is broad: encompasses ethics, law, politics, economics, science, technology, medicine, education, and any philosophical work addressing practical concerns—if uncertain, contact the administrator
• Quick turnaround: decisions within 4 weeks of deadlines makes SAP responsive compared to many funders
• Multiple opportunities throughout the year: quarterly deadlines for research support (January, April, July, October) and tri-annual deadlines for event funding (January, May, September)
• International focus: fellowships tenable worldwide, doctoral scholarships available for UK and EU institutions, event funding and research support open to international members
• Completeness is critical: incomplete applications, including those with missing references, will not be considered—ensure all materials arrive by deadlines
• Sustainability matters: carbon emission estimates required for flight-funded events, with preference for rail over flights for journeys under four hours
• Academic merit prioritized: especially for doctoral scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships, though practical support needs are also considered

References

• Society for Applied Philosophy - Funding Page -
• Society for Applied Philosophy - Event Funding -
• Society for Applied Philosophy - Doctoral Scholarships -
• Society for Applied Philosophy - Post-Doctoral Fellowship Scheme -
• Society for Applied Philosophy - Officers of the Society -
• Society for Applied Philosophy - Join the Society -
• Charity Commission - Society for Applied Philosophy Full Record -
• Society for Applied Philosophy - Wikipedia -
• Applied Philosophy - Wikipedia -