The British Academy For The Promotion Of Historical Philosophical And Philological Studies

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £50+ million
• Success Rate: 20-30% (Small Research Grants scheme)
• Decision Time: 4-8 weeks (varies by scheme)
• Grant Range: £500 - £160,000
• Geographic Focus: UK national with international elements

Contact Details

Website: http://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Phone: 020 7969 5200

Email: finance@thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Address: 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London

Online Portal: Flexi-Grant® system for all applications

Overview

Founded as the UK's national academy for humanities and social sciences, The British Academy is a self-governing registered charity (233176) established to promote historical, philosophical and philological studies. With over £50 million distributed annually in 2024, the Academy channels substantial government funding into supporting UK and international academic research across the humanities and social sciences. The organization has recently undergone leadership transitions, with Hetan Shah serving as Chief Executive and Professor Susan J Smith set to become President in July 2025. The Academy has gained recognition for innovative funding approaches, including being one of the first UK research funders to implement partial randomization in grant allocation to increase diversity and fairness in funding decisions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants: £500 - £10,000 (1-24 months, online portal, annual rounds)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships: Up to £15.9 million total program (3-year awards, annual competition)
• Mid-Career Fellowships: Up to £160,000 each (fixed deadline applications)
• Talent Development Awards: Up to £10,000 (12 months, annual rounds)
• Evidence-informed Policymaking Grants: Up to £150,000 (12 months, specific geographic focus)
• British Academy Conferences: Up to £20,000-£25,000 (annual deadlines)
• Academy Research Projects: Various amounts (online applications)

Priority Areas

• All fields within humanities and social sciences
• No thematic priorities - wholly responsive funding
• Career development at all stages
• Interdisciplinary research approaches
• Skills development (quantitative skills, data science, digital humanities, languages)
• International collaboration and knowledge exchange
• Public engagement and impact

What They Don't Fund

• Salary costs for Principal Investigators or Co-Investigators
• Applications under £500
• Postgraduate student applications
• Purely technical work without research objectives
• Day-to-day childcare or caring responsibilities (except for research trips)
• Retrospective reimbursement for completed work
• Attendance at third-party conferences without direct research objectives
• Duplicate applications from previous rounds

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Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership:

• Chief Executive: Hetan Shah (appointed 2024, previously senior research leader with RAND Europe)
• President: Professor Julia Black (30th President, to be succeeded by Professor Susan J Smith in July 2025)
• Governance: Council comprising President, Vice-Presidents, and 15 Ordinary Members

Key Personnel Quotes:

Professor Susan J Smith, incoming President, has stated her focus will be on “supporting new talent in the humanities and social sciences.” The organization emphasizes that “academic merit is the primary basis for assessment” and seeks to ensure “value for money” in all funding decisions.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

• All applications submitted online through Flexi-Grant® system
• Applications cannot be edited after institutional approval
• Strong recommendation to complete applications early to allow referee time
• Automatic confirmation emails sent upon submission

Decision Timeline

• Small Research Grants: Results within 1 month of submission
• Additional Needs Applications: 4-6 weeks response time
• General Research Applications: 4-8 weeks typical timeframe
• Global Talent Endorsements: 5 weeks for peer review, 14 days for fast-track

Success Rates

• Small Research Grants: 20-30% success rate (significantly above norm for funding schemes)
• Quality Threshold: Around 60% of applicants pass initial assessment for randomized allocation
• Growth: 70% increase in applications, with over 1,100 applications in recent rounds vs. 600 previously
• Diversity Impact: 88% of recent grants awarded outside 'Golden Triangle' institutions

Reapplication Policy

• Outstanding reports on previous grants prevent new applications
• Cannot hold two grants of comparable nature simultaneously
• Reapplication guidance not explicitly stated - contact required for specific advice

Application Success Factors

Primary Assessment Criteria (Direct from Academy guidance):

• “Academic merit is the primary criterion for all British Academy schemes”
• “The primary assessment of quality will be based on the specific research objective of the proposal”
• “Has the applicant already published work of intellectual distinction?”

Budget and Proposal Tips:

• “Applicants should prepare accurate costings and should be particularly careful not to overestimate the resources required”
• “Competition for funds can be fierce, and proposals on the margin for award may have a greater chance of success if they are modestly costed”
• Provide “a short abstract summarising your proposed research in terms suitable for an informed general audience”

Track Record Importance:

Assessors evaluate “the ability of the applicant to make a success of it based on their past track record” and whether the “candidate has the potential to go on after the award to a successful academic career.”

Recent Successful Projects:

The Academy has funded diverse research including childhood learning development studies, early modern English literature analysis, and innovative interdisciplinary approaches combining SHAPE and STEM disciplines.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Merit Above All: Academic excellence is the primary and overriding criterion - ensure your research demonstrates intellectual distinction
• Budget Modestly: Conservative, realistic budgeting can give marginal applications a competitive edge in fierce competition
• Early Application: Submit early to ensure referees have adequate time, as reference quality matters significantly
• Broad Accessibility: Write abstracts for informed general audiences, not just subject specialists
• Track Record Matters: Strong publication history and demonstrated research capability are essential
• Interdisciplinary Welcome: Genuinely interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged but must be integral, not superficial
• No Gaming Required: With partial randomization among quality applications, focus on meeting the merit threshold rather than trying to game the system

References

• The British Academy Funding Pages: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/
• “Promising results from first year of innovative grant awarding trial show greater diversity of awardees”: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/promising-results-from-first-year-of-innovative-grant-awarding-trial/
• BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants Guidance: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/ba-leverhulme-small-research-grants/
• British Academy Leadership and Governance: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/about/senior-management-team/
• Assessment and Peer Review Guidelines: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/assessment-and-peer-review/
• Guidance for Applicants: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/guidance-applicants/