Institute of Alcohol Studies

Registered charity 1112671 · since 2006ias.org.uk·United Kingdom·Updated 31 October 2026

At a glance

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.

Key takeaways

This funder suits a project that does research on UK alcohol policy, such as an evidence review, a pilot or scoping study, or preliminary data collection, and it is aimed at early-career researchers.
Only applicants with a PhD or equivalent professional qualification who are based at a UK university can apply to the Small Grants Scheme, so a small nonprofit without such a researcher should not apply, and extensions to existing projects, course fees, laptops, overheads and animal research are not funded.
The scheme's stated range is £500 to £15,000, and it particularly encourages projects that generate pilot data for a later, larger proposal, so a request within that span tied to a pilot fits best.
The register lists applications as by invitation only, but the scheme asks for a pre-submission enquiry about fit before an outline proposal, with full proposals by invitation, so make that enquiry first.
The deadline applies only to the invited full-proposal stage, and no date is given here, so check it during that enquiry.

Overview

Institute of Alcohol Studies is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1112671).

The Institute of Alcohol Studies is a charity registered in England and Wales (charity number 1112671) whose purpose is to advance the use of the best available evidence in public policy decisions on alcohol. Its main work is helping to bridge the gap between the scientific evidence on alcohol and the wider public. Its Small Grants Scheme supports innovative research ideas relevant to UK alcohol policy, with grants between £500 and £15,000.

What they fund

Priority Areas

The Institute of Alcohol Studies’ Small Grants Scheme supports innovative research ideas relevant to UK alcohol policy. It funds systematic or rapid evidence reviews, pilot and scoping studies, preliminary data collection and proof-of-concept studies, and particularly encourages work that generates pilot data for a later larger proposal. The scheme invites early-career researchers with novel ideas to inform public policy debates about alcohol harm. Applicants should normally have a PhD or equivalent professional qualification and be based at a UK university. IAS evaluates proposals for their policy relevance, fit with its long-term vision, applicant track record, feasibility and value for money. Its wider purpose is to advance the use of the best available evidence in public policy decisions on alcohol.

Themes

Alcohol policy research

Geographic Focus

UK.

What they don't fund

Small Grants Scheme only:
- Extensions or additions to existing projects
- projects which are not relevant to our organisational objectives
- course fees
- computers/laptops
- indirect costs or overheads
- research using animals
- Applicants who do not normally have a PhD or equivalent professional qualification, or are not based at a UK university

How to apply

Applicants can make a pre-submission enquiry for advice about fit with IAS’s objectives and priorities, dissemination opportunities and potential collaborators, then submit an outline proposal in a two-stage process. Shortlisted applicants are invited to submit a more detailed full proposal; the stated deadline applies only to this invited stage, not to outline applications.

What to send:

Small Grants Scheme
- A CV (for each applicant)
- A completed IAS Conflict Of Interest declaration
- An optional list of relevant and recent publications (maximum one page of A4)
- IAS’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion monitoring survey
- A response to reviewers’ comments
- A case for support (up to four pages, using the headings from the outline application form)
- An itemised budget

Application success factors

What the charity says:

IAS particularly encourages projects that generate pilot data for a future larger grant proposal.
IAS assesses proposals for potential to inform alcohol policy debates, relevance to its long-term vision, applicant track record, feasibility and value for money.
IAS encourages pre-submission enquiries and offers advice on fit with its objectives and priorities, dissemination opportunities and potential collaborators.
Successful applicants must provide a brief progress report six weeks before the end of their project.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

United Kingdom

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to Institute of Alcohol Studies.

Alliance House FoundationNo public processGave £354k

Five years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 March 2021	£541,854	£541,754	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2021
year to 31 March 2022	£514,900	£514,800	£10,000	Accounts for year to 31 March 2022
year to 31 March 2023	£620,589	£620,489	£10,000	Accounts for year to 31 March 2023
year to 31 March 2024	£579,730	£579,630	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2024
year to 31 March 2025	£466,457	£449,108	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2025

Income vs grants paid

IncomeGrants paid

Total value each financial year

YE 2022

£10,000 grants

YE 2023

£10,000 grants

Grants paid stayed within income across the 2 years shown.

Grants paid, year to 31 March 2022; year to 31 March 2023: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).

— No grants figure for those years.

Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.