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We’re pleased to say that our first funding round was highly successful, with 27 submitted eligible applications and 21 projects funded across diverse research areas. However, we wanted to dig deeper into the applications to see how well our applicants mirrored the community and to identify any areas for improvement.

The eligible applications were submitted from 14 institutions in total, although representation was heavily skewed towards England and Russell Group universities. Notably, no applications came from Wales or Northern Ireland, and non-Russell Group participation was low, indicating important outreach gaps for future rounds.

The applicant pool showed a 57% male / 43% female split and was predominantly White (78%), with no Black applicants, mirroring disparities seen in related sector surveys. Career stage participation was strongest among mid-career applicants, who were also the most successful group.

Unsurprisingly, given the strength of the community, Research Software Engineers (RSE) formed the largest professional group among leads and co-leads, though a wide range of roles was represented across 9 broad groupings. More than half of the successful proposals were led by a non-RSE.

We also asked for feedback on the application process from (prospective) applicants, panel members, the wider DisCouRSE project team, and our two panel rovers. It highlighted a need for clearer guidance for applicants unfamiliar with funding processes, improvements to our GoodGrants review workflow, and more explicit “fit to remit” criteria. Consideration of adjustments such as expanding the range of organisations allowed to lead proposals and reviewing the 80% FEC rule was also requested, although these are more challenging to implement.

Overall, the first funding round was a success, and we have come away with some new areas to target in round 2 such as non-Russell Group universities, non-RSE roles and a wider geographical spread of applicants. If you have any channels to help us reach these target areas, please get in touch or consider becoming one of our conduits.

Reference surveys used

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