2024’s Small Grants Scheme awards announced
We are excited to share that three projects have been selected for funding as part of the third round of the IAS Small Grants Scheme.
The call for applications opened in March 2024, and we were thrilled to receive 15 submissions, underscoring the significant demand for funding at this level.
Priority was given to proposals that align with our challenge for 2023-2026: addressing alcohol-related inequalities. The proposals underwent a rigorous two-stage review process with external evaluations. This round was particularly competitive, with a wide range of topics explored and a high standard of applications. All applicants received feedback on their submissions.
The following projects will receive funding in the upcoming months:
- Dr Merve Mollaahmetoglu, University of Sheffield: Understanding barriers to the use of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks to reduce alcohol consumption among individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Dr Vera Buss, University College London: Alcohol use among people experiencing homelessness and access to substance use services in England: identifying treatment needs and policy options.
- Dr Samantha Wilkinson, Manchester Metropolitan University and Dr Catherine Wilkinson, Liverpool John Moores University: Stories of Alcohol Consumption across Generations in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities.
Dr Katherine Severi, Chief Executive at IAS, said:
The projects selected this year focus on addressing evidence gaps in alcohol-related inequalities experienced by different populations: individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, people experiencing homelessness, and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities.
I am eager to see the results of these three studies and hope that these grants will contribute to the development of talented researchers interested in alcohol policy.
Dr Gillian W Shorter, Chair of the IAS Small Grants Scheme Committee and Reader in Clinical Psychology at Queens University Belfast, said:
The IAS Small Grants scheme continues to attract high-quality research proposals from Early Career Researchers in the UK, demonstrating their commitment to addressing alcohol-related health inequalities. These grants fund innovative studies that will advance alcohol policy and the research field.
We look forward to seeing the impact these awards will have on reducing alcohol harms and shaping future alcohol policy decisions whilst fostering the growth of researchers’ careers.