The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship invites funding proposals for research relevant to social entrepreneurship by research academics and aspiring academics based at the University of Oxford and the Collegiate University.
We invite research proposals that align with the Centre’s research mission to advance theories of social entrepreneurship and its practical applications to address critical social, economic and environmental challenges.
Year 2 of these awards (2012) seeks proposals that contribute to advance knowledge in finance topics, including:
- transparency and accountability to clients and donors/investors
- internal organisational governance structures
- governance models that engage multiple stakeholders
- use of technology in supporting innovative approaches to governance
- social media, social movements and governance challenges
- governance models devised for organisational expansion and growth
- governance of hybrid organisations, nascent SE markets and new institutions
- fresh conceptions/applications of governance of the commons.
The Skoll Centre will award research grants to established researchers in support of:
- Seedcorn research projects and proof-of-concept innovations in methods and theory;
- Doctoral research (i.e., as a dissertation enhancement grant to fund dissertation completion by a supervisee of the grantee;
- To stimulate collaborative research that engages finance with other social sciences and humanities scholarship;
- Other types of projects developed in consultation with Skoll Centre staff.
Nature of the Funding
This Call for Proposals is directed to established researchers in the wider University: people who hold a Ph.D. or equivalent from an accredited university, and who hold a research-oriented position in a Department and/or a College at Oxford University (including Institutes and Centres).
Successful proposals will provide a detailed and viable plan to complete a rigorous research project that advances scholarly knowledge relative to the theory and practice of social entrepreneurship.
Typical Awards will be up to £12,000, with priority given to high merit proposals that also show evidence of matching funds and/or that seek complementary funds from other sources.
Funding Coverage
Skoll Centre funding is intended to provide research-active scholars who have an interest in social entrepreneurship with supporting resources that will enable, enrich and expand their studies. The grants can be used to fund travel and expenses associated with data gathering, data analysis, working paper development, refereed conference presentations, and preparation of manuscripts for journal submission, as well as non-salaried research assistance. However, the Skoll Centre will not fund teaching buyouts, provide direct salary support for faculty, or contribute to overhead or indirect costs.
Process
A total of up to three grants will be awarded in each proposal cycle.
For 2012, the deadline for the receipt of proposals for the first round is Friday, 30 March 2012. We will acknowledge receipt of your proposal via email.
Decisions will be announced by Monday, 30 April, 2012 and the grant disbursements can begin as early as 21 May 2012.
To Apply
A complete application includes the following:
- A cover letter (this can be the text of an e-mail message)
- A completed Form with accompanying documentation as required in the Form.
Skoll Centre Research Grants_Proposal Form 2012.doc
Submit your application to skollcentre@sbs.ox.ac.uk with the subject line: Surname.FirstName Research Funding
Background FAQ
What is social entrepreneurship?
Social entrepreneurship refers to the practice of combining innovation, opportunity and resourcefulness to address some of our most challenging social, economic and environmental problems. Social entrepreneurial ventures may be for-profit or non-profit, but the priority is on using market-oriented activities to generate systems changes that improve people’s lives.
What research topics are relevant to social entrepreneurship scholarship?
Social entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary research field that draws on multiple subject areas and intellectual traditions. The Skoll Centre seeks to support research that addresses areas such as social finance and social investment, impact monitoring and evaluation, market creation, stakeholder relationships, partnership creation and maintenance, legal and fiscal innovations, uses of information technology for transformational change, scaling and replication, and leveraging resources for greater policy impact. Proposals may also focus on how social entrepreneurial ventures organize themselves internally to and/or as a group of organizations for collective impact.