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Home > Grants & Prizes > Grants to run meetings & events

Grants to run meetings and other events

Meeting Sponsorship


Meetings generally tend to take one of two forms:  workshops and commemorative events.  Workshops may take many formats but should include two-way dialogue between participants to seek answers to specific, topical questions.  Commemorative events such as lectures, should honour important figures or events in the history of ecology. As with all meetings that the BES funds, the issues addressed should be clearly focused on ecology. 

With workshops priority is given to applications that include training for ecologists of graduate level and beyond, have an innovative content and an organising committee of individuals from more than one institution. In addition, secondary importance will be given where attendance is not totally by invitation only (although the need to restrict numbers is recognised) and where some provision is made to subsidise travel costs of delegates other than invited speakers.

Applications will not be considered for the cost of publications which may arise from a meeting, to prepare for, or report on, specific funding opportunities or research programmes, institutional costs or overheads, meetings which are restricted to senior practitioners only and the provision of 'top up' funding for meetings which are primarily funded by other societies or groups. Workshops and Commemorative events which are supported should be publicised in advance through the BES Bulletin.

Anyone interested in seeking sponsorship for organising a workshop or commemorative event should write to the Grants Officer with the following information:

  • The title of the workshop or event, including whether the event is part of some larger meeting
  • Organiser(s) name, status, address, fax and email (please briefly state their roles and experience in organising events)
  • Venue and date
  • Intended output
  • Expected attendance, in particular whether the event is open to a wide audience
  • Amount requested, and justification of how the money will be used
  • Details of other sponsorship or funding.
  • Overall budget, including any charges to be made for attendance
  • Aims of the workshop or commemorative event, listing where relevant proposed speakers and subjects to be covered

For applications for workshop sponsorship please provide the following additional information:

  • Target audience
  • The names and addresses of two people who may be contacted regarding the feasibility and timeliness of the workshop.

For applications for commemorative event sponsorship please provide the following additional information:

  • The name of the person or event being commemorated and a summary of their achievements
  • An explanation of how the event commemorates their work.

Value of the award :

not normally more than £2,000 for workshops, not normally more than £1000 for commemorative events

Closing dates :

1st May, 1st October

Application :

by letter addressed to the Grants Officer, not exceeding three sides of A4 or attached in an email to grants@britishecologicalsociety.org

Conditions :

Applications must be for meetings which take place at least seven months after the application deadline.  Successful applicants are required to produce a report of the event within three months of it taking place.

Committee responsible for the grant :

Meetings Committee

Criteria for assessing applications for both workshops and commemorative events:

  • Is the event well organised?
  • Is there enough time before the event takes place to advertise it in the BES Bulletin?
  • Is attendance open to all?
  • Is it clear how the BES funding will be spent?

For commemorative events:

  • Was the person or event being commemorated an important figure / event in ecology?
  •  Is the proposed event an appropriate way in which to commemorate?

For workshops:

  • Is there a two-way dialogue between participants?
  • How much training does the meeting provide?
  • How innovative is the content?
  • Is there provision to subsidise travel costs of delegates other than the invited speakers?
  • Is the meeting being organised by people form more than one institution?


    Related Information:

  • National Science and Engineering Week Events
  • Other related funders