BISCA Catalyst Fund - 2025/26

Catalyst Grants of up to £10,000 in seed-funding will support bold, interdisciplinary projects that connect people, ideas, and disciplines to deliver real-world impact.

We’re looking for ambitious, interdisciplinary, cross-theme projects that reflect BISCA’s Vision and Purpose.

Projects should apply and translate ideas, skills, and influence into meaningful engagement and real-world impact. We want to see collaborations that bridge disciplines, challenge assumptions, and open new ways of thinking about sustainability and climate action. We are particularly looking for projects that bridge the BISCA themes.

The most successful proposals will be bold and creative - developing new research questions, partnerships, and pathways that move beyond individual disciplines to deliver innovative, high-impact solutions at local, national, or global scales.

Aims of the funding

We are looking for ambitious, interdisciplinary projects that bridge the gap between research and tangible climate action. The fund is designed to support projects that connect diverse people, ideas, and disciplines to deliver real-world impact.

The fund aims to support ECRs and projects that will:

• Test new, bold, and interdisciplinary ideas.
• Catalyse new collaborations across academic, policy, industry, or third-sector partners.
• Generate preliminary data or partnerships to support larger, external grant applications.
• Support ECRs in developing their research leadership skills.
• Each project must relate to at least two BISCA themes.

Who can apply

• This fund is only available to current University of Birmingham academic staff.
• Projects led by a BISCA Affiliate Member, who would consider themselves an Early Career Researcher.
• Each project must relate to at least two BISCA themes
• Each project must include a Co-I Project Mentor, the mentor may be:
  • A BISCA Affiliate with an established research profile, who would not themselves meet the criteria as an Early Career Researcher.
  • BISCA Theme Lead
  • BISCA Deputy Director
• Co-Investigators (Co-Is) and other team members are not required to be ECRs or BISCA Affiliates.
• External collaborators are encouraged.

We would consider BISCA Affiliates in Research Fellow (postdoc) or Assistant Professor roles, to be Early Career Researchers (ECR). However, we do not consider years post-PhD or job title to be a sole marker of career progression. If you are unsure please don’t hesitate to contact Prof Liza Jabbour, BISCA Deputy Director (l.jabbour@bham.ac.uk), or Dr Helen Onyeaka, BISCA Deputy Director (h.onyeaka@bham.ac.uk).

ECR Mentorship Programme

A key feature of this fund is the dedicated mentorship programme. Successful PIs will be paired with a mentor to support project delivery and provide guidance for ECR development.

Mentors can be identified in several ways: applicants may approach a suitable BISCA Affiliate, Theme Lead, or Deputy Director directly; request an introduction through their Theme Lead or the BISCA team; or register their interest after the call launch webinar. Support is also available via bisca@contacts.bham.ac.uk to help connect applicants with an appropriate mentor aligned to their project’s focus.

Timeline and key information

• Total Fund: £100,000
• Funding per project: up to £10,000
• Applications Close: Monday 15 December 2025, 10:00am
• Awards Announced: by 31 January 2026
• Funding End Date: 31 July 2026

Key documents and application form

Please read the full Call Particulars before applying. Applications can be submitted via the M365 online form. You will need to attach your Project Action Plan when you submit your application.

Contact Us

For further information or support, please contact: bisca@contacts.bham.ac.uk