Our Sustainable Laboratories Grant aims to accelerate the chemical sciences community’s journey to environmentally sustainable research and innovation.
Funding is available for initiatives and activities that achieve one or more of the following aims:
- Advance understanding of environmentally sustainable laboratory practice
- Increase the take-up of environmentally sustainable laboratory practices in the chemical sciences
- Facilitate sharing of good practices
You can hear from experts in sustainable laboratory practices (including two 2023 Sustainable Laboratories Grant recipients) in this upcoming Chemistry World webinar.
You can also see the list of projects we funded from our 2023 application round here.
The grants follow a commitment we made in October 2022 following the publication of our Sustainable laboratories report, to provide funding to making research practices in the chemical sciences more environmentally sustainable.
Environmentally sustainable research practice refers to doing research activities in a way which minimises their impact on the environment.
Environmentally sustainable research practice is distinct from sustainable or sustainability-focused research, where the outcomes are not applicable to a laboratory or other scientific research setting.
Further information about environmentally sustainable research practice is provided in the RSC Sustainable laboratories report and our Frequently Asked Questions.
Who can apply?
The grants are open to everyone regardless of career stage, job role, sector, or location.
Including, but not limited, to PhD students, post-doctoral researchers, technicians, scientists working in chemistry using industries including SMEs. However, please read our Guidance for Applicants for full details.
The lead applicant must be an RSC member, either Affiliate, Associate Member, Member or Fellow). Undergraduate Student Members are not eligible to apply as a lead applicant.
Collaborations within and beyond chemistry are also welcome.
What can I apply for?
Grants are available up to a maximum of £10,000 to fund a wide range of projects, initiatives and activities that meet the scheme aims.
Examples could include research projects, data collection, pilot studies, seed funding towards the development of larger projects, resource development, or activities to support networking, community development and sharing of best practices. This list is non-exhaustive, and we welcome creative ideas which address the above aims.
Please note that for consistency, we refer to any eligible project, initiative or activity as “project” in our documentation for this grant scheme.
Projects and their outcomes should improve the environmental sustainability of chemical sciences research practice, for example by reducing laboratory waste, energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, single-use plastics etc. Projects might seek to improve the understanding of the environmental impact of current research practices (for example, life cycle analyses) or sharing good practice by running a workshop or designing greener experimental procedures.
Projects should demonstrate clear benefits to environmentally sustainable research beyond the grant holder’s lab. Proposals must include plans for sharing results and good practices with the broader scientific community, such as through publications, presentations, or institutional initiatives. Effective dissemination is crucial to ensure that the outcomes contribute to widespread adoption of sustainable practices in the chemical sciences.
Project ideas involving collaboration within and beyond chemistry are also welcome.
Please see the list of projects we funded from our 2023 application round for examples of activities we are currently supporting through Sustainable Laboratories Grant.
Sustainable Laboratories Grants will not be awarded to:
- projects which do not focus on improving environmental sustainability in chemical sciences research practice
- projects whose primary aim is to generate a financial surplus or for commercial development;
- projects for which our support would not significantly enhance the activity;
- projects which are unlikely to have wider benefit beyond the grant recipient or where wider benefit is not clearly articulated
For full details, ensure you read our Guidance for Applicants before you apply.
Application timelines
Please note for fairness and transparency to all applicants, we must apply our rules consistently. This means that we do not allow late applications.
| Application open |
2 September 2024 |
|---|---|
| Application close | 7 October 2024 1400 UK time (BST) |
| Initial eligibility decisions | Week commencing 21 October 2024 |
| Funding decisions | Mid-February 2025 |
Assessment process
All applications will be checked by RSC staff. Your application will not proceed to peer review if:
- You do not meet our eligibility criteria (please see above)
- Your application is incomplete
- Your application does not adhere to the length limits instructed in the application system
- Your funding request exceeds the £10,000 limit
All remaining applications will undergo peer review by members of our Researcher Grants Peer Review Group. Final funding decisions will be made by the Sustainable Laboratories Grant Decision Panel:
- Ian Ball, Johnson Matthey, UK
- Jan-Willem Bos, University of St Andrews, UK
- Federico Brucoli, De Montfort University, UK
- Vicky Hilborne, University College London, UK
- Sheena Hindocha, Innovate UK Business Connect, UK
- Shaikh Mobin, IIT Indore, India
- Helen Sneddon, University of York, UK
- Ross Stewart, ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, UK
Final funding decisions may take into consideration the overall portfolio of projects to be funded, with the aim of supporting a broad and diverse range of projects for example project topic, sustainability challenge addressed and geographical spread.
Assessment criteria
Applications will be assessed by reviewers against the following criteria:
| Relevance to environmental sustainability of chemical sciences research |
Your project and its outcomes must focus on improving the environmental sustainability of research practice in the chemical sciences. This could include building on or adding to existing knowledge or practice. Your project objectives should align with one or more of the scheme aims. |
| Outcomes and impact |
Your proposal must clearly describe the intended outcomes and/or impact that the project will have. Your proposal should include an evaluation plan to assess whether the project has been successful in achieving its outcomes and impacts. |
| Wider benefit |
Your proposal must explain how your project will benefit research practice across the chemical sciences. Your proposal should include how you intend to share any outputs and/or learnings from the project. |
| Feasibility of proposal | Your project must be clearly written and costed. The project must be deliverable with the proposed resource allocation and be within the intended timeframe. |
| Impact of funding | Applicants should show that the requested funding will make a significant difference to their ability to deliver the project. |
Help spread the word
Share the Sustainable Laboratories Grant page via social media or download our promotional materials below to share with your friends and colleagues:
Download here:
Sustainable Labs PowerPointSustainable Labs A5 LeafletSustainable Labs (210 x 275 px)