UCL Futures

Staff are invited to apply for departmental grants, funded through the generosity of UCL's alumni and friends.

Up to six grants of between £10,000 and £15,000 will be awarded for projects which can promote a department's academic standing, through to providing much-needed improvement to research and teaching resources (or through promoting the department's and UCL's leading reputation to a wider audience). Additional sums of less than £10,000 will also be granted, depending on the total funds available for disbursement.

Grant applications must be submitted to your head of department by 5pm on 3 December 2004, and entries should only be made for areas that are not eligible for funding from standard research sources. Competition for the grants has always been tough, but the stronger and more compelling your project idea, the more likely it is that your project will attract funding. What's more, a high level of good applications helps to emphasize UCL's need for funding to alumni and friends, which will help to generate additional funds for the future.

Funds raised for projects of this nature are now directed into UCL Futures, a new alumni giving programme launched as part of Advancing London's Global University - the Campaign for UCL, which replaces the UCL Friends Programme. Through UCL Futures, the Development & Corporate Communications Office aims to develop a stronger culture of giving at UCL, raising donations from just under £300,000 per annum to £500,000-£600,000 per annum or more over the next ten years.

The income generated from UCL Futures will be used to provide scholarships, meet strategic priorities as they arise, and provide a pool of funds for which all departments across UCL can apply, enabling projects that cannot be funded by existing budgets and research grants.

All queries should be directed to Matt Willis: x09741.