The Independent Social Research Foundation wishes to support independent-minded researchers to explore and present original research ideas which take new approaches, and suggest new solutions, to real world social problems.
In December 2024, the ISRF launched its eighth Early Career Fellowship competition. Having received a number of strong proposals, a Selection Panel met in September 2025 and voted to make five awards.
All applicants were expected to provide the following details as part of their proposal:
An Abstract of the research’s aims, methods, contribution to knowledge, and value in realising the goals of ISRF (300 words)
The Research Topic: The project’s focus, problem, or question (250 words)
Background: Established theses or paradigms in the field and their limitations in relation to the Research Topic (250 words)
Project Thesis: In contrast to established theses, your hypotheses or innovative claims that the research will enable you to support (250 words)
Methodology: Methods and procedures your research will employ, with description of your main disciplinary technique(s), including interactions across disciplines as required (250 words)
Work Plan: How your methods and procedures will be structured over the period of the award, including share of work time to be devoted to award research (250 words)
Outcomes: Describe project contribution, dissemination, any further steps and longer-term goals (250 words)
Ethics & Access: If applicable, describe any measures required for ethical conduct of the research, including needed regulatory compliance, and to access relevant data/participants (e.g. issues relating to language, positionality, access restrictions) (300 words)
The Completed Application Form Included:
A Bibliography limited to two sides of A4 (to be uploaded as an attachment)[6]
An anonymised Budget (to be entered in the relevant application form field, or uploaded as an attachment)
An anonymised list of your own publications (or alternative outputs) relevant to the work proposed in your application (to be entered in the relevant application form field)
An anonymised list of your previous experience or qualifications (e.g. PhD subject area, research specialism(s), language skills, completed research projects, methodological training etc..) relevant to this proposal (to be entered in the relevant application form field)
