Frequently asked questions relating to the 2015 application period with theme Climate, change! This article will be updated as needed.
(NB! Below question and answer on applications’ relation to climate change added 20 November.)
Are all applications expected to bear a connection to climate change?
When defining the theme for the 2015 call for applications “Climate, change!”, the central concerns identified were climate change and other negative effects of human behavior on environment. This is a complex phenomenon that demands an array of solutions, both instant and long-term ones. In addition to projects on environmental education and sustainability, the Foundation understands that solutions can therefore be found in e.g. teaching civic skills and building dialogue, without a direct connection to climate change. The purpose of the theme call is to build a sustainable future in which every citizen can participate in protecting the environment, and society is committed to acting against global warming.
If I apply for a working grant, am I entitled to have any income? If part-time work is permissible, what is the maximum number of hours one can work without losing the right to the working grant?
When applying for a working grant, the applicant may not have a full-time job. The maximum number of working hours in a part-time job is 25–33% of standard working hours.
For which period can I apply the grant? Must the grant period begin during the following year?
The TAH Foundation primarily awards grants for the following year or a period of time beginning in the following year. The TAH Foundation awards working grants for one year at a time, so if you are applying for funding to cover several years of work, you must re-apply for it every year.
Is it possible to apply for retroactive funding, i.e., allocate the grant for activities that have already taken place?
Funding cannot be applied for retroactively.
Can I complete or modify my application after I have submitted it or the application cycle has ended?
Only in the case when the applicant’s incomplete application was caused by a technical issue unattributable to the applicant.
Are any criteria or a maximum length set for the research plan that is required as an attachment to the application?
No. The research plan to be included in the application should preferably be the official research plan, accepted by the researcher’s supervisor or institute. If one is not available, the research plan must follow the standards of the field of study in question. If significant changes have been made to the previously accepted official research plan, a free-form statement on the current stage of the research project can be attached to the original plan.
The person whose information I have submitted as reference has not been contacted for a statement; does this mean that my application was declined?
The absence of a statement request does not mean that your application has been declined.
How should one break down the “total funding plan of the project” in a grant application for a PhD project?
In a PhD or post-doc research grant applications, the research is the project for which the funding should be recorded. Please describe briefly the sources from which the project has received funding until this point and how you plan to fund the remaining part. It is unnecessary to break down all the items of expenditure unless there are unusually large items.
Can I apply funding for PhD work if I will graduate with my Master’s degree only after the application cycle has closed OR for post-doc work if I receive my Doctor’s degree after the application cycle has closed?
Yes, you can apply for a research grant for the next stage of research if you submit a copy of the degree certificate or permission for public defence by e-mail (info(a)tahsaatio.fi) or through the grant application system no later than 15 January 2016.