The Royal Historical Society has launched (December 2020) a new RHS Early Career Fellowship Grant scheme. Like the Hardship Fund launched earlier in 2020, this new scheme is a response to COVID-19 pressures, and will likewise be regularly reviewed as the situation changes.

The focus is on supporting career-building research or activities, and the aim is to provide support to enable researchers to produce a discrete outcome (such as an article or book proposal) with the grant. Because of limited funds, applicants must be early career historians within three years of submitting their PhD in a historical subject.

These grants are designed to be as supportive and there is a great deal of flexibility in how awards may be used and what can be considered reasonable maintenance and research costs. Proposals must provide clear evidence of the historical significance of their project as a whole and specify in detail how the requested funds will advance and enrich the project outcome.

Eligibility Criteria
For this scheme, applicants will be considered eligible who are: 

• Within three years of submitting their corrected doctoral thesis in a historical subject to a UK institution. Please note the three years does not include any periods of maternity or paternity leave, or leave due to illness. Please detail this in the ‘any other information’ section of your application form; 
• Normally resident in the UK;
• Not in full-time academic employment;
• Please note that current doctoral students are not eligible for this scheme.

Closing dates for applications and supporting references in 2021: 25 January, 29 March, 7 June and 18 October.