NEW HORIZONS GRANTS PROGRAMME FOR INNOVATIVE AND FUTURE-FACING ACADEMIC RESEARCH ON GROUPS, COMMUNITIES AND ALCOHOL HARM

1. Title: NEW HORIZONS GRANTS PROGRAMME FOR INNOVATIVE AND FUTURE-FACING ACADEMIC RESEARCH ON GROUPS, COMMUNITIES AND ALCOHOL HARM2. Awarding Authority: Alcohol Change UK, 27 Swinton Street, London, GB, WC1X 9NW. Email: NewHorizons@alcoholchange.org.uk. Web: www.alcoholchange.org.uk3. Contract type: Service contract4. Description: Applications are now invited for our New Horizons grants programme for innovative and future-facing academic research on ‘Groups, Communities and Alcohol Harm’.About New HorizonsThe new grants programme will fund up to four research projects to explore topics connected to this theme. Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose projects that bring together different academic disciplines in order to bring new perspectives, theory and methodologies to the work.We are calling for proposals that explore how people’s experience of alcohol harm is affected by their membership of, identification with, or exclusion from groups and communities, and how constructions of meaning within a community may promote or prevent alcohol harm amongst its members. We welcome proposals that address any aspects of alcohol use, harm and treatment services, and how these relate to groups, communities and meaning.We define groups and communities as groups that create or inform either identity and/or a sense of belonging. Examples might include cultural, ethnic, national, religious, political, professional, geographic or other social communities of interest and identity. We would also consider research exploring the experience of diagnostic groups (i.e. people diagnosed with the same condition, disorder or disease) where this goes beyond simply exploring patterns of alcohol use, to explore how belonging to that group interacts with someone’s drinking, experience of harm and use of services.We are particularly interested in studies that focus on:Groups, sub-groups and communities that are subject to stigma, discrimination or structural disadvantage by society at large or by the dominant group of identity.Newly emerging or atypical communities (such as gamers, neo-libertarians, ‘sober-curious’ movements).Comparative studies exploring variation in alcohol use and harm across groups, sub-groups and communities, and studies that explore the effects of overlapping or intersecting group or community memberships or identities.The intersection of identity groups, drinking norms and narratives about those norms (“people like us drink like this”).Changes in dynamics, such as the emergence of alternative sub-cultures that reject the drinking norms of dominant group (“people like us normally drink like this, but our sub-group drinks like this instead”).The discourses and framings that justify or promote unhealthy drinking practices and ways in which those framings might be adapted to encourage positive behaviour change.We are less likely to fund:Studies only about levels of alcohol consumption. We want to fund research on alcohol harm and the means to reduce it, not alcohol or alcohol consumption per se.Studies only about socio-demographic characteristics, particularly those which have been substantially researched, such as age groups or male and/or female genders.Studies only about externally observed drinking patterns of a group. We want to fund research that explores groups’ own narratives, discourses and meanings around drinking (and non-drinking) and how these encourage or inhibit drinking behaviours or behaviour change.Studies that only illustrate problems. We’re interested in new understandings of problems, but keen to fund research that identifies solutions too, even if only in an exploratory way.Studies only about White British cultural groups. It is our view that these have been significantly researched and so, where White British groups are included in a study, we would expect that to be alongside other ethnic or cultural groups.Studies only on historical groups without contemporary relevance, although we are interested in historical perspectives where they relate to present-day or future practice.Studies that draw on only one academic discipline or perspective.5. CPV Code(s): 73110000, 73100000, 85320000, 98000000, 98133100, 98130000, 853200006. NUTS code(s): UKI, UKI3, UKI317. Main site or location of works, main place of delivery or main place of performance: London, Inner London – West, Camden And City Of London.8. Reference attributed by awarding authority: New Horizons9. Estimated value of requirement: Funding amountsThe maximum programme fund is £250,000 for up to four two-year projects. Project awards will be between £20,000 and £65,000. No single project shall be awarded more than £65,000.10. Completed applications must be received by 31.7.2020 (12:00).11. Address to which they must be sent: For further information regarding the above contract notice please visit: 12. Other information: EligibilityThe New Horizons grants programme is open to researchers from UK academic institutions. The principal applicant should be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge, skills and experience to oversee the research.Applicants to the New Horizons programme must show clearly how their proposal aligns with the programme theme and Alcohol Change UK’s research priorities and principles.Before developing your application, please read our:Research Strategy April 2020 to March 2023New Horizons 2020 Call for ApplicationsNew Horizons 2020 Guidance for ApplicantsAlcohol Research UK’s report on Public Involvement in Alcohol ResearchHow to applyPlease find the application format in Appendix B of the New Horizons Guidance for Applicants.Applicants need to demonstrate that they are qualified to carry out the research, that they have the capacity to do so in a timely manner, and that they can bring the necessary insight and experience that will allow for the robust interpretation of findings.Key deadlines12pm on Friday 31 July 2020 Initial proposal deadline Monday 24 August 2020 First round shortlisting complete, unsuccessful applicants notified Monday 21 September 2020 Peer review comments provided and applicants invited to review proposal Friday 16 October 2020 Revised proposal deadline Week commencing 2 November 2020 Notification of projects selected for workshop and unsuccessful applicants notified.NB: We expect that all projects selected for workshop round will be funded, subject to the final proposal being of a suitable quality. We reserve the right to reject any funding application until grants are formally awarded in March 2021. Week commencing 23 or 30 November or 7 December 2020 – TBDWorkshop takes place (format and venue to be decided) 14 December 2020 to 17 January 2021 Review of proposals in light of workshop17 January 2021 Deadline for final project proposal and budget Mid-March 2021 (date TBC) Grant award April 2021 Project startPlease refer the website above for documentation# funding opportunity