Deadline: 19-Jul-23
The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) invites proposals for the Unlocking Curious Minds Contestable (UCM) Fund to encourage quality projects that reach and inspire a broader base of New Zealanders through initiatives that bring science and technology to audiences that have less opportunity to learn about and to engage with science and technology.
Funding Information
- The total funding available is approximately $1.6 million (excluding GST) for the Fund’s 2024 investment round to fund successful proposals for up to an 11-month period commencing February 2024. Projects must be completed from 1 February 2024 until 31 December 2024.
- The amount of funding you can apply for is a minimum: $50,000 (excluding GST) and a maximum: $150,000 (excluding GST).
What is fundable?
- Project costs must be solely and directly related to the project work programme. Funds can be used to cover costs towards the work programme development, delivery, and operating costs (including travel).
- Projects that take place in one or more New Zealand regions.
- Projects that reach audiences in more than one location across a region(s). The regions are defined by individual regional council boundaries.
- Projects that provide one or more new science and technology engagement activities.
- Refocused previously funded projects supported by strong evidence that the changes will:
- reach a new target audience(s), and/or
- have broader impact.
- Costs associated directly with the project (total project costs). This may include:
- Costs of personnel
- Personnel related costs
- Material and consumables directly related to promoting or delivering a project
- Travel directly related to delivering the project
- Project operational costs.
- Projects that start from 1 February 2024 and are completed by 31 December 2024. Projects that involve activities in the summer months may seek a later completion date. The rationale for a later date must be clearly set out in your proposal.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must meet all the eligibility criteria for their proposal to be assessed. Applicants who don’t meet these criteria will be declined funding on eligibility grounds:
- The proposed activity or activities must take place in one or more New Zealand regions (including the Chatham Islands).
- Applications must be from an organisation that is a legal entity with an IRD number.
- Legal entities may include incorporated societies, registered charities, registered companies, and trusts.
- New Zealand Government departments (as defined in Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act 2020) are not eligible to apply for funding.
- Centres of Research Excellence (funded through the Tertiary Education Commission) are not eligible to apply for funding.
- Your proposal must not benefit a Russian state institution (including but not limited to support for Russian military or security activity) or an organisation outside government that may be perceived as contributing to the war effort.
- Applications must be made in the Investment Management System (IMS) – a secure online portal, within the application deadline, and comply with all formatting, content or other administrative requirements set out in this Call for Proposals.
Key Dates
- Submission period for proposals: 26 June 2023 until 12 noon, 16 August 2023
- Assessor names published: By 2 August 2023
- Assessment of proposals: 29 August 2023 to 20 September 2023
- Funding decisions announced and applicants are given feedback: November 2023 with contracting to January 2024
- Contracting and Funding Agreements signed: November 2023 to January 2024
- Contracted work programmes commence: 1 February 2024
- All work programmes completed: 31 December 2024.
For more information, visit UCM.
