New Zealand: 2022 Unlocking Curious Minds Contestable Fund

Deadline: 29-Jul-21

The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) invites proposals to the Unlocking Curious Minds Contestable Fund (the 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.

Objective

The Fund supports projects that use best-practice approaches to help New Zealanders, particularly those that have fewer opportunities to learn about and to engage with science and technology, by:

Funding education and community outreach initiatives that focus on science and technology.
Broadening their ability to engage with science and technology.
Promoting the relevance of science and technology in their lives.
Supporting them to engage in societal debate about science and technology issues facing the country.

Funding Information

Approximately $1.6 million (excluding GST) is available for the Fund’s 2022 investment round to fund successful proposals for up to an 11 month period commencing February 2022.
The Minimum and Maximum amount is $50,000 – $150,000.

Outcomes

To enable:

New Zealanders to understand the relevance of science and have the ability to use science to make informed decisions.
Greater interest and uptake of higher education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Increased knowledge and visibility of different research methodologies, including kaupapa Maori approaches and Pacifc-centred research methods.
Engagement with Matauranga Maori as a knowledge system.
The research, science and innovation system to connect to communities and respond to their needs.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for funding from the Fund:
- 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.
- Applications must be made in IMS within the application deadline, and comply with all formatting, content or other administrative requirements set out in this Call for Proposals.
Applications not meeting any of these criteria will be declined for funding on eligibility grounds.
The terms and conditions of the Fund’s Funding Agreement will apply to the provision of funding agreed between the contracting organisation and them. By submitting a proposal, applicants (and their collaborators) are agreeing to the terms and conditions of the Fund’s Funding Agreement.
Government departments, Centres of Research Excellence (funded through the Tertiary Education Commission) are not eligible to apply for funding.