We have completed the first round of grants from the Society’s reserves to projects which advance “education through study of and research into the New Testament and related writings” in the UK (from our Constitution), and have made four awards—details here.
We now invite further bids for small grants in support of these aims. Grants may be awarded for a range of purposes. Examples might include travel and conference costs for a BNTS seminar presenter from abroad; public engagement events highlighting the work of New Testament scholarship; support for the ongoing research of independent scholars; any activity undertaken for the benefit of the Society. These examples are not prescriptive, however, and do not imply any particular preferences. The Committee looks to members to come up with creative ideas for the appropriate use of our financial resources.
Funding applications should be submitted to the Secretary by email (secretary@bnts.org.uk) in the form of a single-page Word document including (1) an account of the proposed activity and its feasibility; (2) a statement explaining how the proposed activity will enhance the work of the Society; (3) details of the likely costs. Members of the Society are welcome to seek the advice of the Secretary or another member of the Committee before finalising their submission.
Applications for this round of funding should be submitted no later than Monday 16 March 2020, and should relate to expenditure/acitivities scheduled for no later than May 2021. Applications will be assessed by the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the President in the first instance, and their recommendations will then be passed on to other Committee members for consideration and scrutiny. In the event of an application from a member of the Committee, that member will play no part in the overall assessment process. In addition, a Committee member would play no part in assessing a specific application in the case of a conflict of interest. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications within ten days of the closing date.
Members of the Society will be aware that funds available will fluctuate from year to year, and that we are required to reserve a proportion of them to cover any unforeseen circumstances that may arise—such as a conference making a substantial loss. For this round of bids, we suggest an indicative maximum of £500 per grant, although applications for larger sums will also be considered if sufficient supporting evidence is provided.