SHNH Small Research Fund

About this program

The Society for the History of Natural History offers the SHNH Small Research Fund, providing grants up to £500 (or equivalent) to help members cover research costs that benefit scholarship in fields covered by the Society—eligible expenses include library/museum access fees, imaging and publication rights, travel to unique materials, and event organisation. Any SHNH member may apply, with priority given to early career researchers (within two years of PhD), those returning from career breaks, and independent scholars; no formal qualification or affiliation is required and there is no upper age limit. Applications must use the Society’s form, be submitted before incurring the expense, meet one of two annual deadlines (15 May and 15 November), and are limited to one application per person per SHNH financial year; applicants must not already hold funding that covers the requested expenses. Decisions are made by a three‑member panel (typically within a month), and successful applicants must provide dated receipts, a short report and newsletter piece, acknowledge the Society in publications, and tag SHNH on social media.