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BAAS Funding Guide

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This guide is for both applicants and grantees of BAAS’s various grants programmes, including the BAAS Development Fund, the BAAS/US Embassy Small Grants Programme, and BAAS Awards. The guide is governed by our principles of equality, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and accessibility. Similarly, as BAAS is a charity, our funding guidance is designed with value for money in mind so that BAAS funds can be used to support as many of our members and activities as possible.

Part 1: Eligible Costs

1. Travel, Accommodation, and Subsistence

1.a Travel

Where possible, all travel should be kept to a minimum and public transport should be used.

1.a.i Public Transportation

Efforts should be made to arrange travel off-peak wherever possible. Train journeys should be booked in advance where possible. Travel should be in standard or economy class.

1.a.ii Car Travel

Public Transport should be used wherever possible. Car travel should only be used when a case can be made for both financial and practical purposes. Car parking costs should be kept to a reasonable minimum, especially at airports.

  • Using Own Car:
    • Up to 150 miles: 40p per mile
    • 151 and over miles: 25p per mile
  • Car Hire:
    • Maximum size grouping: C (Compact or equivalent)
    • Fuel costs can be claimed.

Accessibility: For those with disabilities or medical conditions that make public transport inappropriate, car travel may be used.

1.a.iii Air Travel

UK journeys should not use air travel, even if the cost is lower. International air travel should be in economy class.

Accessibility: For those with disabilities or medical conditions that require it, an appropriate upgrade may be agreed in advance.

BAAS/US Embassy Small Grants Programme: Fly America Act:

All international air transportation paid for through the US Embassy Small Grants Programme must use US flag air carriers or US code sharing where available. e.g.

  • Allowable: AA 1234 operated by BA 4321
  • Unallowable: BA 4321 operated by AA 1234.

Use of a non-US carrier is allowed when transportation is between two points outside the US.

1.a.iv Taxis

Taxis should be used for short journeys (up to 20 miles) only and where no public transport is available or appropriate.

Accessibility: For those with disabilities or medical conditions that require it, taxis may be used for longer journeys. In very rare cases, taxi travel further than 20 miles will be permitted for those travelling in locations where personal safety is at risk.

1.b Accommodation

Accommodation should be comfortable and safe while offering good value for money.

1.b.i Hotels

Maximum rates that can be claimed through BAAS are as follows:

1.b.ii AirBnb / Other

Accommodation costs should be comparable to, or less than, the hotel rates given above. Clear, itemised, receipts should be obtained from the host.

1.c Subsistence

Maximum rates that can be claimed through BAAS are as follows:

BAAS/US Embassy Small Grants Programme: No meals or beverages can be covered by this award.

1.d Accompanied Travel

BAAS will not cover costs of family, friends, or employees seeking to accompany those travelling on BAAS-funded activities.

Accessibility: The costs of carers for those with disabilities or medical conditions that require additional support when travelling may be funded but must be agreed in advance.

1.e Childcare and Caring Costs

BAAS supports the use of funds to cover childcare or caring costs during research trips or other activities.

2. Conferences and Events

2.a Food and Drink

The costs of providing meals and refreshments at events may be claimed. Costs and menus should be in line with institutional norms for similar events. Reusable cutlery and crockery should be used wherever possible, even if the cost is greater. Alcohol should not usually be provided, but if it is, any alcohol provision should be modest, and non-alcoholic alternatives provided.

BAAS/US Embassy Small Grants Programme: No meals or beverages can be covered by this award.

2.b Room Hire

The costs of room hire may be claimed, although every effort should be made to seek institutional support for events, either in-kind or at internal rates.

2.c Subsidised Rates, Bursaries, Hardship Funds

BAAS supports the subsidisation of conference and event rates, or the offer of bursaries, for students, Early Career Academics, and those who are unwaged or precariously employed, and such reductions may be claimed.

BAAS supports the use of funds to cover childcare or caring costs, to ameliorate against digital poverty, or other efforts to make conferences and events more accessible to all.

2.d Digital Events

BAAS has a Zoom account which members and organisers can use, free of charge, for small-scale or one-off events or network meetings.

Costs associated with accessibility (e.g. captioning software, manual transcription) may be claimed.

3. Pay

3.a Salaries

BAAS does not offer salary buy-out or cover salaries for applicants who are employed full-time or engaging in work that is part of their normal role.

3.b Hourly-Paid Work

UK: Under no circumstances will BAAS support payment that is under the UK Real Living Wage (£13.15 in London, £12.00 rest of UK in 2023-24, https://www.livingwage.org.uk/what-real-living-wage). All hourly-paid work should include holiday pay. Exact rates of pay will be locally-determined, but generally should fall into the following categories:

  • Roles requiring little specialised knowledge or previous experience (e.g. Clerical or administrative work; general conference assistance; audio transcription): approx. £12-£14 p/h.
  • Roles requiring some specialised knowledge and/or experience but without expectation of independence or innovation (e.g. teaching assistance; research assistance; resource development; conference coordination): approx. £14-£16 p/h.
  • Roles requiring specialised knowledge and/or significant experience and the expectation of independence and/or innovation (e.g. conference organisation; independent research or teaching; resource design and development): minimum £16-£20 p/h.

International: Exact rates of pay will be locally-determined, but should be in line with the UK rates and should never be lower than the real living wage (for the US, this can be calculated here: https://livingwage.mit.edu/).

Budgets should clearly specify the actual pay rate, any holiday pay, and costs (e.g. agency fees).

3.c Professional Fees and Honoraria

BAAS supports the use of honoraria for guest lectures or other temporary or one-off work that is outside the person’s ordinary role. The rate of an honorarium should be commensurate with the type of event, the work required, and the public profile of the speaker. Honoraria should not usually exceed £200.

Recipients of honoraria are expected to fully participate in the conference or event unless otherwise agreed.

BAAS will consider payment of fees for technicians, artists, consultants or other professionals. All fees should be fully costed and best possible value sought.

BAAS/US Embassy Small Grants Programme: Maximum honoraria is $200 / £200 per day.

3.d Gifts and Prizes

BAAS will not normally cover gifts or prizes above £50 per recipient.

BAAS/US Embassy Small Grants Programme: No gifts or prizes can be covered by this award.

4. Equipment and Other Technology

Where claimants do not have recourse to support for necessary equipment or other technology from their institution, BAAS can cover the costs of such equipment, providing that it is justified, agreed in advance, and offers best value for money.

Part 2: Guidance for Grantees

1. Receiving your Grant

If your application for a grant or an award has been successful, you will receive notification via email and will be given instructions about how you will receive the grant.

All grants will be paid via institutional bank accounts. If you are unaffiliated with an institution, grants can be paid into personal bank accounts with the approval of the BAAS Treasurer.

2. Publicity and Dissemination

BAAS encourages grantees to take all possible opportunities to disseminate information about the project in order to reach out to as wide an audience as possible. You may wish to contact maillist@baas.ac.uk or usso@baas.ac.uk in order to ensure that news of your event is made known to the American Studies community.

Grantees are encouraged to further disseminate the results of your activities in BAAS outlets such as The Journal of American Studies, U.S. Studies Online, or at the annual BAAS conference.

BAAS must be acknowledged in all publicity relating to a grant and in any future publications arising from it. The BAAS logo will be provided.

BAAS/US Embassy Small Grants Programme: It is a requirement of the grant that BAAS and the US Embassy should be credited in all publicity and publications relating to the award project. The BAAS and US Embassy logos will be provided. Further guidance on the use of the US Embassy Logo is available here: https://uk.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/london/logos-graphics/.

3. Reporting

Grantees are required to report regularly on the progress of your activities and to submit a final report at the completion of your grant. You will be contacted to complete your reports at regular intervals. The final report will be published on the BAAS or USSO website.

You do not need to provide BAAS with receipts.

4. Unused Monies

Any and all unused grant monies must be returned to BAAS as soon as possible after the event or activity has taken place or in the event that it does not take place.