The TIMA Grant Scheme was established to further the aims of the Association by supporting the projects and research of its members in the field of Islamic manuscripts. Work that we aim to support includes, but is not limited to, activities related to preservation and conservation; facilitating access to digital and microfilm images of manuscripts; the cataloguing of collections and the creation of universal cataloguing standards; publishing and editing. In brief, the Grant Scheme is designed to further any activities which support the needs of manuscript collections, particularly in the area of collection care and management and in advancing scholarship related to Islamic manuscripts.

The maximum grant is £5,000 over 12 months. This year's application deadline is 14 October 2008. Projects should be scheduled for the year 2008-2009 and should run for no longer than 12 months; however if a project is unexpectedly delayed then the grant may be claimed up to two years after originally being awarded. Applications for individual or collaborative research projects are equally welcome. Applications from groups of scholars are welcome, provided one of the project co-ordinators is a member of TIMA. Only one application per member will be accepted. In the course of preparing applications, applicants may wish to contact heads of TIMA subcommittees for advice on technical and the project's relevancy to TIMA's goals.

Funds are available to cover project development; to support the direct costs of research; and for the advancement of research in the field of Islamic manuscripts through training events, or visits by or to individual or institutional members. Applicants may seek support for any combination of eligible activity and cost up to the overall limit of £5,000. Applications will be assessed by the Board in consultation with subject specialists. The final decision on awards rests with the Board.

A successful grant-holder will initially receive 80% of the total amount granted, with 20% payable upon completion of the project and submission of the final report. It is very important to clearly specify the expected stages of the project including the completion stage in order for the final 20% to be made available. Applications will be assessed by the Board in consultation with subject specialists. The final decision on awards rests with the Board. The Board reserves the right to appoint a mentor to each successful project who will monitor progress and be available to answer any queries or questions arising for the duration of the project.

A condition of the award is that grant-holders submit a full report to TIMA within three months of completion of the project along with a summary of their expenditure. Grant holders who do not submit a final report are not eligible for any future TIMA funding. TIMA reserves the right to publish these project reports and make them available to the public. Any publication of research related to projects funded by TIMA should give an acknowledgement of the support received, and copies should be sent to TIMA's office in Cambridge.

A previous grant-holder may apply for a further grant for another project or for continuation of the same project, as long as the project report for the preceding grant has been submitted on time. There is no guarantee that further grants will be awarded, so applicants with longer-term projects should plan accordingly.

All TIMA members are eligible to apply except for members of the Board. Grants are available for advanced research in the field of Islamic manuscript studies. At least one of the project co-ordinators must be a member of TIMA to be eligible. Funds may be sought to cover the project costs, including:

• project planning and development costs (cost of travel for preliminary meetings; initial training with project partners)
• associated travel and maintenance for TIMA members
• research assistance or specialist consultancy
• training workshops and conferences (principally the costs of travel and maintenance for key participants, though administrative costs may be considered)
• equipment
• tests and laboratory analysis
• specialist software
• manuscript reproductions or other photography
• publication costs
• costs related to digitization
• interpreting and translation costs

Other costs in addition to those listed will be considered. The first resort for funding should be to your own institution or organisation (where applicable). The following items are not currently eligible for funding: institutional overheads, or any item that should properly be considered as such; travel and maintenance expenses for purposes such as lecture tours or to write up the results of research; and students are not eligible to apply for their degree course costs.

Applicants are required to select two referees and ensure that their references arrive at TIMA by 14 October 2008 as a hard copy or scanned original in an email attachment. Applicants are advised that an application cannot be considered for an award unless the reference has been received by this deadline.

Please send the application form and your two references to:

All documents must reach us by 14 October 2008. No applications received after this date will be considered.

If you have any questions about whether your project is eligible, please contact the Executive Committee, who will be happy to answer your questions.

• Download Application Form (PDF - 142KB)
• Download Notes for Applicants (PDF - 77KB)
• Report on the 2007-2008 TIMA Grant Scheme