Who Is Eligible For Funding?

The Foundation will consider applications for funding from individuals, groups and institutions.  The trustees will not consider providing funds in support of research in pursuit of a first degree.

The Trust is willing to consider co-funding projects and support larger research projects with other organisations, whether they are tertiary education institutions, professional bodies, other charities and private sector organisations.

The VEIF accepts applications from:

  • Student, post graduate and above (led by an academic)
  • Academics (individuals and groups)
  • Practitioners
  • Institutes
  • Businesses​
  • Private Citizen

What Areas Of Research?

The Foundation supports research that will:
  • Inform both the public and valuers on important issues regarding property

  • Improve the knowledge of valuers

  • Advance public knowledge of the role valuers play in the property profession and wider economy
The Foundation may set specific priorities in terms of subject areas for topics to be supported from time to time.  The research should reflect the strategy set out by the Deed of Charitable Trust.

The Foundation supports research that has an immediate practical application upon completion of your project.
Funding Limitations:
The amount of funding which the VEIF might allocate to a successful project is at the absolute discretion of the Foundation:
(amount to be determined by VEIF) where full funding is approved
50% of the costs of a project where the Foundation is a Joint Venture partner (amount to be determined by VEIF)
Eligible And Acceptable Costs:
The VEIF will generally only support the direct net costs of research.  This may include necessary travel and subsistence expenditure.  Applicants should ensure that estimates of expenditure are as accurate and realistic as possible.  Funding of travel costs will only be for a minimum cost of public transport.
Assessment Of Applications:
The application form comprises two parts, requiring applicants to describe their proposals first in outline and then in detail. In the outline, applicants should state simply, what they propose to do, why it should be done and how the results will contriute to the wider knowledge of the property community.

In the second part, the detailed application should set out all the proposals for the application to be assessed. The applicants should make clear the hypothesis or issues to be addressed and their significance.

Applicants should also describe their proposed approach to the research question and demonstrate that they have identified the most effective way of carrying out the work. The applicants should demonstrate their capability of carrying out the research project. The VEIF will be looking for details of the applicant’s knowledge, experience and expertise.

Applicants should also explain how the proposed research has practical applications to address the issue being considered for the wider property market.
The VEIF is a registered charity and the trustees will fund only those projects that are demonstrably in the public interest.
Conditions Of The Award:
Successful applicants will be sent a letter with the research agreement setting out the terms and conditions.  This research agreement must be signed by the applicant and returned by email.

All projects must begin within three months of the awarding of funds and the research must be completed within the agreed time period.  If there are extenuating circumstances why their research project cannot be completed this should be agreed with the VEIF at the earliest opportunity.
Administration Of The Research:
The grant will be paid in three stages;

  • 30% on commencement;
  • 25% on submission of first working draft of the report;
  • 45% on the delivery of the final report.

In the agreement with the applicant, there will be a requirement for progress reports.

Final Report:

A final draft of the research report not exceeding 15,000 words shall be sent to the VEIF. Upon receipt this draft will undergo a rigorous editorial process.
As a result of this editorial review some changes may be requested in the final report.  Applicants are expected to respond in a timely manner.
An applicant who does not submit their final report will be ineligible to apply in future to the VEIF, other than in extenuating circumstances.

Research Ownership Options:

Unless specifically agreed prior to commencing Research – any research undertaken with the assistance of VEIF funding becomes the joint property of the VEIF and the Author on a split commensurate with the amount of funding provided (up to a maximum of 50% ownership by the VEIF). Under certain conditions we may be prepared to waive the condition of joint ownership provided our rights to its usage are protected.

In all circumstances – any research funded by the VEIF will:

  • Carry an acknowledgement that the VEIF contributed to funding
  • Be made available via the VEIF website (the information can be embargoed for a period of up to 6 months if required by other publishers/funding organisations)
  • Be made available for use by other researchers for extension research under the terms of the OECD Principles and Guidelines for Access to Research Data from Public Funding (unless there are agreed commercial reasons for not doing so).

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