I am exploring a promising funding opportunity that could support maintenance and community development work for OpenRefine. The Research Software Maintenance Fund from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is currently open for applications. This fund is designed to support the long-term sustainability of research software, including efforts around technical upkeep and community building.
However, a key requirement is that the lead applicant must be an organization eligible for UKRI funding. You can find the list of eligible institutions here.
I am starting to reach out to identify a UKRI-eligible partner so we can submit an expression of interest by May 30 and the full proposal by September 12.
If you are connected to an eligible organization, or if you can make an introduction to someone who is, I'd love to hear from you. I have a few potential partners in mind, but some (like Ordnance Survey and KEW) seem to have paused their involvement with OpenRefine.
Any introductions, recommendations, or insights from the community would be greatly appreciated!
I wanted to follow up here with more detail on the direction we’re considering for the application and how it aligns with the goals of the UKRI Research Software Maintenance Fund.
I’ll be attending the May 7 UKRI informational webinar and will report back here with any updates or clarifications that could inform the proposal planning.
OpenRefine’s use of the funds
We want to use this funding opportunity to support OpenRefine’s core team. The roles we propose to fund align closely with the fund’s stated objectives and can complement the activities of a UK-based organization (if we are applying as co-Lead).
The Developer & Contributor Engagement role, which focuses on technical maintenance, contributor onboarding, and community infrastructure
The Project Manager role, supporting governance, partnership development, operational continuity, and cross-institution coordination.
Eligibility and Strategy for OpenRefine Grant Applications
We are exploring two different application types.
As Project co-Lead (International)
Our fiscal sponsor, Code for Science and Society (CS&S), is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Under the fund’s eligibility guidelines, this makes us eligible to participate as a Project co-Lead (International) (PcL(I)). According to the fund:
The combined costs of all PcLs from business, third sector and government organisations and any Project co-Leads (International), PcL(I)s, from non-OECD DAC list countries must not exceed 50% of the total fEC of the grant application.
To remain within scope, I am actively seeking a UKRI-eligible academic institution to act as the lead applicant (or co-lead), ensuring the application meets both the budget distribution and team composition requirements. I have ongoing conversations with some organizations in the UK, and I will update this thread as I have more concrete progress.
Q: Are international organisations eligible to be lead organisations?
A: Yes, but only in specific circumstances. International organisations that are eligible for UKRI funding (such as EMBL-EBI) can be lead organisations on applications to this fund. If you have questions about your organisation's eligibility, please contact grants@software.ac.uk.
I contacted the grantors to see if we can qualify as the Project Lead.