Departmental Initiative Grants

We welcome applications from universities based in Europe, EU and non-EU states alike, except for Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. 

The organisation’s activities must be deemed charitable under UK charity law. This includes organisations which are either not-for-profit or publicly funded, such as universities. For more information, please consult the UK’s Charity Commission website and its list of Charitable Purposes.

All topics within the broad field of Jewish Studies are considered eligible for the Foundation’s Jewish Studies grants. The Foundation particularly welcomes applications from those engaged in the study of contemporary Jewish life in Europe from a social science perspective and those whose proposals involve digital humanities research techniques.

In principle, projects only tangentially related to Jewish Studies are unlikely to be successful, nor will projects devoted to an individual or individuals who happen to be Jewish, but whose historical importance is not significantly contingent on that biographical fact. Secondary school education, informal education and documentary films will not be funded within the context of the Academic Jewish Studies grant programme.

For more information on Jewish Studies please read our AJS FAQs.

Potential costs can include: salaries, studentships, visiting lectureships, research costs, funding publications and other dissemination activities, public engagement, fieldtrips, conferences, curriculum development, resources (books/IT, etc.), networking with other departments/centres across Europe, and other costs to be discussed with RFHE.

If you are uncertain about the eligibility of your proposed project or project costs, please contact Dr Ruchama Johnston-Bloom.

A fundamental component of the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe’s mission is to increase access to European Jewish heritage and culture.

We encourage grantees to publish their Foundation-funded research in peer-reviewed journals with an open access option, and to make their articles freely accessible whenever possible. Should an article based on Foundation-funded research be accepted for publication, grantees may apply to the Foundation for funding to cover costs associated with open access publication, such as article processing charges.

Your application form and supporting documents must be submitted by Tuesday 13 January 2026. References will be due by Tuesday 20 January 2026 – please ensure you provide a copy of your application form and the reference to your referees to complete.

You should expect notification via email by mid-May 2026 letting you know whether your application has been successful or unsuccessful. If your application is approved, you will receive an official award letter and agreement which you will need to e-sign and return with the necessary supporting documentation.

Please add the following emails to your contacts/safe senders list to ensure you receive all our communications regarding your application and grant notification: noreply@yourcause.com; adobesign@adobesign.com; message@adobe.com

Translations: For documents not originally written in English please include an English translation. This does not need to be an official translation, but it must be clear and accurate. Documents in a language other than English that are not accompanied by an English translation will not be processed.

If your application is approved, you will need to submit further supporting documentation once you receive your Grant Letter and Agreement.

1. Proof of Charitable Status: This will vary from country to country and according to the type of organisation making the application. In all cases, the activities of the organisation must qualify as charitable within the United Kingdom. If your organisation is a publicly funded body, such as a university, research centre or museum, then we will accept a copy of your organisation’s statutes as proof of its charitable status.
   • Certification from the tax authorities: If you require a certificate from the tax authorities in order to demonstrate charitable status in your country, please forward a copy of this certificate.
2. Budget table and budget explanation for the proposed project: Please download and complete the budget form at the bottom of this page. An example of a completed budget form is also available. Do not use your own format.
3. CVs of key staff working on the project (maximum 5 pages for each staff member in English): Please note only the first 5 pages of CVs which exceed the 5-page limit will be forwarded to the Academic Advisory Committee for assessment. Please include the CVs of anyone you plan to recruit for this project. Please combine all CVs into one document before uploading.
4. A letter from your senior university contact confirming your university’s commitment to the project 
5. The most recently available audited accounts or financial statement stamped by the financial authority in your country: This is a formal record of your organisation’s financial activities for either a one- or three-year period. The statement must include a summary of the income and expenditure over a given period. It should have been prepared by a chartered accountant and, if your country requires it, stamped by the relevant government department.
   • Income and Expenditure: If the submitted audited accounts or financial statement are not in English, you are required to submit an English summary of the income and expenditure account and balance sheet.
6. The operating budget of your organisation for the current fiscal year: Please consult your university or departmental finance department to obtain these.
7. Project Update/Final Report: If you currently receive funding from the Foundation please submit a one-page Project Update of your existing grant. If you have recently finished a grant funded by the Foundation please ensure the Final Report has been submitted before the closing date for the current grant round as this will be assessed alongside your new application.
8. Translations: Please upload translated versions of any of the above documents. Make sure titles are in English and accurately describe the contents. Original documents must be uploaded under the relevant attachment listed above.

Applicants must supply details for two, external referees able to evaluate their proposal. Referees must not be affiliated with the institution applying for the fellowship.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to send their referees the correct reference form and to ensure references are submitted by the referee deadline. Forms are available to download at the bottom of this page.

The Foundation will confirm receipt of your references to you via email no later than 5 working days after the referee deadline. If the Foundation has not received your reference(s) you will be contacted no later than 3 working days after the referee deadline. Please do not contact the Foundation during this period regarding your references as there will be a delay in responding to your query.