Advice on choosing a referee

Some of our grants may require you to provide a reference or supporting statement. Our Grant Awards Panel relies largely on references when determining the outcome of an application, therefore it is vital that the reference provided is suitable.

Make sure you get your referee's approval before including their details on your application. Nobody likes to be emailed with questions without preparation. Please make sure your referee’s contact details are current and up-to-date.

If you are asked to provide a supporting statement then please give your chosen referee plenty of time to write one and at the same time provide them with your CV and a quick summary of your application.

The type of reference required is dependent on the grant you are applying for and may include:

• Validation of the merit of a proposed research project

• Assessment of the suitability of an event to the applicant and their work

• Evaluation of an applicant’s capacity to undertake the proposed project – this does not mean a character reference, but rather judgement on an applicant’s suitability to conduct the proposed research