MBIE have announced that the Unlocking Curious Minds (UCM) fund to open mid-July 2021 

UCM supports the objective of New Zealand’s strategic plan for science and society He Whenua Hihiri I Te Mahara – A Nation of Curious Minds – to encourage and enable better engagement with science and technology across all of New Zealand. 

In the 2022 round, approximately $1.6 million will be invested in projects of up to 11 month duration that: 

• Engage New Zealanders with science and technology, and 

• cover one or more regions in New Zealand. 

The funding available per project is between $50,000 (minimum) and $150,000 (maximum). 

More detailed information including a Call for Proposals will be available on the MBIE website in mid-July 

• There will be a two-week registration period where applicants must register their intention before they can submit a proposal.   

• Proposals will be due in early September 

The BioHeritage Challenge has budgeted a small amount of funding to co-fund Challenge Party UCM applications relevant to the Challenge Mission.  We will again seek registrations of interest as to what UCM bids they would wish to seek cofounding support for, more details regarding this process will be provided in next month’s newsletter.