Background

The  Artificial  Intelligence Journal  (AIJ)  is  one  of the  longest established  and most  
respected  journals  in AI,  and  since it  was founded  in 1970,  it has  published  many of  
the key  papers in  the field. The  operation of the Editorial Board  is supported financially 
through an  arrangement with  AIJ's publisher, Elsevier.  Through this arrangement, the AIJ 
editorial board  is in the unique position of being  able to  make available  substantial funds,  
(of the  order of 175,000 Euros per annum), to support  promotion and dissemination of AI  
research. These  funds are made  available through a  series of competitive open calls.  This 
document relates to the  seventh call for funding, with a deadline of December 31, 2012.
What are the goals of this funding?

In providing this funding, AIJ aims to:
-- promote & raise awareness of AI research & practice; -- encourage the  timely and  widespread 
dissemination of  AI research results, techniques, and tools;
-- promote interaction  and exchange of ideas  between AI researchers, practitioners, and students;
-- promote the  exploitation of  AI research results,  techniques, and tools.

We strongly encourage the  submission of proposals for activities that are fundamentally new, and 
likely to  lead to the  establishment of a new research community or new direction for AI research.

What activities will AIJ consider funding?

Broadly  speaking, any activity  that achieves  the goals  described above. For example:
-- student travel scholarships for a conference or workshop;
-- funds  for  an  invited  speaker  to present  at  a  conference  or workshop;
-- funds to  support a  web site to  disseminate proceedings of  an AI related conference or workshop;
-- start up funds for a workshop in a promising new area of research;
-- funding to organise a summer school on some aspect of AI.

This list is absolutely not intended to be exhaustive, and we strongly encourage you to  consider 
innovative ways in which  the goals set out above can be achieved.

What activities does AIJ prefer not to fund?

-- We  prefer not to  fund individuals.  By preference,  requests will come from organisations 
such as  a foundation, charitable body, or the organising committee of an event. AIJ does not exclude
the possibility of funding  individuals, but this  is likely to be  exceptional. Note that AIJ will 
not support individual requests for travel funds.

 -- We  prefer  not  to  fund  research  projects.  Research  projects involving staffing  costs 
would probably not,  in our view,  be a cost effective use of the funds.

-- We  prefer not  to  fund activities  where  alternative sources  of funding are readily 
available.
 
-- Activities are  funded on a not-for-private-profit  basis. AIJ will not fund activities 
that lead  directly to profit for the organisation or individuals involved. However,  we recognise 
that with some events, (e.g., large conferences) it is necessary to  budget for a surplus; in  
this case,  proposals  should  describe what  will  happen to  the surplus.

There is  no hard and fast  rule about how  much you can ask  for: you should  ask    for  what  
you  need  to    make  your  activity successful. However,  here are some  broad principles; as  
ever, these are only guidelines.  First, if you are applying on  behalf of a large (> 80 participants), 
successful, and scientifically strong conference, then please  bear in  mind that several such 
conferences  applied for funding for student travel grants and invited speakers in the December 
2011  round of  AIJ funding,  and typically  received about  Euro 7000 each. Although, as always, 
there may  be exceptions to this, it may be helpful  to use  this amount  as a  guideline. Note  
that we  would be reluctant  to spend  more than  Euro  35K on  an individual  activity. Proposals
may include the  possibility of AIJ underwriting an activity (to an agreed limit) in the event  of 
a loss.  Finally, we urge you to investigate  whether it  is possible  to leverage AIJ  funding, 
for example by obtaining matched funding from elsewhere. In this case, the value of every  euro 
spent by AIJ is  effectively doubled, which makes for a compelling funding case.


How can I bid for funds?

A proposal should contain the following sections:

-- What?
Describe exactly what activity  funding is requested for.  Please note that AIJ funds specific 
activities.  For example, "request funds to support  a conference  on  X" is  not  a specific  
request, while "request travel funds to bring invited speaker X to conference Y" is a specific 
request. Provide any contextual information that you think is relevant.

-- How Much?
A  (high level)  budget, in  Euros, which:  clearly states  the amount requested; provides  
details of the use of  requested funds; describes how  the  requested  amount  fits  into  an  
overall  budget  for  the activity/event; and  clearly states what  will happen to funds  in the 
event of a surplus.

-- Why?
Brief justification for  funding; note that priority will  be given to activities for which no 
alternative funds are available.

-- Who?
Describe who will benefit from the proposed activity.

-- When?
Dates of  the proposed  activity, and date  by which funding  would be needed.
> 
> -- Where?
Location of the proposed activity.

-- Contact details.
Name, affiliation,  contact details for the  responsible party (postal address,  email, 
telephone number, fax), web  address of  event if available. 

Proposals should under no circumstances  exceed more than two pages in total.  Proposals  
should be  submitted in PDF  via the  Easychair web review system at the following URL: 
http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=aij7 

NB: PLEASE GIVE ALL COSTS IN EUROS

How will proposals be evaluated?

We anticipate  issuing calls for proposals approximately  two or three times  per  annum, with  
December 31, 2012  being  the  deadline for  this call. Further calls will be issued later -- 
watch the AIJ web site for details  (http://www.aijd.org/). The  AIJ  sponsorship committee will 
assess proposals on the basis of:
-- scientific quality of proposed activities;
-- likely level of impact on the international AI community;
-- cost effectiveness/value for money.

All bidders will be informed by email of the outcome of their proposal as  soon as  an  outcome is
known.  If a  proposal  is approved  for funding, then please  be aware it may take time  to 
transfer funds: if you are  bidding for funds to  support an event, then  we suggest your proposal 
should be submitted at  least 6 months before the event takes place.

Where a proposal  is felt to have  merit but is not fundable in its submitted  form,  we  may  
return  to  bidders  to  discuss  possible modifications; where this  is felt to be necessary, we  
will try to do this  practicably  and  expeditiously.  A  summary  of  successful proposals will 
be made publicly available on the AIJ website.

My proposal was rejected, can I appeal?

The decision of the AIJ  sponsorship committee with respect to funding decisions is final, and 
we will not enter into any correspondence with respect to unsuccessful proposals.