Key Dates for 2025

For the Fellowship and Awards offered for tenure in 2026, applications open on 12 May 2025 and must be received by email by 5pm on 4 July 2025.

We anticipate announcement of the recipients of the 2026 Fellowship and Writing Awards in October 2025.

Eligible Projects

  1. The Judith Binney Fellowship and Judith Binney Writing Award can be granted to support research and writing on New Zealand history (or associated disciplines). Topics might include: social history; women’s history; Māori history and tradition; recent economic or political history; and historical interests arising from New Zealand archaeology, anthropology, and material culture.

  2. Projects that connect to Judith Binney’s areas of interest, or reflect her commitment to scholarly rigour alongside powerful new analyses, will be welcome. Forward-looking ideas or approaches, topics of contemporary relevance and interest, and research in new or under-used archives or other sources, and projects that highlight and engage mātauranga Māori, including Māori and iwi sources and methods, are encouraged.

  3. While some projects may be initiated and completed within one year, others may require longer. Both the Fellowship and the Award may be granted to start or complete a project. The timeframe of the project should be assessed realistically, and the ability of the applicant to achieve the goals set out in the proposal should be established in the application.

  4. Although a commitment from a publisher does not form part of the application, it is the view of the Trustees that book publication is the desired outcome of the Judith Binney Fellowship and Judith Binney Writing Award.

How to Apply

Your application should include the three documents listed below, and must be signed, dated and sent by email to info@judithbinneytrust.org.nz

Submissions must be received by the date specified above.

  1. A Judith Binney Trust Application Summary Form, including the names and contact details of two referees familiar with your work.
  2. A Judith Binney Trust Research Proposal Form.
  3. A curriculum vitae, including academic and other qualifications, awards and honours, employment history and relevant experience, and a list of publications.

Submissions must be received by the date specified above.

1.-Judith-Binney-Trust-Application-Summary-FormDownload
2.-Judith-Binney-Trust-Research-Proposal-FormDownload

All applications and supporting material will be retained on a confidential basis by the Judith Binney Trust.

The Research Proposal

  1. It is important to record on the relevant forms whether your application is for a Judith Binney Fellowship OR for a Judith Binney Writing Award.

    More information on the difference can be found on the FAQ page

  2. The Judith Binney Application Summary Form is an important part of our administration process.

  3. The Judith Binney Research Proposal Form is the critical part of your application. It contains 5 main sections, which are outlined in detail on the form. For each of these 5 sections an indication is provided of its importance to the assessment process. For example, the ‘Project summary’ section makes up about 5% of the assessment, while the ‘Subject scope, originality, and significance’ of your proposal makes up 35% of the assessment.

  4. Please note and adhere to the word limits where stated.

  5. Confirm that the terms and conditions of the Fellowship or Award (as outlined on this page and on the ‘Terms and Remuneration’ page) will be met.

  6. Note that only one application may be made per funding round.

Selection and Announcement

  1. The Selection Panel will make recommendations to the Judith Binney Trust as to the proposed recipients of the Judith Binney Fellowship and the Judith Binney Awards (if any) and appropriate levels of remuneration. The Judith Binney Trust will accept those recommendations unless there are substantive reservations, which will be discussed fully with the Selection Panel before a final conclusion is reached.
  2. The Selection Panel may consult externally on the merits of the research proposals submitted by applicants.
  3. No Fellowship or Award shall be awarded if the Selection Panel shall be of the opinion that there is no candidate of sufficient merit.
  4. Unsuccessful applicants for a Fellowship may be offered a Writing Award at the discretion of the Judith Binney Trust.
  5. The level of remuneration for both Fellowship and Awards will be determined by the funding available in any year, as indicated by the Judith Binney Trust.
  6. The decisions of the Selection Panel and the Judith Binney Trust will be final, and no discussion will be entered into.
  7. The Fellowship and Awards (if any) will be announced after the proposed recipients have accepted the terms and conditions of the Fellowship and Award.

Judith Binney Fellowship and Awards Selection Panel

A selection panel is convened each year to assess applications for Fellowships and Awards. The panel usually includes at least one Trustee and up to four people chosen by the Judith Binney Trust. The chair of the selection panel is chosen by the Trustees.

The Selection Panel for the 2025 Judith Binney Fellowship and Awards is Professor Bettina Bradbury (Chair), Dr Felicity Barnes, Associate Professor Ngarino Ellis, Dr Ned Fletcher and Professor Jacinta Ruru.

Previous Selection Panel members were: Emeritus Professor Atholl Anderson, Professor Tony Ballantyne, Dr Aroha Harris, Dr Miranda Johnson, Dr Arini Loader, Dr Cybele Locke, Dr Peter Meihana, Associate Professor Frances Steel and Chris Szekely.