Could you perhaps phrase it by asking: Prof X, I know you are applying for various grants. However I would like to ask whether you have received any confirmation from the granting bodies, because if not I would need to consider other options as a backup. Would you be willing to act as a referee? Or something similar. Good luck!

Hey Ailicec! Yeah, I sort of took that approach up in supervision today...I know she will tell me as soon as she hears about any of the applications, and I said today that I was happy to hang around and put in another round of applications in to stay where I am if none of the current ones are successful (we have ideas about projects and where to apply for funding for each of them), but after that made it pretty clear I'd be moving on if nothing came of them. I also said I would need a job in the meantime (i.e. after my PhD is finished but if none of the current applications are successful) and she agreed to be put down as a reference for those jobs if I apply, with the view that I would return here if any of the next round of applications were successful. So all in all, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I have an awful tendency to get myself wound up about things and think the worst, just to find it doesn't happen, but that's just the way I am! It is difficult with my sup though, as she is thoroughly unpredictable and can fly off the handle at nothing, so unfortunately I have come to expect the worst reaction possible. Guess it's just a waiting game now! Cheers, KB