External funding
Public engagement in science research is important because it promotes transparency, trust, and informed decision-making. It helps bridge the gap between scientists and the general public, fostering support for research, and ensuring that scientific advancements align with societal values and needs.
In order to undertake truly impactful research, there is a need for relevant PE activities. There is often the opportunity to cost in PE activities when applying for a research grant, so please make full use of the funding available to you. The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences also offers various internal funding opportunities.
One of the best approaches to secure funding for public engagement activities is by requesting funds when writing research grant applications.
The UK Research Councils now ask you to supply a ‘Pathways to Impact’ statement, which can be fully economically costed into your research grant. The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement website is the best place to search for public engagement grant funding.
They have details of a wide range of funding opportunities. The Faculty Public Engagement team would like to hear of any public engagement activity within the faculty so please get in touch with us about any relevant activity at HLSengagement@liverpool.ac.uk.
There are also various other external funders that award grants for PE activity:
Alzheimer's Research UK, Inspire Fund
The Inspire Fund provides up to £25,000 funding for innovative projects that engage the public with dementia and the life-changing research going on into the condition.
Biochemical Society, Scientific Outreach Grants
The Society wishes to support scientific outreach activities that communicates the excitement of molecular bioscience to young people and the community. Applications are invited for up to £1000 to assist with the direct costs associated with an event and expenses incurred (e.g. transport and teacher cover).
British Society of Immunology, Communicating Immunology Grants
The aims of the Grants are to stimulate interest, discussion and understanding of immunology amongst a wider audience, support formal and informal learning about immunology and target a wide range of audiences. Multiple deadlines throughout the year.
The Ideas Fund
The Ideas Fund is a grants programme run by the British Science Association and funded by Wellcome, which enables the UK public to develop and try out ideas that address problems related to mental wellbeing by working with researchers. Rather than a full application, they request Expressions of Interest (EOI) from both community groups and researchers.
Medical Research Foundation (MRC): Changing Policy and Practice Award
Supports the dissemination of MRC and Foundation-funded research results beyond the scientific peer reviewed press, to patients, participants, practitioners and policy makers. Applicants may apply for up to £30,000 over a flexible time period, typically across one year.
Microbiology Society, Education and Outreach Grants
Grants of up to £1,000 are available to support relevant science teaching or promotion initiatives, or to support developments likely to lead to an improvement in the teaching of any aspect of microbiology. These funding cycles are run twice per year.
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Programme Development Grants
This new NIHR funding call aims to improve health and care in the community, through supporting innovative and inclusive ways of partnership working between researchers, people and communities, and other key stakeholders.
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Community Engagement team (previously known as the public engagement team) are delighted to share our newest funding opportunity, Opening up the Environment 2025.
Although not direct public engagement funding, NERC recognises how public engagement activities can be used as part of wider initiatives to address under-representation and provide career aspirations to a wide variety of audiences.
Our aim is to fund up to 20 pilot grants that develop partnerships and identify the potential to increase the diversity of representation in the NERC community.
Successful projects will set out equitable, inclusive plans to identify and include a broader diversity of people in the environmental solutions workforce of the future, contributing to increasing diversity and inclusion in the NERC community.
Projects will undertake emerging work to test, scope and pilot approaches that showcase a broader range of people and skill sets to inspire those who have the potential to be part of the future talent pipeline and contribute towards delivering environmental science solutions.
You can apply for up to £62,500 (NERC will fund at 80% Full Economic Cost), with successful projects being eligible for future funding under NERC’s Opening up the Environment programme.
Webinar for interested applicants: 2pm 22 January 2025. Sign up online.
Deadline for applications: 4pm 1 April 2025.
Interested parties can also make use of the online partnership finder, to support applicants in creating project teams.
For more information please see the funding announcement on UKRI’s funding finder. Or email openingup@nerc.ukri.org
Physiological Society Institutional Engagement Award
Up to £500 funding available to support Society Representatives and members to co-host events at their organisation, including internal conferences, teaching symposia, seminars or outreach events.
The Society for Experimental Biology Outreach Grant
The Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) aims to empower members to contribute to the public understanding of science, and to promote engagement with all forms of experimental biology. The Outreach and Engagement Grant provides funding to support outreach events and activities that will reach a variety of public audiences. Members can apply for up to £1000, and non-members £200, to cover the costs associated with holding or participating in an outreach event or activity. There are two application deadlines per year: 1st June and 1st October.
Society for Endocrinology, Public Engagement Grant
Up to £1000 is available to support organisation and delivery of outreach activities, aimed at school children and/or the general public. Application deadline: 20th September 2023.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Community Research Networks
Funding from UKRI, supported by The Young Foundation, to develop and sustain Community Research Networks, designed by community groups and partnerships that exist outside the current research and innovation system.