Public engagement grants

2024 funding round will commence shortly.

Have you got a great idea for a new Public Engagement (PE) activity, and would like some support to get it started? Are you already involved in an excellent project, and want to develop it further? 

The Faculty are pleased to announce that we have Public Engagement grants available to support you with engaging with individuals or groups outside of the University. You can apply for a grant of between £200 to £2,000 to support your project.  

For the purposes of this grant, we broadly define public engagement as: 

“…the myriad of ways in which the activity and benefits of higher education and research can be shared with the public. Engagement is by definition a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of generating mutual benefit.”

This scheme is designed to support and promote public engagement with research. Before you apply, we highly recommend you reading about previous projects that have been funded by this scheme. For a wide range of resources and advice around public engagement we would also recommend visiting the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) website.  

On Wednesday 23rd October 1-2pm, the Faculty Public Engagement team will be running a Tips and Treats training session about the grants scheme – with advice on how to complete your application and details of previous successful projects. Book your slot here.   

Guidelines for completing your application

Assessment criteria

We recognise that there are lots of different publics, and a variety of ways to engage with them, and will therefore assess applications against a broad range of criteria.  

Proposals will be judged on the extent to which they: 

• Provide an opportunity for meaningful engagement, giving the public the opportunity to engage with current research 
• Give University staff and students the opportunity to build their public engagement skills and experience
• Have the potential to have a significant impact, this could be on the staff/researchers/students involved, the public, your research or on the University more widely
• Offer quality; a well thought out plan, realistic timescales and budget, and a project that is likely to appeal to the target public, as well as staff and students
• Demonstrate a clear plan for evaluating the project, and a consideration of the potential legacy of the project.

Eligibility criteria 

• All academic and academic-related staff, all researchers at postdoctoral level and above and all postgraduate research students in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences are eligible to apply for a grant
• Undergraduate and postgraduate taught students cannot apply directly for this fund, as the focus is on researchers. However, activities involving these students will be considered for funding
• Projects must be completed and all funds must be spent by the end of June 2025
• The activities must engage with an audience outside of the University e.g. community groups, school students, families.