Are you curious about building a new partnership with local community organisations or businesses?
Community-university partnerships bring together two sets of expertise and knowledge for mutual benefit. Partners decide the terms and the focus so that the benefits are shared and the relationships are worthwhile.
The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) with The University of Manchester are launching the Community University Partnership Initiative (CUPI) which aims to help broker and cultivate new partnerships – because developing long lasting links with community organisations and businesses can be challenging.
How does it work?
Based on a tried and tested method, CUPI hosts match events that allow you to explore potential partnerships that draw on your research expertise. The first match event is being held in Manchester on Tuesday 17 April 2018 10.30-4.30pm at the St Thomas Centre. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
CUPI match events provide an opportunity for new partnerships that emerge from the event to bid for a small ‘kick-start’ fund of £500 – £1000 to get the project off the ground. You will have an opportunity to bid for funding during the event. Bids must contain at least one researcher and one community organisation member. The funding is intended to help potential partners to work out if and how they might work together and to refine their ideas, by covering some of the costs involved in thinking and planning. This could include doing some desk based research, travelling to meet up to test or frame your ideas into clearer project plans or simply having further conversations.
Support will also be available if you want to explore ways to fund and develop your projects in the future, with an additional opportunity for projects to bid for more CUPI funding.
Any researcher can apply. If you can, try make sure the person attending has authority to bid for funding. If not, bids can be made after the event too. To find out more and apply for a place at the match event click here.
If you have any further questions then please contact stephanie.todd@uwe.ac.uk
CUPI match events are delivered through the Community University Partnership Initiative funded by Power to Change and the Arts and Humanities Research Council, developed by the NCCPE.
Posted by Suzanne Spicer FRSA, Social Responsibility Manager, Office for Social Responsibility, The University of Manchester