University of Manchester Wellcome ISSF Public Engagement Funding Schemes
Deadline extended: 27 March 2020

Have you got a great idea to engage people and communities with the research carried out at the University? Would you like funding to develop projects that matter to you, your research and the communities around you?

The purpose of these schemes is to support and encourage staff and postgraduate students from all faculties to share, inspire and involve the public with our work in line with our Public Engagement Strategy, which is a part of our wider Social Responsibility strategic goal.

If you have a great idea to engage the public in activities that connect with the broad areas of health or biomedical research you can apply for funding to deliver your project. Funding is also available to develop your public engagement skills and your career development in this field.

There are three grant schemes which are open to academic staff, post-docs, PS staff and postgraduate students (PhD and PGT) from every faculty. We strongly support cross-faculty and interdisciplinary working.

• Emerging Engagement: if you are new to public engagement – you can apply for up to £500
• Established Engagement: if you already have experience of public engagement – you can apply for up to £3000 (match funding required)
• Professional Development: if you want to develop your skills in public engagement – you can apply for up to £2000

The purpose of this funding is to facilitate imaginative, high quality and inclusive public engagement which reaches new and diverse audiences.

• For example; communicating research or research findings through creative activities, combining arts and sciences, co-creating new digital content with target audiences, exhibitions, events and partnerships. What content and methods will really engage your audience?
• Target audiences can include community groups, patients, parents, children, families, young adults and young people (not for widening participation purposes), on-line communities, under-represented / under-served groups, healthcare professionals, carers etc. Think about how audiences can benefit from your activity, how you can tailor your proposal to their needs and what the legacy might be.
• Skills development can include a public engagement course, bespoke opportunities to learn from other public engagement professionals or organisations. Attendance at a public engagement skill sharing or practice-based conferences or events. Please be aware that development opportunities will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If you are interested in applying:

Please read the FAQs here before applying.

We have put together a blog post with tips on how to make your application stronger.

Talk to us! We strongly encourage you to get in touch with us at an early stage for guidance and advice to strengthen your application.

• Public Programmes Team, publicprogrammes@mft.nhs.uk or 0161 276 3215
• Social Responsibility and Public Engagement Manager, FBMH, hawys.williams@manchester.ac.uk or 0161 3066797
• Social Responsibility Manager, Humanities, claire.lloyd@manchester.ac.uk or 0161 275 5183

Get inspired by previous ISSF public engagement fund case studies (scroll down to the ‘Engaging the Public’ section), Our Engagement Stories from University of Manchester and visit Wellcome for examples of public engagement. You can find a list of projects awarded previously here.

To find more and apply: click here.

Posted on behalf of Paolo Arru, Public Engagement Project Manager, Public Programmes Team, Research and Innovation Division, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre and Manchester Clinical Research Facility