Funding for public and school engagement projects
Below are listed a few sources of funding available to individuals or groups.  Please note that this list is not exhaustive; it just gives an idea of what sort of funding is available.  Thanks to Dr Kay Yeoman, UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, for kindly providing most of the information below.  Dr Yeoman is a CUE East Individual Award Winner 2008/09 (for further information about the CUE East Individual Awards see Case Studies).

Funding Body	Institute of Physics
Name of Award	Institute of Physics (IOP) Public Engagement Grant Scheme
Purpose of Award	The Institute’s grant scheme aims to encourage and support the development of projects that: • Raise public awareness of, and engagement with, contemporary physics. • Inspire and enthuse public audiences, especially those not previously interested in physics. • Reach audiences beyond the classroom. • Develop the science communication skills of individuals.
Amount	Up to and including £1000
Eligibility	The grant scheme is open to all and provides funding for individuals and organisations to organise public engagement with physics activities.
Application process	The application form is available on the website
Deadlines	Usually two deadlines per year, May and November – check the website for details.
Contact	http://www.iop.org/activity/outreach/
Previous holders	See website for details of previously funded projects

Funding Body	The Wellcome Trust
Name of Award	Society Awards
Purpose of Award	for ambitious and creative projects that engage people with developments in biomedical science on a regional or national scale
Amount	Above £30,000
Eligibility	“The scheme is open to anyone with a good idea for engaging people with developments in biomedical science. This might include: mediators and practitioners of science communication; science centre/museum staff; artists; educators; health professionals; and academics in bioscience, social science, bioethics and history.”
Application process	A preliminary application followed by a full application approximately two months later. This is peer reviewed. Applicants are then invited for interview.
Deadlines	Usually two deadlines per year, April and October.
Contact	http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Public-engagement/index.htm
Previous holders	Professor Keith Roberts

Funding Body	The Wellcome Trust
Name of Award	Peoples Award
Purpose of Award	“People Awards enable you to explore the impact of biomedical science on society, its historical roots, effects on different cultures, or the ethical questions that it brings, by supporting activities such as events, debates, exhibitions, art projects and drama productions related to biomedical science.”
Amount	Up to and including £30,000
Eligibility	“The scheme is open to anyone with a good idea for engaging people with developments in biomedical science. This might include: mediators and practitioners of science communication; science centre/museum staff; artists; educators; health professionals; and academics in bioscience, social science, bioethics and history.”
Application process	One application form to fill in, which is peer reviewed; the decision on funding is made by a committee.
Deadlines	Four deadlines, in previous years they have been February, May, July and October.
Contact	http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Public-engagement/Grants/People-Awards/index.htm
Previous holders	Dr Kay Yeoman, UEA

Funding Body	The Wellcome Trust
Name of Award	Broadcast Development Awards
Purpose of Award	“Broadcast Development Awards support the development of broadcast proposals in any genre that engages the audience with issues around biomedical science in an innovative, entertaining and accessible way.”
Amount	Up to £10,000
Eligibility	“The scheme is open to anyone with a good idea for engaging people with developments in biomedical science. This might include: mediators and practitioners of science communication; science centre/museum staff; artists; educators; health professionals; and academics in bioscience, social science, bioethics and history.”
Application process	One application form to fill in, which is peer reviewed; the decision on funding is made by a committee.
Deadlines	Four deadlines, in previous years they have been February, May, July and October.
Contact	http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Public-engagement/Grants/Broadcast-Development-Awards/index.htm
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	The Wellcome Trust
Name of Award	Arts Award
Purpose of Award	“Arts Awards support imaginative and experimental arts projects that investigate biomedical science.”
Amount	Up to and including £30,000
Eligibility	“The scheme is open to a wide range of people including, among others, artists,   scientists, curators, filmmakers, writers, producers, directors, academics, science communicators, teachers, arts workers and education officers.”
Application process	One application form to fill in, which is peer reviewed; the decision on funding is made by a committee.
Deadlines	Four deadlines, in previous years they have been February, May, July and October.
Contact	http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Public-engagement/Grants/Arts-Awards/index.htm
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	The Royal Society
Name of Award	Partnership Grants
Purpose of Award	To fund projects with schools
Amount	Up to £3,000
Eligibility	The application is made by the School, but the scientist is heavily involved in the application process.
Application process	One application form to fill in with your school partner; the decision on funding is made by a committee.
Deadlines	Usually in November
Contact	http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1948
Previous holders	Dr Kay Yeoman

Funding Body	The Microbiology Society
Name of Award	Promoting microbiology to the public
Purpose of Award	Talks, workshops, demonstrations, posters, leaflets, broadcasts, activities at science festivals and audio-visual or computer-based packages.
Amount	Up to and including £1000
Eligibility	Members of the Microbiology Society
Application process	An application form, followed by an evaluation report on completion of the project.
Deadlines	No specified deadline
Contact	http://www.socgenmicrobiol.org.uk/grants/dtf.cfm
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	The BBSRC
Name of Award	Public Engagement Awards
Purpose of Award	To engage the public in science. Priority will be given to applications that focus on dialogue with public groups, particularly adults and hard-to-reach groups such as ethnic minorities, inner city communities or those with special needs.
Amount	Up to and including £5,000
Eligibility	BBSRC-sponsored researchers, BBSRC-sponsored institutes and BBSRC local coordinators
Application process	One application form to fill in, which is peer reviewed; the decision on funding is made by a committee.
Deadlines	Not specified, check website for this year’s deadline
Contact	http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/society/funding/public_engagement_awards.html
Previous holders	Dr Kay Yeoman and Dr Sarah Field

Funding Body	The Biochemical Society
Name of Award	Scientific Outreach Grants
Purpose of Award	The Society wishes to support scientific outreach events that communicate the excitement of molecular bioscience to young scientists at school, college, university and in the community, to help develop their interests and skills.
Amount	Up to and including £500
Eligibility	Members of the Biochemical Society
Application process	An online application form
Deadlines	Usually in September
Contact	http://www.biochemistry.org/education/newgrant.htm
Previous holders	Dr Kay Yeoman

Funding Body	RCUK
Name of Award	National Science Week Awards
Purpose of Award	Open to people working in the arts, life, earth and social sciences wishing to engage the public with issues relating to science and engineering.
Amount	Up to and including £2000
Eligibility	Open
Application process	The event has to be held during science week, which is always held in March. Check web site for application form.
Deadlines	Check website
Contact	http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/per/Pages/NSEWA.aspx
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	Café Scientifique
Name of Award	Seed funding
Purpose of Award	A small award to start up a café Scientifique
Amount	Contact Café Scientifique
Eligibility	Contact Café Scientifique
Application process	Contact Café Scientifique
Deadlines	Contact Café Scientifique
Contact	http://www.cafescientifique.org/startacafe.htm
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	The Royal Society of Chemistry
Name of Award	Public Activity Small Grants Scheme
Purpose of Award	The Small Grants Scheme has funding available to support activities promoting the public awareness of chemistry and the chemical sciences.
Amount	Several schemes with differing amounts of money, from £250 to £5000
Eligibility	Primarily aimed at RSC members and member groups to support public activities but other applications will be considered and supported, if appropriate.
Application process	An application form is available from the website
Deadlines	Applications are accepted all year round. Funds will be allocated on a first come, first served basis from January to December each year.
Contact	http://www.rsc.org/ScienceAndTechnology/AwardsAndFunding/SmallGrants/
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	The British Psychological Society
Name of Award	Public Engagement with psychology
Purpose of Award	Each year the P&C Board awards funding for public engagement activities which produce some form of sustainable resource.
Amount	Up to £14,000 is available each year, either for one large project, or to be shared amongst several smaller projects.
Eligibility	Member networks and individual members.
Application process	Application forms can be obtained by visiting the website and sending an e-mail.
Deadlines	The next round is Spring 2010
Contact	http://www.bps.org.uk/the-society/publicengagement/pepg_small_grants/pe_grants_home.cfm
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	The British Ecological Society
Name of Award	Public Engagement awards
Purpose of Award	The objectives of the grant are to support the development of projects that: • Raise public awareness of and engagement with ecology • Stimulate discussion about ecological science and its implications for society • Inspire and enthuse people about ecology, especially those not previously interested in ecology • Develop the communications skills of individuals involved
Amount	Up to and including £2000
Eligibility	The competitive award scheme is open to individuals and organisations to organise public engagement events in ecology.  This includes, but not limited to, members of the BES, researchers, schools, museums, libraries and community groups.
Application process	Application form can be obtained from the web site
Deadlines	Usually April, but check web site for details
Contact	http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/articles/publicaffairs/peg/
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the Institute of Physics
Name of Award	Schools Grant Scheme
Purpose of Award	Designed specifically for schools and colleges for small-scale projects or events linked to the teaching or promotion of physics.
Amount	Up to and including £400
Eligibility	Schools and Colleges
Application process	The application form is available from the web site
Deadlines	Check web site for details
Contact	http://www.iop.org/activity/education/Teacher_Support/Grants/page_4712.html
Previous holders	None

Funding Body	The Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Name of Award	Open Grants Scheme
Purpose of Award	Funds the development, implementation and dissemination of new ideas to increase the experience and enjoyment of learning by people of all ages.
Amount	Not specified, but large grants can be applied for which meet the criteria.
Eligibility	Will consider applications from individual pre-schools, schools, out-of-school clubs, supplementary schools, colleges and youth clubs if they demonstrate benefits to the wider community and include partnership working that will result in increasing access to education and learning to all communities and age groups.
Application process	Detailed on the website
Deadlines	Detailed on the website
Contact	http://www.phf.org.uk/apply.asp?id=6
Previous holders	None