TOP TIPS: Public Engagement Funding
These top tips will help to ensure public engagement funding sucess.
Applications will vary depending on your project and the fund selected. If you need support contact MVLS Engagement Team
Find the right fund
- Do your homework – know it’s the correct fund for you and your engagement activity
- Understand what the funder is trying to achieve through their scheme
- Read the Fund Criteria – are you eligible? Is your PE project?
- Check case studies/example applications
- Contact the funding body for advice BEFORE you apply
- Use local support –MVLS Engagement team
- Speak with other successful applicants
To find a suitable fund visit MVLS Engagement Funding
Make a compelling case
- Why is this project important?
- Why are you the right person to deliver it?
- Transparency and accountability - show you understand what is required e.g. data protection
- Problems - how might you solve them?
- If you do not get this funding – what happens to the project?
- Most Funds will have some type of application form but ensure you include all important elements to make your application as strong as possible
Clear jargon free language
- Use accessible language and vocabulary throughout.
- Avoid academic jargon or acronyms
- Keep sentences short and place the important details up front.
- Ensure when referring to the Funder you do so correctly – it is now just Wellcome (not The Wellcome Trust)
What is going to happen and why are you doing it?
- Clear aims and objectives.
- What will actually happen during the project – who is going to do what?
- Show how your aims fit with the funder’s ambition for their scheme.
- Clearly identify your audience and their need, and demonsrate how your will contact them
- Timeline activities with allocated tasks
- State the benefit for the audience, and
- the impact on you and your research
What will the money be spent on?
- Budget should be realistic with mention of any additional funds or in-kind support
- Always demonstrate that you project is good value
- Add a contingency -and highlight what it may be needed to support.
- Really considered what might enable or encourage your target audience to take part?
- Do you need to subsidise travel costs?
- Have you budgeted for catering?
- Do you need to pay for support workers?
- Have you thought about access costs?
How will you demonstrate success?
- Plan evaluation and monitoring that will measure what you want to know
- Evaluation should be proportionate to the style and ambition of your engagement
- If monitoring activities highlight feedback mechansims that allow you to adjust and improve future activities.
- In large scale or complex engagement projects external evaluators should be considered.