Funding opportunities

Funding from external bodies that may be applicable to our sector.

Deadline approaching for next round of Partnership Grants Scheme

Do you have a good idea for bringing science alive in schools, but need some funding to make it happen?

The Royal Society's Partnership Grants scheme is open for applications, and the next round will close on 25 February 2011. Applications for this round need to be made via the online application system.

Maybe you're a teacher with a great idea for a science project? Or perhaps a scientist or an engineer who would like to be more involved with your local school? The Royal Society's Partnership Grants scheme offers up to £3000 to support teachers, scientists and engineers like you in working together to inspire young people.

Full details on the Partnerships Grant and how to apply can be found on The Royal Society website.

New Inspiring Family Learning Project Award, sponsored by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust

NIACE are pleased to announce a brand new Adult Learners' Week Award for Inspiring Family Learning Projects (sponsored by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust).

The award will recognise an innovative project that has opened up opportunities for families to learn together, in partnership with a specialist school, academy or college. These awards generate significant media interest and could be a great way to raise the profile of your organisation and celebrate the innovation and creativity of your activities.

The Adult Learners’ Week Awards celebrate learning in all its forms, recognising innovative projects that offer opportunities for people to learn, and rewarding the outstanding achievements of individual adult learners who have changed their lives through learning.

The closing date for nominations is 5pm, Friday 28 January 2011.

For more information about how to nominate for Adult Learners' Week Awards 2011 visit their website.

If you know a family learning project that inspires you, nominate them now.

Partnerships for excellence in science and engineering

The Royal Society’s Partnership Grants scheme is now open. Schools, scientists and engineers can apply for up to £3000 to work together on creative investigations that inspire students with the excitement and wonder of cutting-edge science or engineering research.

Funds are available for projects working with students aged between 5-19, as long as the project involves a UK school or college, and a practising scientist or engineer. The next round for applications closes on 5 November 2010. For more details about eligibility criteria and to find out how to apply, go to http://royalsociety.org/partnership.

After the 5 November closing date, the next round opens on 3 January and closes 25 February.

Institute of Physics Public Engagement Grant Scheme 2011 - Round 1

Do you have a fantastic idea for making physics accessible? Do you want to reach a wider audience? Do you need some support to make your outreach activity happen?

The first round of the 2011 Public Engagement Grant from the Institute of Physics is now open for applications. The grants are worth up to £1000 and aim to support physics-based outreach activities in the UK and Ireland throughout 2011. Activities should provide engaging experiences of physics to public audiences.

More information about the grant scheme, including application forms, guidelines and summaries of past projects, is available online at www.iop.org/activity/outreach/, or by emailing physics.society@iop.org.

Closing date: 8 November 2010.

Ingenious grant scheme for creative public engagement with engineering projects is now open

Do you have an imaginative idea that helps engineers to communicate their expertise and passion for engineering with a wider audience?

The Royal Academy of Engineering’s Ingenious grant is a scheme for creative public engagement with engineering projects. The call is now open for proposals that aim to encourage deeper discussions between engineers and the wider public about the implications of engineering for society (for example, cultural and ethical impacts).

To date, Ingenious has funded over 50 projects, providing opportunities for over 1000 engineers to take part in thought-provoking activities, gain skills in communication, and bring engineering to the very centre of society.

Proposals are welcome from engineers and engineering organisations and institutions, universities, science and engineering communicators, public engagement specialists, colleges and schools. Funding is available from £3000 to £30,000.

Full details including case studies and previous projects are available on their website.

The deadline for applications is 29th October 2010.

Wellcome Trust Society Awards

Deadline for preliminary applications: 31st March 2010

Society Awards are for ambitious and creative projects that engage people with developments in biomedical science on a regional or national scale.

Their aim is to encourage people of all ages and walks of life to learn about new developments and have an opportunity to consider, question and debate the implications and issues arising from such work.

Projects should aim to achieve at least one of the following:

The deadline for preliminary applications for open calls is Wednesday 31 March 2010 (the October deadline will be for themed proposals). Please check this web site for further updates; Wellcome Trust Funding.

AstraZeneca Grants for Teacher CPD

Closing date: Wednesday 5th May 2010

The AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust invites applications for Primary Science, Science Transition and Lower Secondary/ Key Stage 3 Projects. Grants will be made for the coming academic year (September 2010 - July 2011). All applications must be received by 5th May 2010.

The grants are available for CPD for teachers to develop and enhance their practice of teaching science. For full details please view the following PDF

The AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust project funding

Europe-wide nanotechnology dialogue opportunity

ASDC will be offering our member organisations the opportunity to take part in our EU-funded nanotechnology dialogue project. The invitation to tender will be sent to all Network Reps in January and will involve running two ‘nano-days’ with your visitors and local schools. ‘Nano-kits’ will be supplied for you and your teachers. We will be looking for five members to host these events across 2010/2011.

Physiological Society Outreach Grants

The Society supports the outreach activities of its members to promote education and training in physiology up to £500 per calendar year. This grant is for scientists who might wish to apply for grants to do an activity with your centre.

Apply for an Outreach Grant or for further information email education@physoc.org.

Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7): Science in society

Deadlines depend on programme and theme: from 14 August 2009 to April 2010 with most in January 2010 - check web site for details.

The 2010 work programme and new calls for funding under the EU’s Framework Programme 7 ‘Science in Society’ have just been published. There are opportunities for a range of participants including academics, schools, science centres, science festivals, businesses and NGOs.

Funding is now available for pan-European collaborative projects that deal with issues of ethics in science, strengthening the role of women in science, science education and science communication. €50.2m of funding is available for 2010, and there are opportunities for a wide range of participants: academics, schools and HE institutions, science centres, science festivals, cities, parliamentary offices, small/medium Enterprise and NGOs.

Details and links are available at the FP7UK SiS web site: this site also has links to more sources of information on the SiS programme. Potential applicants can contact the SiS National Contact Point (NCP) on adele.campbell@esrc.ac.uk

STFC Science in Society Funding

The 2009 deadlines have now passed

STFC funding is available to engage the public in areas relating to astronomy, planetary and solar science, lasers and nuclear and particle physics. STFC also encourage partnership projects and those that relate to current science and technology projects (e.g. the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the International Year of Astronomy 2009).
For full details visit:www.scitech.ac.uk/PandS/Fund/All/Funds.aspx

Ingenious: Grants Scheme for Engineers

Closing date passed (19 November 2009)

Ingenious is a grants scheme that funds thought-provoking activities for engineers to share their expertise and enthusiasm for engineering with public audiences of all ages.

If you have an imaginative idea that will help engineers communicate what they do, why they do it, and how it impacts on our society – the Ingenious team want to hear from you.

Potential applicants are welcome to contact the Academy to discuss their proposal idea.

To find out more and apply for a grant visit www.raeng.org.uk/ingenious, which also contains case studies and mini-films of previous projects. They fund projects from £3,000 to £30,000.

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