Information on funding schemes that could support community engagement activities
Please check the individual funder for up to date information - If you find some out of date information or know of any other useful sources of funding please let us know
Funding Schemes: International
James Tudor Foundation – Overseas Projects For: Early career researchers in developing countries. The lead applicant must be based at a UK university or eligible research institute and be of postdoctoral or above status (or have equivalent research experience). Each application must have at least one co-applicant based in an ODA eligible country. Amount: Awards are set at a maximum of £20,000. Funding must be used in the direct delivery of the workshops, and can cover travel and related expenses, subsistence costs, clerical assistance and consumables, networking, meeting and / or conference costs. Applications: Please check the website to find out about future funding rounds
The Foundation focuses on the relief of sickness and operates primarily within the UK but they will also consider applications from UK registered charities for overseas projects for the relief of sickness.
The Royal Society – Newton International Fellowships For: Applicants with a clearly defined research proposal that has been agreed with a UK host researcher. Countries eligible to apply are Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey. Amount: Fellows will receive £24,000 per annum for subsistence and up to £8,000 per annum for research expenses and up to £2,000 for relocation expenses, for the duration of the award. Applications: Please check the website to find out about future funding rounds
The long-term aim of the scheme is to build a global pool of research leaders and encourage long-term international collaboration with the UK. The Newton International Fellowships Scheme covers researchers in the following disciplines: physical sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. The scheme also covers clinical and patient orientated research, for applicants from China and India during the current round.
The Leshner Leadership Institute is an initiative of the AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology. Each year, a cohort of Public Engagement Fellows from an area of research at the nexus of science and society convene for a week of intensive public engagement and science communication training and public engagement plan development.
The Grand Challenges family of initiatives fosters innovation to solve key health and development problems. See below for Grand Challenges grant opportunities with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as sole or contributing funder.
The Commonwealth Foundation awards grants for sustainable development projects that contribute to effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation. Their grants help civil society organisations get their ideas across to policymakers and projects can range across sectors and themes from creative expression to community empowerment; from health to human rights.
Next Einstein Forum – NEF Fellows For: African scientists and technologists residing in Africa and studying any field of science – including social sciences and technology fields. Applicants should be under 42 years old and have a doctorate degree. Applications: Please check the website to find out about application to future cohorts. For more information about the program, email: fellows@nef.org.
The NEF Fellows is a select programme that recognises Africa’s best young scientists and technologists. These innovators and emerging leaders will have two main opportunities as a NEF Fellow – advance their scientific career and inspire the next generation of African innovators. The latter may present opportunities for engagement projects.
USADF – Apply for a grant For: Organisations based in Africa. USADF does not provide funding to government agencies, political parties, or organizations that are not based in Africa. Please note, USADF does not provide funding or scholarships to individuals. Closing date: Rolling deadline Amount: The majority of USADF’s funding agreements range between $50,000 and $250,000 (USD).
USADF supports African led development that grows community enterprises by providing seed capital and technical support. This aims to empowers those who are least served by existing markets or assistance programs to become a part of Africa’s growth story.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation – India Open Grants Fund For: Organisations supported within the India programme have to be local Indian NGOs with Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration. Closing date: rolling deadline Amount: Specifically state that there is no minimum or maximum grant size. However, they are unlikely to fund 100 per cent of the costs, preferring to make grants where hosts and/or another funders are also contributing.
This scheme supports work which is intended to improve the overall wellbeing of communities, groups and people. The works may be in one or more thematic areas, whether health, education, governance, livelihoods, empowerment of or any other which assists them to deal with the immediate causes of their vulnerability but begins to look at the longer term factors that need to be addressed to help them get out of it.
AngloAmerican Group Foundation The Foundation’s main objective is to promote sustainable livelihoods and its main areas of interest are community development, education and training, environment and HIV/AIDS and welfare. The Foundation prefers to fund specific projects or components of projects within the overall activities of an organisation that are a priority area in need of support.
The Foundation funds projects in those countries around the world in which Anglo American has operations, projects or representative offices: UK, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, China, India and Zimbabwe.
Comic Relief – Fighting Malaria, Improving Health This partnership wants to support work which targets the most vulnerable, particularly children under five and pregnant women, puts people and communities at the heart of the response and addresses priorities at primary health care and community level, and complements and enhances national priorities, especially National Malaria Control Programmes. Visit their website to view open fundings schemes.
Helmsley Trust – vulnerable children in sub-Saharan Africa Program Through select nonprofit implementing partners, the Trust invests in evidence-based interventions that provide at-risk children with greater access to education, improved food and nutrition, and clean water and sanitation. They seek to support sustainable solutions that will leave durable and lasting change within the communities touched. The program’s initial grantmaking efforts have been in Kenya, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Angola, Ethiopia, and Zambia, supporting a range of integrated development initiatives.
TY Danjuma Foundation – Community Fund (Nigeria) TY Danjuma Foundation is an independent private Nigerian philanthropic organisation committed to improving the quality of life for disadvantaged Nigerians. The Community Fund supports initiatives of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and similar organisations located and operating in local communities of Taraba and Edo States. It provides small grants to NGOs and CBOs to carry out innovative development activities geared towards addressing the social-economic challenges within rural communities. It also provides technical and institutional assistance as a way to address organisational development and for enhancing community engagement in targeted social initiatives. Community fund grants are made once a year, following a call for proposals.
