Imperial's Public Engagement team are announcing a new co-produced seed fund for engaged research with communities: The Collaboration Kickstarter.

Launching on 25 September, the fund aims to support Imperial researchers and community partners to deliver research collaboratively. 

Awarding funds of up to £10,000 to a small portfolio of projects, the Kickstarter will support participatory and co-produced approaches to research in which communities can influence the direction that research is taking. 

Public Engagement Participatory Research Lead Thomas Morton said: ‘‘This fund has been co-produced in partnership with staff from across Imperial alongside community partners who have engaged with our programmes and research. We are really excited to launch and hoping to see a wide range of interest from researchers and community partners who want to do research together. We’ve highlighted a real need for authentic collaboration, whereby the people who will benefit from Imperial’s research can shape and influence its direction from the start.” 

Zeinab Deria, Managing Director of Reviving Links CIC, said: "Collaborating with the co-production team, including staff from Imperial and our community partners, has been an invaluable experience. This partnership has allowed us to build networks and bring the community’s voice into spaces that are not always accessible. We are excited to see the positive impact this will have on the communities we serve and the partnerships we've created." 

Head of Engagement (Evaluation and Capacity Building) Dr Amy Seakins said: “The Collaboration Kickstarter is an opportunity for anyone seeking funding for projects using participatory research approaches. We have learnt so much from the co-production of the fund already and now look forward to supporting activities, ideas and partnerships that otherwise might not be funded, and that have collaboration at their heart.” 

How to get funding?

Expressions of Interest are invited from 25 September until 25 November 2024, with full proposals required in early January. Awards of up to £10,000 are available. 

Projects should be put forward jointly by a named Imperial researcher and a named community partner. For the pilot year, a broad definition of ‘community partner’ is held - applicants are asked to simply make the case that the particular partnership is appropriate, relevant, and will deliver research activities in line with the aims and principles of the fund. 

Further information 

An online information and Q&A event will be held on 2 October for researchers and community members who would like to know more about the fund. One-to-one advice sessions are available until applications close, and a Community Connection and Collaboration Café will open for researchers and potential community partners to network and hear about each other’s research on 9 October. 

The Collaboration Kickstarter is made possible through Participatory Research Funding from Research England.