Research Enrichment – Public Engagement

Who can apply

You can apply for this funding if you want to engage the public with research you're doing on your main Wellcome grant.

You must be:

• a current Wellcome-funded grantholder

or

• a successful applicant to one of our schemes – you've received an award confirmation letter.

In both cases, you must be the lead applicant.

If your main Wellcome grant is one of the following, you should contact us before you apply as there is a different application process:

• a Wellcome Centre
• an Africa and Asia Programme
• a Developing Excellence in Leadership and Training in Africa Programme
• Longitudinal Population Study Grants.

We encourage applications from researchers at all career stages, although we expect most applicants to have some experience of public engagement.

The Institutional Research Engagement Fund (IREF) pilots with the University of Oxford and the Scottish Public Engagement Network (ScotPEN) are no longer accepting new applications. Current Wellcome grantholders from the University of Oxford and Scottish universities should apply for engagement funding through the Research Enrichment – Public Engagement fund.

Your proposal

There are no limits on scope, but your proposal should be aligned to your current research programme and underpinned by a clear rationale. 

It should include opportunities for you to:

• explore how public engagement can ensure your research resonates with the public
• use insights from the public to develop your research
• develop your public engagement and leadership skills, and the skills of your team members.

We will review:

• the main outcomes you want to achieve during your engagement programme, for example through the use of logic models  
• the people you want to engage with, and why you want to do this 
• the feasibility of your programme 
• the partners you’ll work with and how you’ll work with them
• how you’ll evaluate your programme and share learning and/or contribute to the public engagement evidence base
• how the programme will enable you to develop new engagement approaches or expand the scale, reach and impact of a proven public engagement project
• how the programme will help you and others to build upon your public engagement skills and expertise
• value for money.

If you propose to work on sensitive topics or with vulnerable groups, you must explain how you will:

• get ethical approval
• safeguard the wellbeing of the people you engage with during your programme, including appropriate aftercare.

See the most common areas in which applications to this scheme could be improved in Research Enrichment – Public Engagement: ten common pitfalls [PDF 273KB].

Who can't apply

You can’t apply if your main Wellcome grant is one of the following:

• Biomedical Vacation Scholarships
• Doctoral Studentships
• Engagement Fellowships
• Four-year PhD Studentships in Science
• International Master's Fellowships
• Master's Studentships in Humanities and Social Science
• PhD Training Fellowships for Clinicians
• Public Engagement Fund
• Seed Awards in Humanities and Social Science
• Seed Awards in Science
• Small Grants in Humanities and Social Science
• The Hub Award

You can't apply to carry out activities that involve the transfer of grant funds into mainland China.

You can ask for Research Enrichment – Public Engagement funding of between £10,000 and £250,000.

We suggest you think about a proposal valued at around 5% of your total research grant, but we are flexible as long as you are able to justify the amount you ask for, based on:

• the funding level and time remaining on your main Wellcome grant 
• the scale and scope of your proposed public engagement programme.

Funds can be used for a range of costs such as:

What we don’t offer

You can't use Research Enrichment – Public Engagement funding for:

• engagement activities that are essential to carrying out your research in an ethical way, for example consulting with community advisory panels or communicating research findings to research participants
• engagement with specialist audiences, for example policy makers, scientists, healthcare professionals and public engagement professionals, without the involvement of public voices
• media and communication activities, such as broadcast, radio, websites and press releases.

We don't fund overheads.

You must submit your application through the Wellcome Trust Grant Tracker (WTGT).

Stages of application

1. Before you apply

   Please read our guidance notes: 

   • Research Enrichment – Public Engagement: ten common pitfalls [PDF 273KB]
   • Notes on applying to Research Enrichment – Public Engagement [PDF 49KB]
   • Our approach to engaging the public
   • How to address social and ethical issues in public engagement

   You should discuss your proposal with the public engagement team at your organisation before you apply. We also recommend you draw on the expertise of colleagues with public engagement experience.

2. Submit your application

   Complete your application on Grant Tracker.

   View the Sample full application form for Research Enrichment [PDF 115KB].

   You can also apply for enrichment funding for diversity and inclusion. You’ll need to complete a separate application form for each type of funding. Applications will be assessed separately.

   If you’re already a Wellcome-funded grantholder

   You can apply at any time from your award date, but you need to be able complete your programme of activities by the end date of your main Wellcome grant.

   If you’re applying for your main Wellcome grant

   You can begin your application for Research Enrichment funding at any time while you’re applying for your main Wellcome grant.

   You should only submit your Research Enrichment application when you’ve been informed that your main Wellcome grant has been awarded.

3. Decision

   Wellcome staff will assess your application. External peer review will be used for applications over £100,000.

   We aim to give you a decision and any feedback within ten weeks of the application deadline. There are no interviews. 

Disabled applicants

If you are disabled or have a long-term health condition, we can support you with the application process.

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

What you need to know if you're a grant applicant or grantholder.