The British Association for the Advancement of Science (BSA) offers grants of up to £1,000 for UK community-based groups and organisations to run their own science activities during British Science Week, which takes place annually each March. British Science Week in 2024 is scheduled to take place between Friday 8th March and Sunday 17th March 2024.
The aim of British Science Week is to reach out and expand audiences that engage with science and self-identify as having an interest in science, particularly where this concerns hard-to-reach sectors in UK communities who tend not to be involved in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities. The BSA particularly wants to engage with people from the following under-represented groups:
o Girls and women.
o People from ethnic minorities.
o People living in a remote and rural location, defined as settlements of less than 10,000 people.
o People with a physical or mental health condition or impairment, and
o People with low socio-economic status (SES), including people disadvantaged in terms of education and income.
The following grants are available:
1. Grants of up to £500 to run one or more events during British Science Week.
2. Grants of up to £1,000 to run one or more events during British Science Week, as well as follow-up activities that will lead to continued engagement once British Science Week has ended.
Matched funding is not a requirement for this programme.
Grants can be used for such things as (please note that this is not an exclusive list):
o Materials.
o Project specific staff costs.
o Publicity and promotion.
o Room hire.
o Speakers.
o Transport, and
o Volunteer expenses.
The BSA has provided a number of examples of the type of projects that could be supported, including:
o Science exhibitions in places of worship, community gardens, libraries and public houses.
o Science research projects and experiments with youth clubs and groups with special educational needs.
o Scientifically-informed theatre productions and art activities, and
o Sports science sessions with sports clubs.
Funding is not available for:
o Costs that are already covered by other funding.
o Events or activities with school groups unless they are a special needs school.
o General running costs and overheads.
o Large, competition prizes.
o Non consumable equipment such as laptops, or
o On-going salary costs.
Further information, guidance and an online application form can be found on the British Science Week website.
The deadline for applications is 23:59 on Monday 6th November 2023.
