Funded through the Vivensa Foundation Excellence Award for Senior Leadership, awarded to PenARC’s Professor Vicki Goodwin, this scheme supports early and mid-career researchers to develop inclusive and participatory research in the field of ageing.
Aims of the Scheme
- Encourage early involvement of the public, patients and communities in shaping research ideas related to ageing and age-related conditions.
- Promote equity, diversity and inclusion through meaningful engagement with underrepresented or underserved groups.
Funding Details
- Award amount: £500 per successful application
- Application period: September 2025 – August 2026
- Eligibility: Early and mid-career researchers in the field of ageing or age-related diseases
- Applications open year-round, with review panels meeting quarterly.
Eligibility Criteria
- Open to early and mid-career researchers who are members of the Vivensa Foundation Academy (membership is free – apply here).
- Applicants must not have access to funding for engagement or inclusion through other grants or fellowships.
- Researchers may be based in a university, NHS or local authority setting, anywhere in the UK.
What Can Be Funded?
The proposed activity must:
- Relate to public, patient or community engagement, or research inclusion.
- Be connected to ageing or age-related diseases.
- Have a clear purpose, e.g., informing a research grant or fellowship application
- Funds cannot be used for research activities, training, or conference attendance.
Eligible costs include:
- Payments to public contributors for their time
- Venue hire and refreshments for engagement activities
- Consumables for engagement events
- Costs to support inclusion, such as interpreters, translation, carer support, internet or travel expenses
- Dissemination activities focused on engaging underserved communities.
How to Apply
Submit your application using the online Microsoft Form:
🔗 Application Form
Application Deadlines:
- 30th September 2025 (5pm)
- 9th January 2026 (5pm)
- 31th March 2026 (5pm)
- 30th June 2026 (5pm)
You’ll be notified of the outcome within one month of each deadline. Please note that successful applicants may not apply again.
Once awarded, the full £500 grant will be transferred to your host organisation in advance. You’ll need to provide finance contact details to facilitate this.
Resources to Support Your Application
- Better Public Partnerships | NIHR
- Patient & Public Involvement Resources | PenARC
- NIHR Community Engagement Toolkit
Contact
For queries or further information, please contact: vivensa@exeter.ac.uk.
Visit funding web page
(https://arc-swp.nihr.ac.uk/news/public-patient-and-community-involvement-and-engagement-awards-for-ageing-research/)
