Working Together in Research

APPLICATIONS TO THIS GRANT ARE NOW CLOSED.

About the grant opportunity

The Working Together in Research project started in October 2023. The group received funding from the research team at NHS England to develop better working practises between researchers and local community groups to address embedded health inequalities and services.

Managed by the South Yorkshire Innovation Hub, Diversecity, South Yorkshire ICB and South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation; Working Together in Research set on a 6-month journey of developing a shared understanding of the barriers to inclusion and participation and collectively identifying solutions and actions to overcome these. The intelligence gathered at these workshops was analysed and led to the creation of the Guiding Principles and a Maturity Model (see attachment below) which outlined a framework for future successful collaboration between researchers and community groups in South Yorkshire.

With fresh funding received to continue this work, we would now like to test these Principles in practise and are pleased to offer the opportunity for two organisations to receive a grant to work with an researcher from University of Sheffield or Sheffield Hallam University to develop a project based around an important identified need in your community.

By the end of March 2025, if succesful in your application, your organisation and partnered researcher should have undertaken comprehensive community engagement, identified potential future funding and developed a proposal suitable for submission to establish a sustained legacy for this work.

If you are successful we will work with you to partner you with the right researcher for your project.

Who can apply?

To be eligible to apply for this fund you should meet the following criteria:

• Your organisation will embed our Guiding Principles as the basis for this work, and your project will further strengthen this agreement.
• The key purpose of your organisation addresses health inequalities; improves mental and/or physical health, wellbeing and/or overall health of your participants, or you have identified an important health need or issue in your community which could be helped by this project
• Your organisation is new to partnered research and/or has been unable to successfully access meaningful, successful research projects in the past
• Your organisation has the capacity to commit to a collaboration with a researcher. The collaboration will take place between December and March and is anticipated to be equivalent to approximately 8 working days.
• You must be prepared to document and report on the process and outcomes if you are successful and remain engaged with the Working Together in Research programme as a whole. This will involve agreed start up and check in meetings to discuss progress and address queries as they arise, and engagement with training sessions and seminars at the Universities throughout the length of the programme.

How much can you apply for?

The total funding available is £18,000, and we expect proposals to range from £5,000 - £10,000 depending on the approach you want to take. We are looking for two organisations only and we expect the application process to be competitive so please only apply if you are confident you can fully engage with this project as outlined.

Application process:

Application is via the downloadable form below.

Applications will be assessed by an expert local panel in late November with grants distributed in early December.

Organisations should be prepared to meet with the researcher before the Christmas break and agree a working partnership so that the project can start as soon as possible in the New Year.

Projects should complete by 31st March 2025 with reports submitted with two weeks afterwards.

When is the closing date?

9am, Monday 18th November.