Public Engagement Development Fund 2016

  1. Background
  2. The purpose of the Public Engagement Development Fundis to provide small grant funding to enable successful applicants to begin public engagement where grant funding does not currently exist. This maybe where applicants have not undertaken public engagement activities before or where there is potential for follow on activities already taking place. Traditionally this type of activity has been difficult for theUniversity to resource.
  3. All Public Engagement Development Fund applicationsmust be led by an academic member of staff with skills to deliver the proposed project, with a clear link to an academic member of staff’s research, with potential impact.
  4. Applications where co-created research or collaboration with an external organisation can be demonstrated will be considered as an advantage.
  5. Applications must involve the public, either by supporting or holding an event open to the public or research which involves the public. Events must be free to attend.
  6. We are looking to develop new public engagement projects and this support isparticularly aimed at staff that are either undertaking public engagement for the first time or where no research grant funding currently exists for public engagement or where funding for additional public engagement activity is sought.
  7. The Public Engagement DevelopmentFundcan be used to support existing staff employed by theUniversity to meet the requirements of theirrole, providing this can be achieved in an appropriate timescale for the implementation of theproject. The Public Engagement Development Fund does not cover any staff salary costs apart from where special services such as AV or out of hours costs are incurred to deliver the activity.
  8. Projects can be carried out on a full-time or part-time basis, depending on the nature of thework.
  9. Projects may involve one or more researchers. Applications should demonstrate benefits to all applicants.
  10. The maximum contribution of £2,000 and funds must be spent by 31 July 2017. The award can be used as leverage for, or form part of, a longer termproject, in which case the application should detail any work beyond theinitial funding period.
  11. This support is particularly aimed at getting new/early relationships started where one of the following applies:

•The academic PI is new to undertaking public engagement

•There is potential for follow on work

•The project focuses on research excellence or city vibrancy.

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  1. Eligibility Criteria
  2. Applications for the Public Engagement DevelopmentFundmust meet the following eligibility criteria:

EligibilityCriteria / Comments
Applicants are suitable to lead the project
/ The PI must:
  • Be an academic member of staff employed by the University ofSheffield.
  • Have the skills, experience and enthusiasm to lead the project.
  • Have the necessary time and/or researcher in post to deliver theproject.

Proposal fit / The project must match the spirit of the call.
There must be a clear need for this flexible resource – e.g. a projectthat would be difficult to resource by other means.
Potential impact / The project should have the potential to deliver public engagement with academic research to a public audience.
Public Engagement / The application should demonstrate:
  • The links between the PI’s research and the proposal.
  • That public engagement activity will be undertaken by the PI. If the application is for an event, the event should be open to and aimed at the general public audience rather than academic, schools or business audiences.
  • That there is potential for further work or public engagement activities.
The application may also demonstrate:
  • Co-created research
  • Collaboration with an external organisation.

  1. Eligible costs include:
  2. Directly Incurred - Academic staff costs cannot be included. Staff costs for special services related to the event such as out of hours charges or AV support necessary to deliver the project may be included in the cost.
  3. Directly Incurred – Non-staff costs can include, consumables, travel torelated meetings, events etc, small pieces of equipment and expenses incurred during the project. An example of costs you might incur are listed at the following link:

3.3.As a guide, no directly allocated costs will be approved awarded including staff costs such as pool technicians, fEC costs, overheads and estates costs.

Some costs may require justification and if you do not see a category listed or would like to
check a cost, please contact .

Once a project is approved, the project can beclassified non-research which will be administered by the Public Engagement and Impact Team. Once the project is set up, the Public Engagement and Impact Teamcan provideassistance in monitoring your project budget.

  • The anticipated resources required to deliver the project and justification for these should beprovided.
  • Eligible costs may include costs associated with the project, such as equipment access, consumables, non-alcoholic refreshments, traveland expenses.
  • Work funded by the Public Engagement DevelopmentFundmay be carried out full time or part-time,depending on the nature of the application.
  • Match funding by the department or an existing grant award in encouraged.
  1. Application Process
  2. When planning your project please submit a realistic start date bearing in mind the assessmenttime needed for the application, the financial set up for the project and undertaking the work or activity.

Closing date for applications
Rolling call – with monthly review meetings from endDecember 2016 until the fund is allocated.

4.2.Application forms are available on the Public Engagement and Impact team’s web page:

4.3.Applications will be reviewed every two months. Please beaware that the panel may not be technical experts in your field. Successful applications willdemonstrate a convincing case for public engagement with the research.

4.4.To submit an application, please email a signed electronic copy of the completed applicationform to or post to Fran Marshall, Research and Evaluation Manager, Public Engagement & Impact TeamResearch & Innovation Services, University of Sheffield, Addison Building (Room A100), Western BankSheffield, S10 2TN.

  1. Assessment Criteria

Applications will be will be judged and prioritised against the following assessment criteria:

AssessmentCriteria / Comments
The application should demonstrate: / Weighting%
  1. Links toresearch
/
  • Clear evidence of the links between the PI’s research and the proposal
  • The University’s role in the research
  • Co-created research or collaboration with an external organisation
/ 20
  1. Public engagement
/
  • How the general public are involved and how they might benefit
  • The appeal to a general public audience rather than a specific audience
/ 20
  1. Project plan
/
  • A clear project plan with SMART objectives? (SMART: specific,measurable, achievable, realistic & time-bound)
  • Clear objectives and deliverables
  • How will the project will be managed
/ 20
  1. Potential
    impact
/
  • Who will benefit from the work, including the type of audience, whether this audience is newly engaged etc
  • The number and anticipated reach of attendees or beneficiaries
  • Is the impact identified both realistic and likely to be delivered by theactivities described?
/ 10
  1. Resources
/
  • That the resources applied for are appropriate and justified
  • And represent good value for money?
/ 20
  1. Follow-on
    plans
/
  • The proposal should include a plan of how the application will be evaluated
  • Potential for further public engagement activities.
  • The identification of any potential future funding sources
/ 10
  1. Funding and Conditions
  2. By accepting the award, the applicants agree to engage with the Public Engagement Impact Team to monitor project progress both during the life of the project andpost project to allow the reporting of outcomes and spending. This willinclude assisting with the development of casestudies.
  3. As impact often occurs after the project lifetime, the Public Engagement and Impact Team may also contact you 6 monthsand 12 months after the project has finished to find out how the project has progressed and anynew/additional outcomes that have been realised.
  4. The Public Engagement and Impact Team reserves the right to recover funds where there is evidence that a project is failing toadhere to the agreed application. Similarly, funds may be recovered where these have not beenspent in accordance with the application, unless a change has been agreed in writing.
  5. Successful applicants must comply with project reporting and complete the Public Engagement Development Fund Project Report:
  6. Applicants agree to comply with the University’s financial regulations:

Contacts

Please contact the Public Engagement and Impact Teamif you need any advice.

General enquiries / Fran Marshall, Research and Evaluation Manager, Public Engagement and Impact Team, R&IS / / 0114 2220566

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