Biochemical Society: Scientific Outreach Grants

The Biochemical Society offers Scientific Outreach Grants to enhance public engagement in molecular biosciences. Aiming to inspire young people and promote participation in science, grants of up to £5,000 support activities that effectively communicate bioscience topics. Projects must include an online contingency plan and demonstrate their relevance, outreach effectiveness, and sustainability. Applications are encouraged to foster collaborations and address challenges in reaching diverse audiences, ensuring impactful educational experiences.

NOTE: All applications must include an alternative plan that takes the impossibility of in-person projects into account.
The Biochemical Society promotes the future of molecular biosciences; facilitating the sharing of expertise, supporting the advancement of biochemistry and molecular biology, and raising awareness of their importance in addressing societal grand challenges.
The Biochemical Society supports public engagement and outreach activities that communicate the excitement of molecular bioscience to young people and the community.
The aim of the outreach grants is to increase participation in the molecular biosciences at school level and beyond through engaging activities and projects.
Applications are invited for sums of up to £1000 or up to £5000 to assist with the direct costs associated with an engagement project and the expenses incurred.

Eligibility

Criteria for Biochemical Society Education Outreach Grants:The legacy of the project (i.e., the production of resources that may be further and widely distributed) and the inclusion of an online-based contingency plan.The effectiveness of the proposal for disseminating information about (bio)sciences to young people and the general public. The effectiveness will be considered in terms of the attractiveness of the event(s) to the target audience and the soundness of the underpinning science.The level of relevance to the biosciences, with particular emphasis on molecular bioscience for upper secondary school age audiences and above. The number of students/teachers/members of the public reached (N.B. This may include young people involved in developing an event or people to whom material is passed on, in addition to the number actually attending). Consideration for widening participation: e.g. with regard to ‘difficult to reach’ groups.The clarity of the intended output and any performance indicators (including evidence of impact) or methods of evaluation, such as feedback forms or questionnaires. The likelihood of delivery within the proposed timetable and within the funding requested. The inclusion of hands-on/practical work.Long term benefits/sustainability (resource production, train the trainers, opportunities for roll out, potential for cascading the benefits). Events or activities that can be re-run or organized by others. Additional criteria that will be taken into account include:Collaborations between, several schools, several universities, mix of organizations.The establishment of links/relationships between schools and universities or industry. The promotion of molecular bioscience career opportunities. Previous experience of the applicant in outreach activities (although this should NOT deter ‘first time’ applicants).

Ineligibility

Applicants will not be eligible to apply for future Scientific Outreach Grants until a report and evaluation is complete.The grants can NOT be used to:Purchase standard school equipment which should properly be funded from other sources. Support commercial activities. Events/activities that are clearly contributing to recruitment to a particular institution or organization are likely to be given lower priority unless the advantages to participants are particularly strong. Where recruitment may be a factor, the institution will be expected to provide some of their own funding.