Coronavirus (COVID-19): information for grant applicants and grant holders:
We recognise that during this period the nature of projects and delivery mechanisms may need to be revised and that individuals and organisations may choose to use this period to either reflect and evaluate current activity or develop new initiatives. In response to this and the changing needs of the community we are relaxing our restrictions to funding, in particular those costs associated with salary and freelancers fees. In addition, to lower barriers to funding we are increasing the upper limit of the small grant scheme to £5,000 and moving to consider applications for small grants on a monthly basis. See below for further details on applying during this period or get in touch with the team.
Our mission
We fund a broad range of projects and organisations that connect communities with the chemical sciences. Through this we want to help bring different people and organisations together to share ideas, develop meaningful partnerships, inspire new ways of working, and encourage dialogue about the importance and role of chemistry for making the world a better place.
What we fund
Engagement encompasses many approaches with diverse people in different settings – from schools and laboratories to museums and gardens. We are interested in funding projects and organisations that work with different audiences including youth, families, young carers, older adults or school groups. We are particularly interested in funding work with under-served and under-represented audiences including people with disabilities and people facing social, economic and educational disadvantage.
We fund projects, events, partnerships or programmes that:
- Support chemists to engage with different audiences and/or build their engagement skills.
- Listen to, support, empower and inspire school-aged learners to become more connected with and enjoy chemical science, for example, through extra-curricular experiences, partnering with local organisations for projects, career-based activities and opportunities to meet with scientists.
- Enable family audiences to engage with chemical science in creative, fun and participatory ways- this could be through things like storytelling, puppetry, costumed interpretation or science busking.
- Involve different communities with relevant contemporary issues in the chemical sciences – for example through a science café event, citizen science project or Museum Late programme.
- Bring chemical scientists together with one or more different audience groups to learn with and from each other – this could be through co-produced research, co-curated festival or exhibition content or an arts-science collaboration.
- Better serve and connect with under-served audiences in relation to contemporary issues in the chemical sciences.
What outcomes are we looking for?
We are currently prioritising funding for projects that have one or more of the following outcomes:
- Audiences are engaged with issues around sustainability linked to chemical sciences.
- Under-served audiences are better connected with or represented by chemical science.
- RSC members have opportunities to develop and/or use their engagement skills.
- Wellbeing is enhanced or supported through the activity of the project or partnership.
- Families connect with chemistry in fun, creative and participatory ways.
- Audiences are engaged with chemistry in and through local contexts.
How much money can I apply for?
You can apply for a small grant of up to £5,000 or a large grant of between £5,001 and £10,000.
Grants are for 12 months and will be paid in Sterling.
What is the timeline for applications?
We have a monthly rolling application process for both the small and large grant tiers.
Grants are awarded on the 1st day of the month following your application if you are successful. This means that if you apply for the March deadline and are successful, your grant will start on 1 April and will run until 30 March the following year.
How do I apply?
Please make sure you have read our application guidance before you apply.
All applications must be submitted online.
Apply now for a Small grant Apply now for a Large grant
To view the application questions before applying online, please use the download links below:
Chemistry Week Grants (7 - 13 November 2022)
Applications for Chemistry Week Grants are currently open.
These grants are for up to £500 to support Chemistry Week, our annual celebration of the chemical sciences and the theme for 2022 is Sustainability.
To find out more please click the link below.
Find out more and apply for a Chemistry Week GrantProjects helped by our Outreach Fund
Quilts for pancreatic cancer patients – and research
Clare Hoskins from the University of Strathclyde is looking to raise awareness pancreatic cancer by her speciality-made quilts project.
The project, titled Quilts4Cancer, is being funded through a grant of £4700 from the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Ignite climate change podcast
Lucy Evans, Producer at Fierce Green Productions created a new radio drama series funded by our Outreach Fund.
As a science communicator and audio producer she wanted to create something to help close the gap between the arts and sciences. She also wanted to give opportunities to young people and highlight their perspectives on the climate crisis.
Lithium shuffle - an informative video
We helped Lizzie Driscoll, a student at Birmingham University, produce a fun informative video explaining how Li-ion batterie operate in Lithium Shuffle project.
These batteries are found everywhere – from mobile phones to laptops, and, more recently, electric vehicles. The video shows how they work, and what research is being done to improve them.
What a previous grant holder has to say
Without this funding from the RSC, the project simply would not have been possible. Although it was rejected initially, your team saw potential in our application, so the opportunity to revise and resubmit our application with further details and clarifications in some areas was appreciated. Few grant applications offer such feedback and opportunity, so this in itself was hugely helpful.
Outreach Fund
- Tel:
- +44 (0) 1223 432200 or +44 (0) 1223 432209
- Email:
- Our team
Share
Spotlight