Funded research on offer for VCSE organisations in Yorkshire & the Humber
Melanie May | 5 March 2024 | News
Voluntary, charity and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, as well as community activists, in Yorkshire and Humber are invited to submit applications for York St John University’s Institute for Social Justice’s (ISJ) Community Research Grants (CRG) programme.
Now in its third year, the programme aims to empower individuals and groups in Yorkshire and the Humber to better understand social justice issues affecting their local area.
VCSE organisations can submit themes or issues that are important to them and which they would like help researching. The Institute will then pair selected proposals with researchers to gather data and help to drive the projects forward.
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Applications are open until 22 April, and the Institute plans to support up to six projects from September 2024 to July 2025.
Grants are available for projects of various sizes and scope, with funding up to £10,000 on offer per project.
Projects already supported by the CRG programme include York’s anti racism strategy, disability access to blue spaces and The Dancefloor Project to investigate public harm of women and girls.
Current projects include: Listening to community perspectives of forced migrants, with Give a Gift, Community led tourism in York, with Good Organisation (Social Ventures) CIC, Reimagining Door 84, with Door 84 Youth and Community Centre, and Mapping Tadcaster’s sustainable skills, with Tadcrafters CIC (pictured).
To help with the application process, the University is hosting two online briefing events to provide information and answer questions on Tuesday 19 March and Thursday 11 April.
Professor Matthew Reason, Director of the Institute for Social Justice said:
“We believe in the power of community-driven research to drive positive change and these grants are a testament to our commitment to fostering collaboration and empowering voices within our communities.
“Whether it’s exploring inequalities, advocating for marginalised groups, or investigating ways to enhance community wellbeing, the CRG programme offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.
“If you have a passion for social justice and a desire to contribute to positive change, we’d love to hear from you and look forward to supporting you through the application process and beyond.”
Rifhat Malik, Project Director at Give a Gift said:
“The partnership with York St John University has not only provided an invaluable resource for our staff team but also opened doors for us to better understand and engage with our beneficiaries.
“As an organisation that is passionate about fostering meaningful involvement of our users in decision-making and planning, the support has made a real difference in better understanding community needs and improving our engagement strategies.
“If your organisation is looking to better connect with the communities you serve and gain valuable insight into shaping your approach, then this is a great programme to support you.
“The University not only brings expertise but our researcher has shown a genuine passion for helping us get the design aspect right and making it user-friendly. It’s a great opportunity for third-sector groups to get high-calibre research support, particularly in a climate where funding is so restrictive.”
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.