Funding
There are several funding mechanisms available to support researchers to develop public engagement activities and partnerships. We support this by providing Engaged Research Funds which cover a range of award sizes.
We welcome applications from all members of our community and particularly encourage those from diverse groups, such as members of the LGBTQI+ and BAME communities, to apply. If you require any further information, including discussion about the suitability of your idea for the funds, please contact per@exeter.ac.uk with enquiries.
Engaged & Participatory Research Funding Scheme Guidance 2025-26
Engaged and Participatory Research Fund
We are excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for this year’s Engaged and Participatory Research Fund!
The Engaged and Participatory Research Fund is an annual scheme funded from University of Exeter’s Participatory Research Fund allocation, awarded by Research England. We are seeking to fund projects between academics and their external partners, which use engaged or participatory approaches and demonstrate benefit for all partners.
A total fund of £70,000 is available and applicants can apply for funding from £1,000 up to £10,000.
The lead applicant must be staff (or a post graduate student with a staff member acting as co-applicant) at the University of Exeter. We welcome applications from academic and professional staff from all levels. All applications must be co-created with an external partner as a co-applicant.
The deadline for applications is 10am on Friday 10th October 2025, and all applications must be submitted using the form below.
Application form to help prepare your online submission: EPR Application 25-26
Further guidance: EPR Funding Scheme Guide
Online application: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/LH9E7anevx
Examples from previous awardees
Engaged & Participatory Research Fund 2024-25
Congratulations to all our successful applicants for the Engaged and Participatory Research Fund! This fund supports projects which connect researchers to the wider community. We had an overwhelming response to this year’s funding call and received over 60 applications requesting a total of over £370,000. Ultimately, 23 projects were shortlisted and 11, of those, selected to receive funding.
You can read more about the awardees here: EPR Fund Awardees 24-25
"This has been really helpful - I have realised a lot of things I have been doing fall into public engagement and can now work to be more purposeful about it all."
Dr. Siobhan Mitchell
Research Fellow in Child and Adolescent Health
Engaged Research Funds 2023–24
Within the 2023–24 academic year we offered five distinct Engaged Research Funds. These included: the PPIE Fund, the Research Seed Fund, the Research Springboard Fund, the Participatory Research Exploratory Fund, and the Bridging Communities Fund.
Celebrate the most recent successes of the Engaged Research Funds awardees can view more about their projects in the pamphlets below.
