Eligibility criteria and application

Amount that may be applied for per project: up to €4,000. A total of €20,000 is available.

Research staff from the UG and the UMCG can apply as an individual or in a team. We encourage inter- or multi-disciplinary collaboration with both internal and external partners. For more information, please refer to the eligibility criteria below.

Deadline: 27 November 2024

All submissions are screened for suitability by a jury consisting of both UG and UMCG staff. The jury will check whether the application meets the eligibility criteria.

From the entries deemed suitable, four entries will then be selected at random, e.g. through the use of a bingo wheel.

This random selection for the Public Engagement seed fund rewards UG and UMCG staff who wish to acquire public engagement project funding without undue competition, and distributes available funds in a way that recognizes that funding is at least partly awarded based on chance. It takes time and effort to engage society in research, and public engagement is currently too often considered an investment with no obvious career benefits. Hopefully, the Public Engagement seed fund will help make researchers feel recognised and their efforts appreciated, and will encourage the rest of the UG and UMCG staff to follow their example.

All submissions are screened for suitability by a jury consisting of both UG and UMCG staff.

1. Objective

Describe the purpose of the Public Engagement project and how it aligns with our vision of Public Engagement. By definition, this engagement is “two-way”, it goes both ways. By interacting with and listening to the public, this can be beneficial for both parties.. Think of it as a meaningful dialogue between the public and science. Examples can be found on our website: see previous rounds one and two. 

2. Target group

2A: Explain which target group you want to reach and why specifically this target group. An activity ‘for everyone’ is not specific enough. Try to make it as clear as possible who you hope to involve (e.g. age, background, interests, education level, etc. of citizens), or target a particular social organization or group.

2B. Make a plausible case that your target audience is interested or could be made interested in your project. This can e.g. be based on previous experiences of yourself or others, or preliminary interviews with the target group. 

3. Activity 

3A: Describe your activity in sufficient detail to make it plausible that you will achieve your goal. Activities may include, for example, sharing, consulting, responding to, creating or applying knowledge together through workshops, symposia, podcasts, book projects, etc. Examples can be found on the pages of previous calls.

3B. How do you ensure that you actively engage your target audience in the Public Engagement activity?

3C. Explain how the activity(s) are related to science in general or to (the results of) scientific research.

4. Mutual benefit                                                                    

Describe what benefit this activity would or could bring to each party involved. This could be benefits for your research or that of your colleagues, for your own development, for education, for new forms of cooperation, but also indicate the benefits for your target group and possibly other stakeholders (e.g. a problem solved, social/political empowerment, knowledge or skills, improved service, inspiration, behavioral change, etc.). What impact can this project (as an example) have on the way research is conducted (e.g. with regard to access to data, research methodology, etc.) and on involving multiple perspectives in research?

5. Work plan/Project budget 

Explain who does what and which internal/external partners, if any, are involved in the project. Provide a realistic project budget that clearly shows that the money requested from the Public Engagement Incentive Fund will be well spent.

A maximum of 4,000 Euro is available per project.

The project should be completed within one year of receipt of funding. The PE organizational team will follow up with the winners 6 and 12 months after the project starts to assess project progress and completion. If insufficient information is provided, or the information shows that the applicant(s) do not adhere to the plan as agreed upon, the PE organizational team has the right to stop or withdraw the funding.

The budget should be used to fund a new public engagement activity, not as a top-up or as co-financing to finalize and/or expand a larger public engagement activity or deliverable. The project proposal will be assessed on the impact of the awarded seed funding only, not on the combined impact of a project co-funded from other sources.

6. Evaluation 

Describe how you will determine whether your activity has had impact. When is the project successful and how will you measure it?

Like NWO with the Open Science Fund, we have a transparency clause. We publish the proposals for which we receive permission from the researchers. That way, we hope that proposals that could not be accepted will find opportunities for implementation and cooperation elsewhere.