Wellcome Trust is offering grants under the International Engagement Awards for organizations and individuals in developing countries. The proposed projects should build the capacities of people to facilitate public engagement with health research, stimulate dialogue about health research and how it can make an impact on the public in developing countries, carry out investigation and testing of new methods of “engagement, participation, communication or education” in health research, build collaborations between researchers and community/public organizations and/or support researchers funded by the Trust in developing countries so that they can engage with the public and policy makers.
The project can have target groups such as the following:
- communities and members of the public (particularly those affected by or involved in health research)
- science communicators, health and science journalists
- healthcare professionals, educators, field workers, community workers
- policy and decision makers
Organizations and individuals including media professionals, educators, science communicators, health professionals and researchers can apply for the grant. Even partnership projects between individuals and organizations can also be proposed. However, applicants have to be based in developing countries or in the UK with partners in developing countries. The developing countries are those specifically listed by the Trust. Information about the “listed developing countries” can be found from their website.
Health research is a core component of the program; therefore all projects should be based on it. Organizations applying for the first time to the Trust need to submit additional documents. To know whether a project is eligible to be supported, one can submit preliminary expressions of interest. These expressions of interest have to reach the Trust at least four weeks ahead of the actual deadline. The Awards encourage informal discussions with the applicants before they can apply for the grant. Application forms can be requested by email. The last date for submitting the final proposals is 30 October 2009. For more information, visit this link.
