Applications are now open for Community Research Grants at York St John University's Institute for Social Justice

Academic insights and funded research on offer for charities, social enterprise groups and community activists in Yorkshire and the Humber.

York St John University's Institute for Social Justice (ISJ) is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the third year of their successful Community Research Grants (CRG) programme. This initiative aims to empower individuals and groups in Yorkshire and the Humber to better understand social justice issues affecting their local area.  

Voluntary, charity and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are invited to 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.  

The CRG programme has already supported a range of impactful projects including 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 

• Men's suicide prevention impact and evaluation project, with Menfulness 

• Experiences of neurodivergent learners and educators, with Spectrum First Education Ltd 

• Mapping Tadcaster's sustainable skills, with Tadcrafters CIC 

• Using arts-based methods to build participant-led evaluation, with Under the Stars 

• Exploring music business, diversity and networks within East London's music ecology, with True Cadence 

Applications are open from now until 22 April, with the Institute planning 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 ten thousand pounds on offer per project.Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that demonstrate innovative approaches to addressing social justice challenges in their communities. 

To help with the application process, the University is hosting two online briefing events   to provide information and answer questions. Interested parties should book via Eventbrite: 

• Tuesday 19 March  briefing session https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/isj-community-research-grant-briefing-1-tickets-837383174617?aff=oddtdtcreator  

• Thursday 11 April briefing session https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/isj-community-research-grant-briefing-2-tickets-837425882357?aff=oddtdtcreator 

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." 

To learn more about the Community Research Grants programme and to apply, please visit https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/research/institute-for-social-justice/community-research-grants 

Read more about the current projects here  https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/research/institute-for-social-justice/community-research-grants/current-funded-projects/ 

And read more insights on the projects so far on the ISJ Blog https://blog.yorksj.ac.uk/isj/2024/03/01/shared-knowledge-shared-values-exploring-questions-about-collaborative-research/