Health Spotlight Small Grant Scheme 24/25

Health Spotlight - Small Grant Scheme 24/25

The Health Spotlight is launching an open call to its small grants scheme for researchers of all stages and backgrounds to undertake rapid small-scale projects that support interdisciplinary approaches to health.

The award in brief

This open funding call is designed to support small-scale rapid projects that can be delivered by the end of July 2025.

We particularly welcome applications that sit within the Health Spotlights’ strategic research priority areas:

Technologies in Health
Prevention, Public Health and Healthcare Implementation
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Interdisciplinary Methodologies in Health

However, we will consider submissions spanning any aspect of interdisciplinary health research.

Grant applications should not normally exceed £2000, although larger grants will be considered under exceptional circumstances and with sufficient justification.

Awards to be spent by the end of July 2025

Key dates

Rolling deadline

Funds must be spent by: 31 July 2025

Find the application form here.

Guidance

Eligibility

Given the time-limited nature of this funding call, projects might include:

Exploratory data collection or secondary/pilot analysis of existing data
Patient and public involvement and engagement activities in interdisciplinary research or bid development
Meetings for large interdisciplinary teams
Data contextualisation, interpretation, or visualisation work
Workshops, seminars, sandpits, co-development activities, networking events or ‘away days’ for teams where interdisciplinarity health research or bid development is a focus
Data dashboard creation
App building to reach a broader audience
Writing/testing software packages involving student (UG or PG) research assistants
Skills training/Master classes for interdisciplinary research

Projects will be prioritised for funding that develop an interdisciplinary collaboration either internally or externally, with the expectation that it will lead on to further research focused activity (e.g. external grant applications, ongoing collaborations or partnerships). The health spotlight particularly welcomes cross-departmental and cross-faculty applications.

What we do not fund:

Projects that do not fall within the broad remit of interdisciplinary research in health
Conference attendance unless there is a strong case that this will support pump-priming, dissemination, essential networking or skills development in the space of interdisciplinary health research. The applicant would normally be expected to be presenting at the conference.
Activities that are already funded, unless it can be demonstrated that the work to be undertaken on the small grant will be in addition to that already funded, and that it enhances the interdisciplinarity of the project.
Salary costs for staff/buy out.
We do not normally fund equipment unless it can be demonstrated that this could enhance interdisciplinarity/ allow a team to undertake interdisciplinary work that would not otherwise be possible

How to apply Application Review Process

Applications to the small grants scheme will be assessed by 1-2 members of the Spotlight Leadership Team with rapid responses (within one week). The following criteria will be used to assess the applications:

Essential:

The interdisciplinary nature of the project with a focus on health
Ability to deliver project and spend funds by 31st July 2025
The potential of the project to lead on to further research or collaborative activities (e.g. new relationships or networks established, external funding bids, dissemination or public engagement activities, new techniques or technologies developed that can be taken up by other researchers)
Value for money

Desirable:

Capacity-building opportunities for early career researchers within projects
Cross-departmental/cross-faculty working, or working with external collaborators. Whilst it is recognised that interdisciplinary work can occur within departments and faculties at Warwick, we encourage applicants to be bold in their pursuit of interdisciplinarity

Terms & Conditions

Finance

I confirm that this activity’s end-date does not exceed the end-date of my employment contract (if applicable).

I understand that this funding must be defrayed by the 31st of July 2025. A member of the Spotlights team will be in touch closer to the time to review the use of any remaining budget. If there is any risk of delay to my planned spend activity I will inform idresearch@warwick.ac.uk.

I will use the code and/or reference provided by RIS for making any purchases/orders.

Governance

I confirm that I have completed the full version of the Epigeum research integrity training, and that I have checked and obtained any relevant ethical approval.

I have checked whether this activity requires a risk assessment and obtained this if necessary.

I confirm that I have completed any other due diligence checks if my activity involves collaborators.

I have checked whether this activity requires any contract(s) or agreement(s) and obtained these where necessary. Examples of possible contracts or agreements include for collaboration with external institutions (including other Universities), activities involving a transfer of funds/other resources, sharing of data, or creation of intellectual property (especially if involving external partners) Further information can be found here and here.

Reporting

I agree to provide updates during and after the activity for future reporting purposes. A short reporting template will be made available to those who receive funding from the small grant scheme. It will include detail about the use of the funds; achievement of outputs and outcomes from the award; how the activities have contributed to the strategy; future plans to build on the work done and further funding applications made or planned. Another 12 months after its completion to report on any further outputs or impact initiated by the grant.

If you are successful with your application, we would like to post about your project on the Health Spotlight website. For events, this could also include publicising about organised activities via calendars on our website, or via email, as well as a follow-up event capture page.

I agree to images from a research project/event/training session being used on Spotlight/research culture webpages.

Apply now