Research Impact Funding
Internal Funding
- The Sussex Knowledge Exchange and Impact Support Fellowships
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These fellowships are available to support collaboration and projects with non-academic partners, including local, regional, national and international organisations. They can be used to build on new activity or ones already underway, for new strands of activity related to existing research and projects, exploring innovative ways of working, and to build capacity for future activity.
There are three categories of fellowship available:
- Public and Community Engagement (£5k) to develop relationships with research users and potential users to inform their approach to community interventions
- Policymaking (£6k) to work with Policy@Sussex to support the development of policy-relevant research and build your capability to make policy impact.
- Innovation (£15k) to establish new paths to achieving research impact through its adoption on a commercially sustainable basis.
Application forms are available from and informal inquiries can be made to Nana Yankah, Programme Consultant, Sussex Knowledge Exchange and Impact Support at: ny95@sussex.ac.uk
- AHRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA)
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The AHRC IAA is used to accelerate the impact of research within the AHRC remit, across the university, helping to bring about economic, environmental and societal impact in the wider world beyond academia.
For the most up-to-date information about this scheme including funds available, eligibility criteria and FAQ’s visit the AHRC IAA page.
- Research Impact Awards
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Each year the RQI team presents Research Impact Awards that recognise and celebrate the impactful work that is happening at Sussex by awarding a number of prize funds (currently between £1,500 and £2,000) across numerous categories that can help prize winners achieve their impact aims.
For the most up-to-date information about the Research Impact Awards and to help prepare for your next entry, visit the Research Impact Awards page.
- SSRP Impact Fund
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The Sussex Sustainability Research Programme Impact Fund provides short-turnaround funds for SRRP-funded faculty to generate additional impact from their SSRP-funded research. The fund is open to PIs, Co-Is and postdocs associated with SSRP-funded projects.
Grants will be in the region of £1,000-2,000 for a period of up to 6 months.
For more information and for an application form, visit the SSRP funding page.
- Research Opportunities Fund
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The Research Opportunities Fund is designed to provide initial funds for faculty to stimulate new interdisciplinary ideas and research projects, providing initial support for research programmes amongst researchers from different disciplines within Sussex and / or with key external collaborators.
For more information on this fund, visit the Research Opportunities Fund page.
External Funding
- AHRC follow-on funding for impact and engagement
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This is a follow-on funding for impact and engagement scheme for Arts and Humanities researchers. It supports unforeseen knowledge exchange, public engagement, active dissemination and commercialisation activities that arise during the lifespan of, or following, an AHRC-funded project.
Awards of up to £100,000 are available for a maximum of 12 months, and smaller grants of up to £30,000 are available for shorter or higher-risk activities.
All queries regarding eligibility and applications should be directed to Ilona Bowyer, the Research Development Officer at: I.Bowyer@sussex.ac.uk
- BBSRC Business and academia prosperity partnership: round 2
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This BBSRC funding scheme supports emerging or established research-based partnerships between business and academic institutions.
- South Downs Sustainable Communities Fund
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There is funding available (from £250-£10,000) for projects that are bringing social, environmental, economic or cultural benefits to a community within the South Downs National Park.
More information can be found on the South Downs National Park website.
- National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement
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The National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement list a range of funding opportunities availbile to support public engagement activities across different disciplines.
Past funding schemes
- ESRC Impact Acceleration Account
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The ESRC Impact Acceleration Account is now closed. Find out more about the scheme and what it achieved.
The ESRC IAA created a number of resources that will be useful for researchers including:
- The Enterprising Researcher podcast series. The six episodes deal with challenges and opportunities researchers face when working on external partnerships.
- The Researcher Toolkit, a detailed guide to approaching and working with external partners.