Research Ambassadors and Building Research Capacity Grant Specification

Overview of the grant scheme:   

Coventry Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) are providing grant funding to the voluntary sector to be used for the: -   

1. Creation of a Research Ambassador role within voluntary sector organisations or networks.  This must be a named individual who will champion research, foster partnerships, and help embed a culture of evidence-informed practice.  

2. Building of research capacity within voluntary sector organisations or networks building stronger connections to research and evidence. The grant will support: 

• Time and capacity to assess current practice 

• Development of research skills and culture 

• Integration of research into everyday organisational work 

Applications from organisations or networks of all sizes are welcome.   

The grant scheme focuses on the wider determinants of health.   Grant applications will need to demonstrate how the proposals align to tackling the causes of health inequalities. 

It is the responsibility of the grant recipient to appoint and manage the research ambassadors and ensure they meet the requirements of the grant agreement.   

Outcomes of the grant scheme:  

Grant recipients will be expected to demonstrate how they have contributed to: - 

• Organisation or network becoming more research receptive and ready 

• Research Ambassadors acting as champions and connectors for research and evidence-based practice within their fields 

• Public involvement playing a key part of both the research ambassador role and the grant-supported activities 

Size and duration of the grant scheme: 

There are a minimum of 4 funding grants available in 2025. This may be extended to 8 grants should there be a high number of suitable, high-quality applicants.   

Funding split:  

The grant is for a total of £10,000 per organisation or network.  This should be split as follows: - 

Scheme Principles: 

• The organisation / network will: - 

• become part of the Coventry HDRC 

• receive advice and support from research fellows 

• benefit from connections with university researchers  

• gain potential access to student researchers 

• be able to participate in HDRC training opportunities  

• Research Ambassadors will: - 

• receive free tailored training to improve their understanding of research and evidence-based practice 

• be able to work flexibly in the role so that it can fit in around existing work and home priorities 

• have access to a network of Research Ambassadors to exchange ideas share best practices, and support one another 

• There is an expectation that the grant funding will be used to fund the work of an individual research ambassador for a total of 180 hours of work during the 12-month period  

• There are no specified hours of work under Part 2. of the scheme but evidence of activities undertaken to build research capacity will need to be provided over the 12-month period. 

• At the end of the 12-month period, participating organisations or networks are expected to maintain an ongoing connection with the HDRC, contributing to a growing culture of research engagement across the sector.  This connection could be in the format of: - 

• Attending workshops facilitated or set up by the HDRC about research  

• Engaging in collaboration and peer learning with research ambassadors and other organisations, fostering shared learning, networking, and meaningful partnerships 

Grant Eligibility: 

To be eligible, grant recipients will be expected to: 

• Be a voluntary sector organisation or network based in Coventry 

• Submit a proposal that aligns with the focus on the wider determinants of health 

• Represent either an individual organisation or a broader voluntary sector network (e.g. food hubs, poverty alliances)  

Applications from organisations that work closely with communities who are often underrepresented or seldom heard are welcomed. 

Grant Funding Criteria: 

Applications will be reviewed according to the following criteria: 

1. The role of the Research Ambassador – How they see this role being set-up and supported to work within the organisation/network.   

2. Focus area – The specific area the Research Ambassador will concentrate on, and how this links to tackling the wider determinants of health. 

3. Capacity building – The plans for strengthening the organisation’s ability to engage with research and embed evidence-based approaches. 

4. Public involvement – How they will involve the public meaningfully in shaping, delivering, or evaluating the work. 

5. Use of funds – A clear outline of how the grant funding will be spent. 

6. Community impact – The anticipated benefits to the community as a result of this work. 

Grants will be awarded to those organisations or networks who are judged to have the top responses according to a panel made up of voluntary sector partners. 

This is a discretionary grant and there are no rights to appeal the HDRC’s decision. 

Monitoring of the grant:  

• The grant must be used solely for the purposes outlined in the application. 

• Any changes to the use of funds must be pre-approved in writing by the HDRC team. 

• The grant recipient must maintain regular communication with HDRC throughout the grant period, notifying the team of any significant changes, delays, or issues that may impact delivery. 

Reporting requirements: 

• Organisations must collect basic monitoring data, including engagement activities, staff/volunteer/community involvement, and feedback from internal or external stakeholders. 

• Any data shared with HDRC will be handled in accordance with data protection regulations and used to inform programme development and sector learning. 

• The grant recipient must submit two progress reports using the template provided by the HDRC.  The reports should be submitted at the following intervals: -  

• at the mid-point (6 months)  

• at the end (12-months) 

• Reports must include updates on activities, outputs, outcomes, and learning 

• A final report must include a summary of achievements, reflections on impact, and plans for sustainability or next steps. 

• End-of-Grant Review: - 

• A final review meeting will be scheduled with HDRC at the end of the funding period to discuss achievements, challenges, and opportunities for future engagement. 

Evaluation of the grants: 

• Grant recipients are expected to participate in any HDRC-led evaluation, including surveys, interviews, or learning events designed to assess the impact of the Research Ambassador programme and research capacity building activities. 

• Ambassadors are expected to contribute to shared learning through case studies, network meetings, or peer-to-peer knowledge exchange.