The International Engagement Awards support projects engaged with health research through grants of up to UK£30,000.

The grants are intended to support projects that aim to achieve some or all of the following:

• to strengthen the capacity of people in developing countries to facilitate public engagement with health research.
• to stimulate dialogue about health research and its impact on the public in a range of community and public contexts in developing countries.
• to investigate and test new methods of engagement, participation, communication, or education around health research.
• to promote collaboration on engagement projects between researchers and community or public organisations.
• to support Wellcome Trust-funded researchers in developing countries in engaging with the public and policy makers.

Projects could involve:

• 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, and community workers; and
• policy and decision makers.

Partnership projects (between different people and organisations, e.g., scientists and media professionals, ethicists, and community workers) are welcomed. Applicants must be based in listed developing countries or in the United Kingdom (UK) working with partners in the developing countries.

The activity must primarily take place in one or more developing countries and the primary goal must be to involve participants or engage audiences located in developing countries. Applicants from listed restructuring countries in Europe and Asia are not eligible. Projects dealing purely with development research not related to health are not eligible. Please note also that the scheme is not intended to support standard delivery of health education and promotion which does not focus on health research or involve health researchers.

Deadline: October 30 2009 (preliminary expressions of interest should be sent by October 2 2009.)

The Trust can only accept applications in the English language but welcomes projects that bring together people from different backgrounds who speak diverse languages.

Please contact the International Engagement Awards office well in advance of the deadline to request an application form and to confirm the eligibility of your project. Email: internationalengagement@wellcome.ac.uk - Send an outline of your project idea (maximum of 150 words), including details of your organisation, proposed project location(s), key project aims, intended audience, and an outline of the likely methods of engagement.

Click here for application information in English.

Click here for application information in Portuguese [PDF].

Click here for application information in Spanish [PDF].

Email from Lucy Evans to The Communication Initiative on August 19 2009.