FAQs

The Inspire Fund has three tiers:

• Bronze Awards, up to £5,000.
• Silver Award, up to £15,000.
• Gold Awards, up to £25,000.

We have a total of £150,000 to award through the Inspire Fund in 2022. In 2021, we funded 8 projects, totalling £149,375, and in 2019, we funded 8 projects, totalling £98,974. You can find out more about them here.

We encourage applications from people with a range of backgrounds and expertise – dementia researchers, community groups, artists, creative organisations, people responsible for cultural spaces such as museums and libraries.

We want to hear from people with the ideas, passion and ability to realise innovative public engagement projects, and we encourage applicants to forge links with collaborators or groups to grow the scale of ideas and the impact of the projects.

We are especially interested in proposals led by community groups or organisations.

Inspire Fund projects must engage with underserved audiences on the topic of dementia, such as minority ethnic communities, marginalised or socioeconomically disadvantaged people.

They must also meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Build knowledge and engage the public with the topic of brain health, in the context of dementia risk reduction
• Engage and create dialogue with people about the progress being made in biomedical dementia research.
• Highlight the value of research volunteers and reduce barriers to research participation.

Grants will not be awarded to:

• Projects where research is the primary purpose (see FAQ for more information).
• Projects that will take place outside of the UK.
• Projects providing dementia care or other front-line services (including arts therapy).
• Projects judged to be using the scheme to further the commercial interests of an organisation.
• Cover the cost of projects that are part of an organisation’s usual programme of activities.

The Inspire Fund was created to engage the public with the topic of dementia, through creating dialogue, sparking action for change, and involving a wider diversity of people in work related to dementia research. As such, projects can produce insight into public attitudes and values, as well as strategies for behaviour change and effective public engagement. Insight and evidence such as this can lead to peer-reviewed research publications, to help share and disseminate the findings and grow the impact of projects. As such, projects in which there are research outputs as a secondary aim of the project are in remit, but there must be a clear involvement of the public or people affected by dementia in the project.

Alzheimer’s Research UK funds biomedical and clinical research into causes of dementia and to improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. There are separate funding schemes to support this type of research and you can find out more on our Grants page. Social or carer-focussed research falls outside of our charitable remit.

The Inspire Fund is focussed on the UK, and lead applicants will need to be based in the UK and delivering projects based in the UK.

Projects can have consultants, collaborators or partners based outside the UK, and we are aware that this may result in additional impacts occurring outside the UK.

The Expression of Interest is a chance for you to showcase your idea and what you want to achieve. We’ll capture the following in the online form:

• Your contact details, so that we can follow up with you.
• Your role, where you are based in the UK and whether you are applying on behalf of a group or organisation.
• Which tier you are likely to apply to - Bronze, Silver or Gold.
• Which of our three criteria your project will meet (it can meet more than one).
• Whether you have existing partners or are looking to meet potential partners to deliver your project. What expertise you may be seeking from partners.

We will ask you to briefly outline your project idea in 300 words. You should try to briefly cover the following:

• An outline of what you want to do with the funding.
• An outline of the outcomes you want to achieve with the project.
• Describe who you want to reach (a community you are a part of, or another target audience).
• What is the purpose or need for this project.

Expressions of Interest will be judged against the following criteria:

• That the project is about dementia and meets one or more of the following criteria:
  • Build knowledge and engage the public with the topic of brain health, in the context of dementia risk reduction.
  • Engage and create dialogue with people about the progress being made in biomedical dementia research.
  • Highlight the value of research volunteers and reduce barriers to research participation.
• That the target audience or community has been considered, with information on why they are considered underserved.
• That there is a purpose or need for this project.
• That the project would be in remit of the Inspire Fund.

Full applications will be judged against the following criteria and should clearly demonstrate:

• That the project is about dementia and meets one or more of the following criteria:
  • Build knowledge and engage the public with the topic of brain health, in the context of dementia risk reduction.
  • Engage and create dialogue with people about the progress being made in biomedical dementia research.
  • Highlight the value of research volunteers and reduce barriers to research participation.
• Clearly defined outputs and outcomes for the project and the potential to make an impact on the target audience.
• Engagement with and targeting of specific public audiences with a clear rationale for why this audience is important.
• Evidence of achievable and meaningful evaluation of the impact of the project.
• Cost justification and effectiveness.
• A realistic assessment of practical issues such as copyright, insurance, safeguarding and health and safety issues.
• Realistic timelines and a clear plan for delivery of the project.
• Partnership, collaboration or consultation with other groups or disciplines to deliver your project.

We are trialling a peer review process in which applicants confidentially review each other’s applications. Our intention is to try to make the funding decision making process more inclusive and equitable. Clear guidance and support will be given to applicant peer reviewers for this process. Rankings and comments will be used by the Review Committee in their discussions of the applications.

Applications will be assessed by a committee consisting of external advisors with experience in public engagement and dementia, people affected by dementia and representation from Alzheimer’s Research UK. Advice will be sought from additional public engagement professionals when necessary during the review process.

The committee will score applications against the Inspire Fund’s criteria. In order to make a judgement, they will need to fully understand what you are applying to fund, so make sure you include key information about your project.

We held an online Information Webinar on 30 June 2022 to provide more information and answer questions, which you can watch back here.

Unfortunately, we aren’t able to arrange individual phone calls at the Expression of Interest stage. The event recording and the information held on these webpages should help you get a clear understanding of the remit and what we are looking to fund.

You can find out more about the previously funded projects here.

If you have a question that is not answered by the information in the FAQs or webpages, please email the Public Engagement team at engage@alzheimersresearchuk.org

When we ran the scheme in 2019, we used a one stage application process. We received 123 full applications, of which we were able to fund 8 projects with our budget. In 2021 we trialled a two-stage application process, receiving 157 Expressions of Interest, 29 full applications and funded 8 projects. The two-stage process allowed us to better manage the pool of applicants, progressing projects to the next stage that are clearly in remit and are more likely to be funded. We feel that having a short initial Expression of Interest is a better use of applicants’ time.

Following review of the Expressions of Interest, a selection of applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Guidance on completing the full application form will be made available along with the form itself.

Given the amount of funding available to individual projects, we estimate most will run for up to 12 months.

Dementia is a broad topic, and as a biomedical research charity, we focus on the following:

• Building understanding of the reality of dementia, as experienced by those with the condition and their loved ones.
• Building understanding around brain health, and the actions we can take to look after our own and reduce dementia risk.
• Highlighting and showcasing the progress being made by biomedical dementia research.
• Highlighting the value of volunteers taking part in research studies and how people can participate in studies.
• The need for increased funding and support for biomedical research to deliver effective diagnosis and treatments.

Care and support services are beyond the charitable objectives of ARUK, and so the below topics are outside our area of expertise:

• Care and support services for people with dementia.
• Research into non-medical interventions, such as art or music therapy.

As such, projects delivering care, support or non-medical therapies for dementia are outside the remit of the scheme, as are projects focussing on topics related to care.

The term ‘underserved audiences/communities’ means people and communities that face barriers in accessing information and services due to factors such as geographic location, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic status, primary language other than English, age or immigration status.

In the context of dementia, we know that traditional methods of disseminating information and building knowledge don’t manage to reach everyone, and that particular stigmas and misunderstandings can persist in certain communities. Our Dementia Attitudes Monitor highlighted particular groups in which people saw lower value in seeking a dementia diagnosis, were less willing to undergo particular diagnostic tests, and less likely to participate in dementia research. This report and others indicate that underserved groups such as minority ethnic communities, marginalised and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are an important section of society to reach, particularly as these groups may experience higher rates of dementia and worse health outcomes.

As such, we want to support engagement with these people and communities through the Inspire Fund, particularly funding projects lead by members of these communities. Applicants should be clear about the communities or audiences they plan to reach, and why there is a need for engagement with them.

Just as we can protect other areas of our health, we can take steps to keep our brains healthy and reduce our risk of developing dementia later in life. However, many people are unaware of how to take care of their brain health – only a third of people in the UK realise that it’s possible to reduce their dementia risk.

We are keen to build public understanding of what brain health is, and how to take care of it. Our Think Brain Health campaign focuses on three key actions you can take to protect your brain – things you do to look after your heart, staying mentally sharp, and maintaining connections with loved ones and the world around you.

You can find out more about Think Brain Health and these three simple rules here.

Volunteers, both with and without dementia, who take part in research studies and clinical trials play an essential role in dementia research. They can participate in a range of studies, from online to face-to-face, surveys to clinical procedures and drug trials. Research studies and clinical trials create vital knowledge about the complex diseases that cause dementia, and lead to breakthroughs in how we diagnose, prevent and treat the condition.

Participation is different to research involvement, also known as patient and public involvement (PPI). Involvement/PPI is where research is being carried out 'with' or 'by' members of the public not just ‘to', 'about' or 'for' them. It can help to shape research studies, how they are conducted, how people are recruited to participate in them and also allow people with lived experience to deliver studies.

It is important that medical research studies become more diverse and representative of the wider population, but there are many misunderstandings, concerns and barriers for different groups within society about research participation. Through the Inspire Fund we would like to support projects that break down these barriers and encourage people to take part in studies, such as through signing up for Join Dementia Research, a research register in which Alzheimer’s Research UK is a partner.

We want to help establish relationships between dementia researchers, communities (including groups and individuals affected by dementia), artists/creatives and those responsible for cultural spaces. We believe that having partners, collaborators or consultants for your project will strengthen it, and help it to have more impact.

While some applicants may have existing relationships with people or organisations they can partner with, we recognise this isn’t the case for everyone, and so will try to facilitate relationship building between applicants.

We are particularly keen to see dementia research professionals as partners, collaborators or consultants on projects, especially those led by community groups or organisations.

We want to help establish relationships between individuals and groups that continue beyond the life of Inspire Fund funding, and feel this will be easier if partners are local to each other. However, the COVID19 pandemic has demonstrated that people can work effectively when not in the same place, and we recognise that it may not be possible to have local partners and that they may come from further afield. The Inspire Fund is focussed on the UK, and lead applicants will need to be based in the UK and delivering projects based in the UK.

Involving people with lived experience of dementia can help to shape your project and highlight key aspects related to dementia that your project could focus on, such particular stigmas, barriers or challenges around dementia in certain groups. People with lived experience can include people with a diagnosis of dementia, their loved ones and carers. Their involvement should not be tokenistic, and applicants should carefully consider the role of people affected by dementia in their projects, as well as how they will provide adequate support if they look to include them in their project. We encourage applicants to involve people affected by dementia in projects where the outputs and outcomes of the project directly impact on people affected by dementia.

You may have a project idea you’d like to propose, or you may want to partner, collaborate or consult with others to deliver their ideas. All are possible through the scheme, as we will facilitate relationship building between applicants.

The grant is intended to cover the following:

• Salaries or fees for people who are essential to the proposal such as project lead, researchers, artists or consultants that aren't already covered by another grant.
• Participant costs if relevant.
• Materials and consumables.
• Equipment that is essential to the project.
• Production costs, including marketing.
• Travel and subsistence relevant to the proposal.
• Room hire.
• Catering.
• Accessibility costs (e.g. BSL translation).
• Evaluation and dissemination of the work.
• Contingency (up to 5% of total cost).

You cannot use the grant to cover things such as:

• Costs incurred before your project starts.
• Activities taking place outside the UK.
• Providing care or support services.
• Continued delivery of activities that are part of an organisation’s usual programme of activities.
• Loans, investments or capital costs.
• Emergency, top-up or maintenance funding.

Successful applicants to the Inspire Fund will receive their grant payments depending on the level of award they are receiving. We normally make grant payments in advance of activity. Grant payments will not be made into personal bank accounts.

Bronze Awards (up to £5,000) will be paid by bank transfer following the completion of the finance forms and receipt of the signed award agreement.

For Silver and Gold Awards (over £5,000), a payment schedule will be agreed prior to signing the award agreement. Successful applicants will be asked to provide a phased budget to enable us to decide the payment schedule over the grant period. Grant holders are required to maintain complete and accurate budget records and evidence of expenditure, and supply this information to the Public Engagement team to allow the release of subsequent grant payments.