Inspiring Science Fund scheme for science centres across the UK

The Inspiring Science Fund is a scheme co-funded by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Wellcome.  It’s a capital fund that helps centres rethink what they do and what they offer to the public.

Size grant

The Trust expects to support projects of different sizes around the UK. The level of funding they provide is flexible, ranging from £150,000 to £3 million. They’ll only be able to support a small number of £3 million projects.

Applicants must be able to provide at least 30% of the total cost of your project in match funding.

Eligibility criteria

The Inspiring Science Fund is open to existing not-for-profit and charitable science centres in the UK. They’re looking for projects that will become examples of best practice in the science centre sector.

To be eligible, applicants should: 

  • have been in existence for at least one year; 
  • attract a minimum of 30,000 public visitors a year; 
  • have a proven and viable business model.

Deadline

19 October 2017.

How to apply

You must submit your application through the Wellcome Trust Grant Tracker (WTGT). The application process has several stages:

  1. Contact Anna Ramsay (a.ramsay@wellcome.ac.uk) before the preliminary deadline to discuss the scope of your proposal and whether you should attend one of their workshops.
  2. Attend a free workshop in London or Glasgow
  3. Submit a preliminary application through the Wellcome Trust Grant Tracker.
  4. Submit your full application.
  5. Peer review.
  6. Interview

For details on how to apply please visit the Wellcome.