Grant News
The Institute of Physics is inviting applications for its Public Engagement Grant Scheme. This initiative supports projects aligned with the IOP’s Limit Less campaign, which seeks to broaden public engagement with physics, particularly among underrepresented groups in the field.
Projects should engage families with young people under the age of 16 from groups such as
• Girls and young women;
• Disabled young people;
• LGBT+ young people;
• Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds; and
• Black Caribbean young people.
The scheme offers grants of £500 to £4,000 per project for events and activities that promote positive relationships with physics and enhance existing engagement efforts across the UK and Ireland.
A wide range of activities are eligible for funding. These include: (not an exhaustive list)
- Community-based projects involving families or youth groups through storytelling, hands-on activities or interactive displays;
- Public events and festivals that present physics in informal and engaging formats, and workshops or demonstrations tailored for specific underrepresented audiences.
- Creative collaborations using theatre, art or digital media to explore physics are also encouraged, as are outreach projects led by universities, museums, or community organisations that extend physics into new community spaces.
Eligible applicants include individuals, researchers, museums, community groups, non-profits, schools, arts organisations, and libraries, etc. Applicants do not have to be members of the IOP to apply, but the IOP will be looking to fund projects involving physicists.
Schools considering applying should design activities that are accessible and appealing to both students and their families, and that align with the IOP’s objectives of broadening public engagement with physics.
Examples of previously funded projects include:
- SPIDER Astronomy by Kielder Observatory, which offered interactive astronomy sessions;
- Eclipse Experimentation by The Real Photography Company, combining physics and photography;
- ARC and You’s initiative exploring the role of physics in addressing climate change.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on 10 May 2026.
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