Charities and social enterprise groups offered funding and academic expertise to support community projects in Yorkshire

Community Research Grants 2026 offer expanded opportunities from York St John University research institutes. 

Now into its fifth year, York St John University’s impactful Community Research Grant (CRG) programme is now open for 2026.  

Led by the University’s Institute for Social Justice, the programme invites Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) to propose issues that are important to them and which would benefit from a research collaboration.  

The scheme offers up to £10,000 per grant and is open to VCSEs of all sizes across Yorkshire and the Humber. Successful applicants are then partnered with researchers to generate service-enhancing insights to benefit the community and support social justice. 

This year there is a total funding pot of £80,000 as York St John’s Institute for Health and Care Improvement (IHCI) and the Scarborough Coastal Health and Care Research Collaborative (SHARC) join the project for the first time. The IHCI and SHARC are offering two additional community research grants focused on the theme of wellbeing and health inequalities within the Scarborough and coastal region. 

Since its inception, the CRG programme has supported a wide range of powerful projects including York’s anti-racism strategy, Men’s suicide prevention work with Menfulness, community led tourism in York and tackling public harm against women and girls through The Dancefloor Project.  The grants also have scope to unlock lasting partnerships with the University. 

 Applications are open from now until noon on Friday 27 March. Full details and applications via the York St John University website Apply for grant | York St John University 

Professor Matthew Reason, Director of the Institute for Social Justice said: “We’re delighted to be opening another round of CRG funding and offering expanded opportunities for voluntary organisations in the region. Our academics and researchers are keen to support more of the impactful work going on in our communities, working with you to develop your ideas into impactful research. 

“If research expertise could help your organisation create positive change, we’d love to hear from you and support you throughout the application process and beyond.”  

Professor Garry Tew, Director of the Institute for Health and Care Improvement said: 

“At the Institute for Health and Care Improvement, we are committed to research that improves lives and reduces health inequalities. Joining the Community Research Grants programme enables us to work directly with VCSE organisations to address wellbeing challenges that matter most to communities, particularly in coastal and underserved areas. These partnerships are vital for turning evidence into demonstrable impact.” 

Trevor Mahon, Programme Manager Scarborough Coastal Health and Care Research Collaborative (SHARC) said:  

“SHARC is pleased to launch a new Community Research Grant initiative in collaboration with the Institute for Health and Care Improvement, supporting VCSE organisations across our coastal catchment area. These grants aim to strengthen community-led research that tackles health inequalities and improves physical, mental, and social wellbeing in our coastal region.   

“We are committed to fostering strong partnerships between VCSE groups and academic researchers, enabling projects that generate practical insights, expand best practice, and deliver meaningful benefits for communities experiencing disadvantage.”  

Quotes from current Community Research Grant holders  

Rob Lightfoot, CEO of the National Association for Able Children in Education said:  

“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with our research partners at York St John University on how to remove barriers to opportunity and achievement for more able learners who encounter disadvantage. This project would not have been possible without funding from their Institute for Social Justice.  

“We are now delivering a multi-part course for primary school practitioners who teach these pupils, putting theory into practice. This is free to schools, thanks again to follow-up funding from York St John’s Institute for Social Justice. Using our latest research, we are sharing the successes of colleagues from trailblazing schools who have found ways to successfully break down a range of barriers to achievement – making a positive difference for young people in the local area.”  

Kay Aldred, Development Lead at Neurodiverse Connection is working on a project exploring how neurodivergent adults experience regulation, particularly in settings with pronounced power dynamics like healthcare, education and workplaces. She said: 

“Being a recipient of the CRG Fund and working with the York St John team has been an invaluable and deeply positive experience.  

“Our research is grounded in the principle of ‘nothing about us without us’, committed to delivering tangible benefits for Neurodivergent people and throughout this work, I have experienced genuine power-sharing and collaboration.  

“The commitment, care, and belief in creative, community-led research demonstrated by the CRG Fund and the YSJ team make this collaboration both rare and deeply impactful.”