The UTS Social Impact Grants – Community-engaged research and practice support researchers and practitioners within our community to maximise their contribution to positive social change through projects aligned with strategic areas of impact.
About the Social Impact Grants – Community engaged research and practice
Fourteen grants of up to $5000 are offered annually (with UTS faculties offering an additional $5000 matched funding).
The grants are administered by the Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion.
Read our Social Impact Grant info brochure
Eligibility
We welcome applications from any member of UTS staff, permanent, sessional, and casual, who have expertise or interest in socially impactful work. We also welcome group applications.
We also welcome applications from UTS students, including higher-degree research students. As a condition of the grant, students must identify an academic or professional staff mentor and supervisor for their initiative. Funds will be dispersed to the involved staff member who will take joint responsibility for the financial acquittal of the grant.
What types of projects will be awarded a grant?
The 2024 Social Impact Grants – Community-engaged research and practice support UTS staff and students to work in a reciprocal partnership with the community to drive the purpose, design, implementation and use of research or practice.
The types of projects that may be awarded a grant include:
- research projects
- teaching and learning projects
- initiatives and events that build the culture of inclusion and social good at UTS
- initiatives that support collaborations between UTS and the communities that we are connected to
- other projects that further the purpose and vision of the Social Impact Framework.
This grant can be used flexibly to fund entire projects, or it can be used for aspects of initiatives. For example, it could help progress a project from the ideation phase to the delivery phase, or it could be used as a catalyst to progress a current project or assist in evaluating a project.
The outcomes and successes of the awarded grants will be documented in a social impact case study, which will be shared across both UTS internal and external communications channels.
In 2024, we have two categories of grants:
- Research and Practice Grant.
- Local Community Voice Grant.
Applicants may apply for the Research and Practice Grant or a Local Community Voice Grant.
Local Community Voice Grant
The Local Community Voice Grant is for projects in the suburbs surrounding UTS – Glebe, Pyrmont, Haymarket and/or Ultimo. It is an opportunity for applicants to undertake projects in our local community that respond to one or more of the following community-identified* priority areas:
- How might we influence attitudes and behaviours in our community to create a sustainable and thriving environment?
- How might we use public spaces more effectively to connect people in our community?
- How might we ensure that community voice informs decision-making?
- How might we ensure that people have affordable and adequate housing so everyone in our community feels safe?
- How might we improve public transport so that it is accessible and meets the needs of our community?
Proposed projects must be based in one of the local areas (Glebe, Haymarket, Pyrmont or Ultimo), and all applicants must have a community partner who is based in one of these suburbs.
If your project responds to the above areas and is based in Glebe, Haymarket, Pyrmont and/or Ultimo, please consider submitting your project for a Local Community Voice Grant.
Note: In 2022, the Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion conducted a project to listen to the community voices around Glebe, Haymarket, Pyrmont and Ultimo. New infrastructure coming into the area will impact these communities with the development of an innovation precinct. The community voiced their experiences, strengths and areas of potential disadvantage, and provided a vision for the future of their neighbourhoods. Through this work, the five priority areas above were identified.
Application process
Applications are currently open and will close on 12 April 2024.
Applications are to be submitted through the 2024 Social Impact Grants Google form.
Grant applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- The project aligns with the purpose and vision of the UTS Social Impact Framework.
- The project has the potential to contribute to the positive transformation of communities.
- Project lead/team has partnered with a community organisation and/or external stakeholder.
- The project lead/team demonstrates significant engagement with the community partner to identify needs and design the project.
- Intended beneficiaries will have considerable involvement in the project.
- The intended outcomes of the project are clear and achievable within the timeframe and resources.
- There is a clear and detailed approach to demonstrate the outcomes of the project, and this approach includes partner and beneficiary perspectives.
- Project activities and intended use of funding are detailed, clear and achievable within the timeframe and resources.
- There is a clear indication of how the project findings will be disseminated.
- The project lead and/or team have existing expertise within the subject area.
- Potential risks and how to address them are clearly identified.
- The project has been endorsed by the faculty dean/unit director/supervisor.
- Local Community Voice Grant: All projects must meet all the above criteria, and additionally:
- Projects must be in partnership with an organisation/group in the Glebe, Haymarket, Pyrmont and/or Ultimo areas.
- Intended project outcomes must benefit the Glebe, Haymarket, Pyrmont and/or Ultimo communities.
- Projects must seek to address at least one of the five community-identified priority areas:
- Ensuring community voice informs decision-making.
- Influencing attitudes and behaviours to create a sustainable and thriving environment.
- Using public and private spaces to connect people effectively.
- Ensuring affordable and adequate housing.
- Improving public transport.
Successful applicants will be notified by 10 May 2024.
Each grant will be awarded up to $5,000 including on-costs. Payments will be transferred to the staff member’s faculty or unit for disbursement. As part of the application process, all applications will need to include an indication of how the grant will be spent.
As a condition of the grants, successful applicants will be required to attend one three-hour evaluation workshop on either Monday 20 May 2024, 9.30am–12.30pm (face-to-face on UTS campus or Thursday 23 May 2024, 9.30am–12.30pm (online).
All grants will need to be financially acquitted by 8 December 2024. Research projects and practice initiatives need to be near completion by January 2025. A final report must be submitted by 28 February 2025.
For more information, to submit supporting documentation or if you have any questions, please email socialimpactgrants@uts.edu.au.
Strategic alignment
Social justice is at the heart of the university’s vision and purpose and underpins our UTS 2027 strategic plan.
Our social justice agenda is guided by the UTS Social Impact Framework, an institution-wide approach to driving social change both within and beyond our campus and community.
The 2024 Social Impact Grants must demonstrate UTS’s contribution to social impact in line with the purpose and vision of the Social Impact Framework. Grant applications must articulate how projects will contribute to the transformation of communities, and respond to one or more of the desired impact areas:
- A healthier, more sustainable, and socially just society.
- Increased public benefit.
- Increased social mobility and equity.
- Enabling environments for communities to thrive.
Key dates
- 12 February 2024: Applications open.
- 19 February 2024: Social Impact Grant information session. Register via Humanatix.
- 28 February 2024: Project and program design: Building skills to develop "funder-ready" project proposals. Register via Humanatix.
- 5 March 2024: Grant writing: Preparing high-quality applications that meet funder expectations. Register via Humanatix.
- 11 March 2024: UTS and community networking event (face-to-face). Register via Humanatix.
- 12 March 2024: UTS and community networking event (online). Register via Humanatix.
- 12 April 2024: Applications close.
- 10 May 2024: Successful applicants notified.
- 20 or 23 May 2024: Required one-day evaluation workshop for all grant recipients.
- Mid-October 2024: Progress check-in.
- 8 December 2024: The total grant budget must be expended by this date.
- 28 February 2025: Final report due.