Award description 

Overview and context

Public Health Grassroots Awards are for individuals working in public health or a role tackling the wider determinants of health.

The aim is to stimulate interest and activity in public health research outside of the NHS, among professionals who might not traditionally have access to such opportunities. They provide an opportunity to enhance research awareness and skills to increase their impact and contribution to evidence-based practices, promote understanding of the NIHR and associated support, and foster strong relationships and partnerships across the wider research infrastructure.

Public Health Grassroots Awards of £5000 can be used flexibly and tailored to individual needs. Applicants do not need previous research experience, and for some this will be the first step in their research journey. The award supports activities to facilitate personal and professional development, whilst contributing to the efforts of local authorities and VCSEs to become more research active.

Awardees will have the opportunity to connect with other SCPH-funded local authority roles (Local Authority Research Practitioners (LARPs) and Public Health Engagement Leads (PHELs)), Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs), and individuals undertaking NIHR Fellowships and will benefit from SCPH bespoke training and development and national networking activities.

Watch the Public Health Grassroots Webinar to support applications that we held on 13 May.

Outcomes

Following completion of a Public Health Grassroots Award, the awardee will be able to show evidence that they have achieved at least three of the following outcomes:

• Completed the planned activities proposed within the application

• Developed new or enhanced research knowledge, skills and experience

• Developed or strengthened relationships and networks. This may include relationships and networks with local authorities, voluntary organisations, academia, NIHR and the SCPH

• Increased understanding of the NIHR and the infrastructure available to support colleagues working in public health and those working to tackle the wider determinants of health

• Increased understanding of public and community involvement and engagement in public health research

• Developed skills in inclusive research design

• Considered how the award has informed their plans for future career development and the next steps in their research journey

Evidence of the above will be sought through a short Public Health Grassroots Awards final report.

Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for applicants are detailed below.

Individuals:

1. Working in public health or a role tackling the wider determinants of health

2. Employed by:

   1. • A local authority in England, including NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs), providing the applicant’s post is not directly funded by the HDRC

      • A non-NHS provider in England, commissioned by a local authority to deliver a public health service or function

      • A VCSE organisation in England that receives a grant or is commissioned to deliver public health services

3. In the earlier stages of their research journey. Applicants do not need to have any previous experience of research

4. Holding a degree in any subject (or equivalent experience required for their role). Those with post-graduate qualifications (level 7 and above) are not eligible for this call

5. Proposing a short-term personal development plan (typically 3-6 months)

6. With a plan that can be achieved within the £5000 funding envelope. Where a development plan exceeds this amount, it must be clear within the application the specific elements within the plan that the Public Health Grassroots Award will cover

7. Can choose to make a joint application with an individual in their organisation who has similar levels of experience, areas of interest, and learning needs. Any joint plan must be achieved within the £5000 funding envelope

You cannot hold a Public Health Grassroots Award at the same time as another NIHR career development award or SCPH-funded role.

In the Public Health Grassroots Awards pilot, awardees came from a variety of roles, and examples of these are listed below. This list is not exhaustive and awardees can be at any level, as emphasis is placed on individuals in the early stages of their research journey.

• Programme Manager within a public health team

• Chief Operating Officer in a voluntary sector organisation delivering public health services on behalf of local authorities

• Public Health Research Officer working within the council and museum trust

Scope of funding and the types of activities that can be supported by a Public Health Grassroots Award

The aim of the award is to stimulate interest and activity in public health research outside of the NHS, supporting awardees in the earlier stages of their research journey. Research experience will vary between awardees, and therefore individual needs will differ. The award is designed to allow awardees to create a bespoke plan to achieve their desired outcome. Examples of activities and costs that may be included (but not limited to) within a plan are detailed below.

• Salary support that would allow the awardee's employer to ‘release’ them to undertake the proposed development activities

• Short placement with a research team undertaking public health research. This could include:

  • A team within the awardee's employing organisation

  • A team in a local authority (including HDRCs)

  • An academic team

  • A team based within the NIHR, working with local authorities (e.g. Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Teams (PHIRST))

• Funding for specific training courses (based on individual need and scope of the award) to develop research skills and experience

• Funding for training or development of skills to undertake work with people and communities

• Funding for training or development of skills in inclusive research design

• Funding to attend any relevant UK conferences

• Time with a mentor or coach

• Supplementary resource including childcare, accessibility support (e.g. British Sign Language), or other needs that might otherwise prevent access to the Public Health Grassroots Award. This can be included in the award and claimed through the employing organisation's expenses process

• Travel, accommodation, and subsistence required to undertake the development activities

Training activities that enable an awardee's colleagues to participate can be included within the award plan, as it supports the development of research capacity and capability across the organisation. This comes with an understanding that the employing organisation is responsible for the cost associated with the training and releasing colleagues from their day-to-day role to participate in such activities.

The SCPH training and development pages provide a gateway to over 100 resources and training courses. You can also find information on upcoming training webinars and events. We encourage all successful awardees to undertake the free SCPH public and community involvement and engagement training.

In the Public Health Grassroots Awards pilot, funding was used in a variety of ways, with some examples listed below:

• To secure time outside of their day-to-day role and cover the cost of one module on the Master of Public Health course, to understand implementation science and apply some of its methodologies to their current role

• To secure time outside of their day-to-day role to fund 3 months out of a 6-month academic placement on an NIHR-funded project, refining topic guides, and conducting interviews

• To secure time outside of their day-to-day role to fund a 3-month academic placement, assisting with the analysis of quantitative data, including survey responses and epidemiological data

• Training, including:

  • Introduction to qualitative research

  • Introduction to qualitative interviewing

  • Reporting qualitative data

  • AI assisted qualitative analysis

  • NHS: Working with People and Communities to Improve Health Outcomes

  • Public Involvement in Research

  • Research Methods: A Practical Guide to Peer and Community Research

• Travel costs

Benefits for the Public Health Grassroots Awardee and their employer

• Builds long-term, stronger partnerships to support public health research locally and across England, with the potential to be self-sustaining beyond the lifetime of the funding

• Develops an understanding of NIHR infrastructure and the available opportunities for future progression at the end of the funding period

• Allows the identification and development of partnerships and relationships to help support future development needs (e.g. to enable application to further career development opportunities and identify a suitable supervisor)

• Demonstrates the role of the organisation in championing a research culture and in supporting the development of capacity and capability for research

• Funding facilitates the awardee’s personal development, enhancing skills, knowledge and experience which is retained within the organisation

• Opportunity to shape SCPH plans, ensuring support offerings to local authorities are appropriate, impactful, and accessible to colleagues at various stages in research

• Facilitates access to the support available from the SCPH

Expectations of the employer

The employing organisation will be expected to fully support the awardee to undertake the activities agreed and have a willingness to flex to enable involvement in the activities required to help maximise the benefits to the awardee, the organisation, and the wider research system.

Selection Criteria for shortlisted applications

All applications are screened for eligibility.

Eligible applications are scored against the selection criteria by at least 2 panellists using a standardised process.

Panellists include members of the SCPH core team, external partners, and public contributors from the SCPH Public and Community Partnerships Advisory Board.

There is a maximum of one award per organisation in this round. Where applications exceed the award thresholds, or where there are two or more fundable applications per organisation, the following inclusion and reach factors will be considered by the panel in their decision making:

1. Strength of application (application score)

2. The extent to which the awardee would be eligible to apply for other NIHR career development opportunities. This will ensure awards provide opportunities where they may not otherwise be available

3. History of previous NIHR research career development awards

4. The extent to which the award will actively address and mitigate challenges faced in becoming research active

5. The potential for the award to impact on research capacity and capability more widely than the individual (e.g. via a joint application or across the organisation or external networks)

Glossary

HDRCs 

Health Determinants Research Collaborations. 

NIHR funding, awarded to a local authority to boost research capacity and capability and to embed a culture of always using evidence when making decisions. More information on HDRCs

LARP 

Local Authority Research Practitioner. 

A LARP is employed by a local authority in England. They work with their councils to improve their ability to do research and use it effectively. They are part-funded (50%) by the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Public Health (Newcastle University and Partners). More information on LARPs

NIHR

National Institute for Health and Care Research. 

The NIHR fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth. More information on NIHR

PHEL 

Public Health Engagement Lead. 

PHELs are employed by a local authority in England and are funded by the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Public Health (Newcastle University and Partners). Their role is to advocate for research and develop partnership work to build stronger links with local government and appropriate expertise and infrastructure. More information on PHELs

SCPH 

Specialist Centre for Public Health.

Our national centre provides support for public health research outside the NHS, aiming to support the creation of high-quality research evidence that is needed to inform policy and practice to improve public health and reduce inequalities. More information on the NIHR Research Support Service Specialist Centre for Public Health

VCSE 

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise.

A sector of organisations and groups that address local social, environmental, and economic issues. These organisations can be charities, Community Interest Companies, or Community Benefit Societies.