Aston Policy Support Fund

Funding to support research activity aimed at evidence-based policy making

The Policy Support Fund (PSF) aims to support research activity to facilitate and empower evidence-based policymaking. Aston University academics undertake research with a wide range of policy and political structures and organisations, from local government to central government and parliament, from working with the justice system to health and education bodies.

Previous projects have covered issues from improving children’s diets to food security, community engagement to music ecology projects.

Please note: the application round for the Policy Support Fund 2023-24 is now closed.

Aston has been awarded a small allocation of Policy Support Funding from UKRI. This funding is to support research activity aimed at evidence-based policymaking. The funding is for universities to undertake research with local, regional, national and international structures (including parliament, central government, devolved administrations, local government, health and education bodies, the justice system and other regulatory organisations) with a particular focus on local and regional challenges. 
 
We are now asking for proposals. Each bid should be for direct funding of around £5k to be spent by the end of July 2024. 
 
Proposals should fit the remit above and could include: 

  • New research activity working in partnership with policymakers, particularly to better understand local, regional or national challenges.
  • Extending existing policy-related research activity.
  • Facilitating the use of existing research and the exchange of knowledge between universities and policymakers.
  • Activity aimed at improving the dialogue between universities and policymakers.
  • Activity and training to better equip academics, including postgraduate researchers and early career researchers, to communicate effectively with policymakers.
  • Partnerships and collaborations aimed at supporting evidence-based policy making.
  • The exchange of people e.g. staff secondments, contributing towards professional doctorates in policy, joint PhDs, etc.