Diversity and Inclusion Initiative Funding

The University is currently accepting bids for funding between £300 and £1,000 for projects and initiatives themed around diversity and inclusion. Examples of how the funding could be used include hosting diversity and inclusion related events and covering costs for producing materials.

Applications are welcome from all colleagues across the University. This is the summer round of funding this year. In this round, we are open to a variety of project/initiative bids. We would be particularly keen to receive applications with a component or focus on aspects relating to the Race Equality Review and/or the Disability and Neurodiversity Review which is underway.

Applications must be made using this Application Form. Please complete this and email it to the central Diversity and Inclusion Team at diversity@reading.ac.uk by 17:00 on Monday 09 August 2021. We expect to notify applicants of decisions on funding bids by early September. The decisions made by the panel are final. Feedback will be provided where possible.

Assessments will be based on the following principles:

• Diversity and inclusion relevance specifically to School, Function or University.
• Link to School/Function/University aims or KPIs - although we would also encourage initiatives relevant to other protected characteristics.
• Potential and plan for longer term impact on wider University.
• Any allocated funds must be used by July 2022.

Please note that as a condition of the funding, we require some reporting back from you:

• A 1-2 page report received by the end of July 2022 that details: name of project and leaders and funding awarded; what has been done; what has been spent; what impact(s) there have been and any measurement of this; what follow-up plans there are, or plans for sustaining activities into the future.
• Where possible, 1-2 photos relevant to work you have done as part of the project that we might use in publicity, e.g. staff portal articles, Twitter, together with a completed permission form if relevant. These should be high resolution.
• We would also welcome a blog piece to be published on #DiverseReading which might be at the end of the project or part-way through.
  <!--[endif]-->

We look forward to hearing from you!

Dr Allan Laville (Dean for Diversity & Inclusion), Hatty Taylor (Diversity & Inclusion Advisor) and Nozomi Tolworthy (Diversity & Inclusion Advisor)

Previous bids

The fund aims to encourage and support diversity and inclusion initiatives across the University. The following projects received funding in the 2020/21 round:
<!--[endif]-->