£4,000 funding available to help disabled people and carers engage with research in Cheshire and Merseyside
Voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations in Cheshire and Merseyside are being invited to apply for new funding to support disabled people and carers to engage with health and care research.
As part of the Cheshire and Merseyside Research Engagement Network (REN) programme, Voluntary Sector North West is working with the BRIDGE Research Network to fund six Disabled People and Carers Research Participation Pilots. Each pilot will receive £4,000 to test community led approaches that help build confidence, trust and access to research opportunities.
The funding is aimed at Disabled People’s Organisations, self advocacy groups, carers’ organisations and end of life organisations who are well placed to work with communities that are often under represented in research.
What the pilots will focus on
Funded organisations will design and deliver activities that help people:
Understand what research is and why it matters
Feel safer and more confident taking part in research
Access clear and supported routes into future research opportunities
Activities could include accessible community conversations, creative or peer led engagement approaches, one to one support for people facing confidence or access barriers, or gathering insight from communities on what helps or prevents people from taking part in research. Projects may also support people to sign up to Be Part of Research or produce simple guidance for researchers on how to work well with communities.
Organisations are encouraged to shape their activity in ways that work best for the people they support.
Who can apply
To be eligible, organisations must be based in Cheshire and Merseyside and be a registered charity, social enterprise, co operative, or an unincorporated voluntary or community organisation with an appropriate constitution. Applicants must work with disabled people, carers or people with lived experience of end of life care, be able to deliver activity within the pilot timescales, and be willing to share learning with the wider VSNW and REN partnership.
How to apply
Please complete this online form to apply. The application window will be open for four weeks.
Applications open: 29 December 2025
Applications close: 23 January 2026 at 12pm (midday)
Applications will be reviewed by a small panel of REN partners, with applicants notified of the panel’s initial decision within two weeks of the closing date. Successful organisations will receive a funding agreement and light touch reporting guidance, and will be asked to provide a short learning and impact summary at the end of the pilot period.
Find out more
For further information or support with your application, contact:
Francesca McIntosh, Senior Research Engagement Coordinator, Voluntary Sector North West: francesca.mcintosh@vsnw.org.uk
Seonaid Beddows, Regional Community Engagement and Inclusion Manager, North West Regional Research Delivery Network: seonaid.beddows@nihr.ac.uk
Organisations needing an alternative format or support to complete the application are encouraged to get in touch.