Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) is offering grants of up to £3,000 for up to 20 community leaders across the UK.
The funding is to design and deliver activities between 8 February and 20 June 2027 that engage communities with the role of data in supporting health and wellbeing and gain skills, knowledge and connections along the way.
Community leaders should be working with one or more of the following priority audiences, based in the UK:
- People from low socio-economic backgrounds
- People from minority ethnic backgrounds
- Older children and young adults aged 11–25 (especially in areas of deprivation)
- People over 65 (especially in areas of deprivation)
- People living in rural areas (defined as settlements of fewer than 10,000 people in England and Wales, fewer than 5,000 in Northern Ireland, and fewer than 3,000 in Scotland)
- People experiencing digital exclusion.
And they need to deliver activities that engage their community with the role of data in exploring at least one of the following priority health and wellbeing issues:
- Brain health (for example, dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.)
- Cancer
- Environment and health (for example, access to nature, air pollution, etc.)
- Heart health
- Sustainable and healthy diets (for example, eating locally sourced foods, reducing food waste, etc.)
- Young people’s mental health.
It is not necessary to have any experience of data, science or research to take part. Community leaders need to be at an established UK-based community organisation with an organisational bank account and provide evidence that they could act as a champion for data in their communities,
The deadline for applications is 2 November 2026 (noon).