The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), through its science in society work, provides grants towards several of the BSA’s projects: British Science Week, the CREST Awards, and the UK Science Festivals Network.

BIS’ support for British Science Week includes funding the BSA to administer a grants programme for schools in challenging circumstances (the Kick Start grants scheme) and community groups working with under-served audiences (the Community grants scheme).

The Department’s support for the BSA’s flagship education programme, the CREST Awards, includes funding towards the development of a digital delivery model for the programme, and a special project targeting disadvantaged schools and pupils who wouldn’t ordinarily have access to STEM enrichment activities – thus opening up access to STEM project work opportunities and important inquiry-based learning skills to thousands of young people, especially those who might not self-identify as being interested in science.