The British Science Association (BSA) is launching a brand-new Community Grant scheme for this year’s British Science Festival (BSF).

The BSA is providing grants of £500 to community groups/organisations in Brighton that work directly with audiences who are traditionally underrepresented and currently not engaged in science activity. They want to empower and support community groups to run their own science activities as part of the BSF, enabling new local audiences to engage with science.

The deadline to apply is Friday 26 May and applicants must complete a short online form.

There will be interest in supporting events that demonstrate how science is a wider part of culture. There will also be priority to events that are embedded in the local community and ones that will have legacy, providing a way for those involved to continue their engagement with science.

This year the British Science Festival will be jointly hosted by the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton between 5-9 September 2017, transforming the city of Brighton into a vibrant celebration of science, engineering and technology.

Christina Fuentes Tibbitt, Engagement Manager at The British Science Association, said: ““The BSA is committed to growing and diversifying the community of people interested and involved in science. With this new grant scheme we want to support local groups in Brighton who might not otherwise engage with the British Science Festival. These grants will allow local groups to take ownership over the activities and make science something that’s relevant and interesting to them.”

Professor Michael Davies, Pro Vice Chancellor of Research from the University of Sussex said, ahead of tonight’s launch: “I am delighted that the British Science Festival will be hosted in Brighton this year. It is such an excellent opportunity for us to show off the fantastic research happening here at University of Sussex, and for us to work alongside our partners at the British Science Association and the University of Brighton. I am really looking forward to this September.”

Professor Andrew Lloyd, Dean of the College of Life, Health and Physical Sciences from the University of Brighton, said: “One of the most important aims of the British Science Festival is to engage new audiences with scientific research and with the work of the host universities. I am thrilled that we are able to help support the work of local community groups in Brighton with this grant scheme and I hope it will not only encourage more local people to visit the Festival later this year, but also perhaps to become more interested in and inspired by science as a result.”