Nominations open for ?Healthy Planet, Healthy People?: Catalyst Award (UK)

Deadline: 01-Dec-26

The Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Catalyst Awards support community-led research projects in Scotland that develop practical solutions linking health, climate, nature, and food. Successful applicants can receive up to £5,000 for demonstrator or pilot-scale research projects lasting up to 12 months, with funding available to Scottish individuals, community groups, charities, institutions, and other eligible organisations. What Are the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Catalyst Awards? The Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Catalyst Awards are designed to support community-led research that develops practical responses to environmental and health-related challenges. The programme connects individual and community health with the condition of the environment. It supports research that can contribute to: Applying existing knowledge to develop a practical solution to a defined challenge. The programme is intended to support demonstrator and pilot-scale projects that can test ideas, generate evidence, or develop practical approaches that communities can use. Academic researchers may apply, but their proposed research must have a clear community-led focus. What Topics Are Supported? Projects must focus on one or more of three core themes. Climate Projects can explore how climate-related challenges affect health, communities, or local environments and develop practical responses. Nature Projects may address biodiversity loss, environmental resilience, healthy ecosystems, or the relationship between nature and human wellbeing. For example, projects could develop long-term community plans to respond to local biodiversity loss. Food Projects can examine food environments, nutrition, food access, and healthy eating.

Potential areas include:

Improving local food environments. Increasing access to nutritious food. Improving nutrition among vulnerable populations. Supporting healthier eating behaviours. Addressing food-related inequalities. What Approaches Are Encouraged? Applicants are encouraged to use one of three broad approaches. People-Centred Approach This approach focuses on neglected or underrepresented voices. Applicants identify communities or groups whose experiences are not adequately represented and develop research around their needs and perspectives. Problem-Solving Approach This approach uses data collection and analysis to understand a specific challenge and identify evidence-based solutions. Practice-Oriented Approach This approach focuses on developing and testing new practical solutions to established problems. Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed research can move from knowledge or evidence toward practical community action. Why Does the Programme Matter? The Catalyst Awards recognise that environmental conditions and human health are closely connected. Community-led research can help identify solutions that are more responsive to local circumstances because communities participate directly in defining problems and developing responses.

The programme can help communities:

Generate locally relevant evidence. Test innovative ideas. Address environmental health inequalities. Improve access to healthy food. Strengthen community resilience. Protect local biodiversity. Develop practical climate responses. Create solutions that could potentially be adapted elsewhere. How Much Funding Is Available? Successful applicants can receive up to £5,000. The funding is intended to cover eligible costs associated with a clearly defined research project. Projects can run for a maximum of 12 months. There is no specified minimum project duration, allowing applicants to propose projects appropriate to their research objectives and scale. Who Is Eligible? The programme is open to individuals and groups that can demonstrate the capacity to lead and deliver the proposed research.

Purpose: Community-led research and practical solutions

Maximum funding: £5,000

Maximum project duration: 12 months

Minimum duration: No minimum specified

Project type: Demonstrator or pilot-scale research

Core themes: Climate, Nature, Food

Lead applicant location: Scotland

Eligible applicants: Individuals, community groups, charities, educational and research institutions, social enterprises, local authorities, and other eligible organisations

Unincorporated groups: Eligible with a sponsor organisation

Consortium applications: Permitted

Academic applicants: Eligible when research is community-led

Geographic impact: Projects must have an impact in Scotland

Frequently Asked Questions What are the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Catalyst Awards? They are grants supporting community-led research in Scotland that develops practical solutions related to health, environmental resilience, climate, nature, and food. How much funding can applicants receive? Applicants can receive up to £5,000 to cover eligible costs associated with a defined research project. How long can a funded project last? Projects can last for a maximum of 12 months. There is no stated minimum project duration. What topics does the programme support? Projects should focus on one or more of three core themes: Climate, Nature, or Food. Can academics apply? Yes. Academic researchers are eligible provided that their proposed research is genuinely community-led and meets the programme’s other eligibility requirements. Can an unincorporated community group apply? Yes. An unincorporated community group can apply if it has a sponsor organisation to hold the grant funds on its behalf. Can international organisations participate? Yes, international organisations and institutions can participate as consortium partners. However, the lead applicant must be based in Scotland, and the project must have an impact in Scotland. Conclusion The Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Catalyst Awards offer small-scale funding for communities and researchers in Scotland to investigate environmental and health challenges and turn knowledge into practical solutions. With