Mentally Fit York funding

The fund is currently open to receiving applications to the spring 2025 round

Link to Application Form (with onwards link to budget template & detailed funding guidelines)

*The deadline for submissions is Monday 14th April 2025 at 17:00 (BST)*

The Mentally Fit York Fund has three main goals: 

• Supporting initiatives that aim to protect and improve mental health for all, including minority and diverse groups, within the University and local communities
• Co-production/co-creation of research projects and research outputs, with students, staff, service users, alumni, donors and the public, that aim to generate or disseminate new evidence, insights and knowledge about mental health
• Provision of student scholarships for discrete projects, proposed by undergraduate or postgraduate students which are directly relevant to mental health 

Those who can apply to the fund include:

• Academic Staff in University of York Departments and Schools
• Representatives of Colleges and Professional Services
• Postgraduate and undergraduate students at the University of York
• University of York Students Union (York SU) registered student societies
• Local voluntary/charitable organisations
• Public organisations (e.g. NHS/schools)

Important: where the lead applicant is not a member of academic staff at the University of York (i.e., Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader or Professor) a member of University of York academic staff must be included as a co-applicant on the application form. 

To ensure that the money is invested in the most effective and strategic way, the Fund's Disbursement Group will be focusing on three specific areas in 2025. These are:

1. Children and young people (aged 0-18 years old and in relation to mental health polcy and practice in e.g. education, health, employment and social care sectors)
2. Workforce and workplace (e.g. mental health workforce, mental health in the workplace, work-based interventions)
3. Heritage, culture and arts and humanities (e.g. cultural/historical records and artefacts relating to mental health, philosophical and sociological understandings of mental health)

We are looking for applications that seek to accelerate the translation of research findings into mental health policy and practice, or aim to carry out new research that addresses policy-relevant questions relating to mental health.

Examples of the types of projects that we would fund are:

• Engagement of clearly identified groups of policy makers with relevant research findings relating to mental health. Proposals should provide a detailed and credible engagement strategy, explaining how the findings align with policy priorities.
• Consultations with end users of research (including patients and carers) to explore how policy-relevant findings relating to their mental health could best be implemented.
• Co-designing innovative research projects with students, staff, service users, alumni, donors and the public, that aim to answer new questions in the area of mental health relevant to policy makers.
• Co-designing creative outputs to help disseminate relevant findings about mental health to policy makers and other stakeholders and end-users.

Funding availability

There are three levels of awards you can apply for:

• Up to £5,000
• Up to £10,000
• Up to £15,000

For each application round, we intend to fund one award at each level, however, the amount of awards available may vary per application round, depending on the funds available.

Resubmission of unsuccessful applications is not permitted, unless invited following assessment by the Mentally Fit York Disbursement Group. Successful applicants may not apply for funding for a new project until 12 months have past since the start date of their first project.

Funding cannot subsidise costs associated with PhD or Masters studies. 

How are applications assessed?

The fund disbursement group will meet quarterly to assess applications and allocate the available funding, on the proviso that funds are available for disbursement. Applicants will usually be informed of the outcome of their application within three weeks of the application deadline.

Subsequent round deadlines:

• Summer round - Wednesday 4th June 2025

If you have any questions, please contact the Supporter Relations in the Office of Philanthropic Partnerships and Alumni (OPPA) on oppa-stewardship@york.ac.uk