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  1. Queen Mary University of London
  2. Research
  3. Research Strategy
  4. Inclusive and Innovative Research
  5. Research impact
  6. Funding for Knowledge Exchange & Impact
  7. Queen Mary Impact Fund
  8. Applying to the Impact Fund

Applying to the Impact Fund

Following the redesign, the Impact Fund has changed how you apply for funds and worked hard to develop a wrap around support service with the relevant professional service expert being identified to work with you throughout your journey towards impact. Please read the how to apply section and make note of the guidance that has been developed to help you through the new processes.    

We have taken stakeholders feedback on board and have tailored different aspects of the Impact Fund process into a transparent support service that can be responsive to immediate opportunities whilst still providing clear governance for larger sums of money for each stage of an opportunity.

Funding Streams

The Impact Fund is offering three funding streams:

  1. Exploratory Impact Awards (up to £10,000): Ideal for testing ideas, planning impact journeys, generating early-stage impacts, and supporting small-scale projects. These awards may lead to larger initiatives.
  2. Impact Project Awards (£10,000 to £20,000): Geared toward building on exploratory awards or equivalent-stage projects, these awards focus on specific deliverables to support innovative ideas.
  3. Impact Accelerator Awards (£20,000 to £50,000 per project, £100,000 exceptional cases): Targeted at projects with clear opportunities for commercial or societal impact. These awards foster relationships with partners and investors to advance research. In rare cases, funding up to £100,000 is considered if justified.

We strongly recommend seeking match funding from project partners when possible.

How to Apply?

To start with your application, you will need to submit a short ‘intention to apply’ email to impact-acceleration@QMUL.ac.uk with an overview of the following information:

  1. Your idea and the research it builds on
  2. Intended impacts
  3. Partners involved
  4. Likely size of funding requested

You should discuss your project and start engaging with your Faculty Impact Officer and the broader teams that support Knowledge Exchange as earliest as possible.

Change in HEIF Guidance: Applicants should check if their proposals align with Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) priorities and dimensions - please review changes here

We recommend you familiarise yourself with the application processes and guidance documents which have been designed to support you in developing a successful application. 

When to Apply

For Impact Project/Accelerator Awards (£10k - £50k), you can prepare applications for the Spring 2026 window:

  • Spring 2026: The deadline to submit applications is February 27, 2026
    • Deadline to send "Intention to apply" email is Februrry 2, 2026
    • Panel sessions are expected to take place in May 2026
    • Applicants will be notified by end of May 2026

For Exploratory Impact Awards (up to £10k), the call is open throughout the academic year with panel sessions taking place every two months.

  • For Exploratory, Intention to Apply (ITA) emails should be sent by the 1st day of each month to be considered in that month's panel - see dates below 
  • Upcoming Panel dates for Exploratory and application submission deadlines:
    • Panel session: March 3, 2026 - submission deadline: February 13 - ITA deadline: February 1
    • Panel session: April 28, 2026 - submission deadline: April 15 - ITA deadline: April 1
    • Panel session: June 30, 2026 - submission deadline: June 12 - ITA deadline: June 1
    • Panel session: September 29, 2026 - submission deadline: September 14 - ITA deadline: September 1
    • Panel session: December 1, 2026 - submission deadline: November 13 - ITA deadline: November 1
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