Alumni Impact Fund - for staff

Applications are open to all staff, whether you are an academic, support staff, technician or part of Professional Services, to bid for a share of the Fund to support innovative projects that have a positive impact on the academic endeavour, teaching and the student experience.

Candidates wishing to apply must fill in the online application form and provide support of the application from your Head of School/Department, or Head of Estates if your project will impact the University's estate.

Staff can bid for up to £5,000. However, larger amounts will be considered in exceptional circumstances so please do speak to us in this instance.

Applications will be considered by a panel comprising representatives from across the University and a member of our alumni community.

Unlike in previous years we will not be dividing the pot to provide a set amount of funding per college or across students/staff/Dubai – it will be one pot, open to all.

Monday 30 September: Applications open

Wednesday 9 October: Online Alumni Impact Fund information session. At this session you can:

• Find out more about the Fund
• Get tips on how to fill out your application effectively

9am Monday 28 October: Applications close

Week commencing Monday 18 November: Applicants notified of outcome

Please ensure the project is feasible and will go ahead before applying.

To be considered for funding, your project must clearly demonstrate that it:

• Is new and/or innovative and may provide the basis for future activity
• Offers a unique opportunity to enhance teaching, or students' academic activities, on campus and enriches the student experience and aligns with the University’s strategy
• Is not a core Department, School, College or University requirement
• Cannot be funded in any other way
• Has the support of the Head of School/Department, and Head of Estates for any bids that impact on the University's estate
• Must be completed by an agreed date in order to demonstrate immediate impact

To celebrate the University's 125^th birthday we are encouraging staff to think about how their project will engage students with the commemorative year and compliment the programme of activity. 

 Terms and conditions

• This money has been charitably donated to the University by alumni and all projects funded must reflect the spirit of this generosity and the ethos of the University
• Funding cannot be used to support research trips, cover personal travel expenses, catering or alcohol
• We reserve the right to consider the likely expectations of charitable donors about the use of their donation, and will not fund projects that could negatively impact on our future fundraising. We would not, for example, usually fund proselytising activities
• Funding cannot be used with the sole aim of directly supporting another charitable cause
• Only one application will be funded per individual
• All funding must be spent and projects completed by an agreed date
• All successful applicants will be required to complete a short survey once their project is completed

This will be available on Monday 30 September.

Here are just some of the projects that we funded in 2023/24

Ladywood Literacy Club, delivered by Professor Suganthi John

The Ladywood Literacy Club project aimed to delivery literacy sessions at primary schools in Ladywood Ward. The inspiration for the project was to enable our students to deliver reading sessions in one of the wards in Birmingham where literacy rates are at their lowest in the country.

The alumni funding was invaluable in enabling the administration of DBS checks and safeguarding sessions. With many volunteers to schedule in a tight window, having student coordinators and a DBS check coordinator ensured that we were ready with availability and scheduling of timetables so that the checks could go ahead without delay and at the convenience of the school. This has meant that 12 students have now been checked and are ready to embark on literacy support sessions in the autumn semester.

With the support of alumni donors, our students have the opportunity to enhance their university experience with opportunities outside the university community.

Enterprise Island: Jersey Trip 2024, delivered by Vikesh Mistry

The activity was a Birmingham Scholars trip to Jersey to learn about enterprise and gain knowledge and inspiration to engage with B-Enterprise and eventually start their own business.

The Alumni Impact Fund funding provided us with the ability to offer a bursary to each Birmingham Scholar, to take away the financial barrier which maybe would have stopped them from applying initially. As a department, we do not have this amount of funding and could not have provided this experience without the Alumni funding. We are very grateful!

For queries relating to the Alumni Impact Fund, please contact Eleanor Woulfe.