Research Better Together 2025 launch announced

MASH Support • November 30, 2024
Survey tick box

source: Catalyst/Sandra Griffiths
first published: 18 October 2024

'Research Better Together 2025' is a programme designed to support partnership working between voluntary sector, faith communities and social enterprises (VCFSE) organisations and university researchers. Catalyst 4 Change is a member of this partnership.


It has been developed by the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Voluntary Sector Council (BVSC) and is now funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHCR). Research Better Together is about doing research differently.


The programme supports VCFSE organisations (with their communities/service users) and researchers to be equal partners within research activity through: 


  • FREE networking activities
  • Grants of up to £8k to support VCFSE organisations to develop/undertake participatory research activity alongside a university researcher
  • Access to FREE training, mentoring and a community of practice

There is a new opportunity to access funding and free training to support research/co-production activity. 


  • Are you part of a voluntary, community, faith or social enterprise (VCFSE) organisation working with people living in Birmingham or Solihull to support their health and/or wellbeing? 
  • Do you have an interest in co-production and/or research activity? 
  • Are there topics relevant to your work that you think need to be researched to enable better services, increased understanding and/or change in society? 
  • Would you be interested in working alongside a university researcher to develop and conduct this work?

Networking Event, 2025:


There will be an in-person networking event on Tuesday 14 January 2025.

For further details please visit the BVSC Research Unit.


For further information please contact:

Clare Harewood at clareh@bvsc.org or Catalyst 4 Change at catalyst.advice@gmail.com

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