Parliamentary Science & Technology Information Foundation

Enabling informed debate and policy making in Parliament through authoritative scientific information and assessments

How to apply for a grant

Our Purpose

To enable or support the provision of information on science and technology to Parliamentarians and those who support them to:

  • Aid the process of informed debate and policy making in Parliament and with Parliamentarians
  • Promote for public benefit, relations between scientists, engineers, industry and Parliament

The Foundation operates independently with very limited income, aiming to distribute most funds as grants while keeping administration minimal and transparent.

Grants

£20,000
Annual Grant Fund
£5,000
Maximum Grant (normally)
1988
Founded

Latest News

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Grants

New Grant Application Process Now Available

PSTIF Trustees • August 2025

Application Timetable

Opens: Mid-October 2025

Closes: 24 November 2025

Awards: Early 2026

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Foundation

PSTIF Seeking to Become More Active Body

Dr William Duncan • August 2025

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Governance

Foundation Constitution Being Updated Following Parliamentary Committee Changes

PSTIF Trustees • August 2025

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Partnerships

Strengthening Relations Between Scientists, Engineers and Parliament

Parliamentary and Scientific Committee • August 2025

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Scope

Expanded Definition of Science to Include Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Mathematics and Data Science

PSTIF Trustees • August 2025

About the Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation

Introduction

The Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation (PSTIF) is an independent charity established in 1988. With recent changes to the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee (PSC) constitution, PSTIF is seeking to become a more active body. We operate with limited income, aiming to give most funds away as grants while keeping administration minimal and transparent.

Working Relationships

PSTIF is separate from PSC. We maintain a close, transparent working relationship with PSC and collaborate with other organisations that support our charitable purposes, primarily by awarding grants to eligible applicants.

Charitable Objectives

The founding Trust Deed requires the Foundation to operate exclusively for the charitable purposes specified in its Trust Deed, which are:

a. To provide for Members of Parliament for themselves and their constituents for the general public use and benefit:

  • Authoritative scientific information and assessments upon scientific and technological research and education relevant to the United Kingdom
  • Notice of the results of scientific research and technological development
  • Summaries of scientific matters dealt with in Parliament

b. To promote for the public benefit:

  • Study and research into relations between scientific institutions, industry and Parliament (and to publish the usual results of such research) and to that end establish Westminster Fellows

Scientific Scope

In relation to the term "scientific" in the Trust Deed, the Trustees regard this as including the study and application of all:

  • Physical sciences
  • Earth and environmental sciences
  • Biological, medical and veterinary sciences
  • Engineering
  • Mathematics, statistics, informatics and data science

The Trustees also recognise that addressing major societal and global challenges often requires interdisciplinary research and therefore regard as eligible for support, projects that combine these scientific disciplines with other relevant fields, provided that the core of the work is grounded in the scientific disciplines set out above.

Read Grant Policies

Grant Policies and Procedures

Who this is for

We primarily fund small to medium charities, voluntary organisations, and APPGs — all with a science or technology purpose. Applications unrelated to Parliamentary science/technology information are unlikely to be successful.

Grant Definition

A grant is defined as a financial award the Foundation makes from its funds to support charitable activities, usually to registered charities, but can be to other bodies, where to do so is consistent with the Foundation's charitable purposes as set out in its Trust Deed.

Grant-making Principles

  • The Trustees have ultimate collective responsibility for all grant-making decisions in line with the Foundation's charitable purposes and any restrictions agreed with donors and funding partners
  • The Trustees reserve the right to apply conditions to any grant
  • The Trustees also reserve the right at their sole discretion not to approve any application for grant funding. They will not award a grant for a purpose that is not charitable or that would conflict with the Foundation's stated policies or could damage its reputation.

Grant-making Criteria

As a registered charity, the Foundation will only make grants to support activities which are charitable in law. Organisations do not have to be registered charities to apply, but the Foundation will only make general running cost or unrestricted grants to charities. Grants to other types of organisation will always be restricted to a specific charitable purpose.

The Foundation's preference is to consider helping organisations where there is a sound business plan, with the charitable costs of start-up or expansion.

Expected Outcomes

Trustees expect that grants will normally support one or more of the following outcomes:

  • Services and activities that work – helping maintain, expand or provide new services, with an emphasis on quality and effectiveness
  • Stronger organisations – organisational development rather than the costs of services
  • Change in policy and practice – influencing improvements in relevant policy and practice

As PSTIF does not have any staff, we are looking for partners with executive capacity and proven track record in delivery of relevant activities.

Possible Areas of Collaboration

Given the relatively broad charitable objects of PSTIF, there is a wide range of possible activities that could qualify for a grant. Below are some examples:

  • Science Communication Award directed to Parliament or public. Candidates could come from conventional and social media, both known and not so well-known
  • Events that communicate science and technology in a creative way to Parliamentarians
  • Talks or lectures by science communicators aimed at giving Parliamentarians better appreciation of topics of strategic importance in science and technology
  • Short term Internships or placements (Westminster Fellowships) to acquaint early career stage scientists, engineers or technologists with Parliament, and produce information related to the Fellow's expertise, relevant to Parliamentarians
  • Publications relevant to Parliamentarians on topical science and technology issues
  • Policy papers on science and technology topics aimed at Parliamentarians

This is not intended to be an exclusive list, and we would like to hear of other activities consistent with the charitable objects of PSTIF and the range of science and technology disciplines shown in the grants policy.

What We Don't Fund

  • Contributions to general appeals or circulars
  • Public bodies to carry out their statutory obligations
  • Activities which have already taken place
  • Grant-making by other organisations
  • Privately owned and profit-distributing companies or limited partnerships

Grant Amounts

  • Maximum grant: Normally £5,000
  • Annual limit: No more than £20,000 awarded cumulatively by the Foundation in each year to all applicants

Timetable

  • Call opens: Mid-October 2025
  • Deadline: 24 November 2025
  • Awards: Early 2026

Application Process

  1. Assessment by at least two Trustees to determine whether the application is eligible and, if so, whether it should be considered for further support
  2. Review by the Foundation, or by a person acting with the delegated authority of the Foundation
  3. Ratification by the Foundation. The decision of the trustees on whether to award a grant is final

Who Can Apply?

  • Small-to-medium-sized charities with a science and technology purpose
  • All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) with a science or technology purpose
  • Voluntary organisations with a science and technology purpose and aims consistent with those of the Foundation

Applicants do not have to be a registered charity to apply, but the work you ask us to support must meet the charity test. You must have:

  • A Governing document (constitution, rules, memorandum and articles of association etc.)
  • A governing body of at least three unrelated individuals
  • A bank account in your organisation's name with at least two unrelated signatories

Full Grants Policy Document

For the complete official grants policy approved by trustees, please download:

PSTIF Grants Policy (PDF)

Proceed to Application

Grant Application Form

Before you apply

This fund supports activities aligned with PSTIF's charitable purposes, especially small/medium charities, relevant voluntary organisations, and APPGs with a science or technology purpose. If your proposal is outside this scope, it is unlikely to be funded.

1. Organisation Details

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Click to browse for files
PDF, DOC, DOCX up to 10MB
Please upload the required governing document
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PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX up to 10MB
Please upload the required annual report and accounts

2. Key Contact Details

3. Grant Proposal

4. Financial Aspects

Please provide a breakdown of costs to be covered by the grant:

5. Optional Supporting Information

📁
Click to browse for files
PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX up to 10MB each

6. Declaration

I confirm that:

  1. I have the authority to submit this application, and
  2. The information submitted is true and correct, and
  3. If offered a grant, I will ensure compliance with any conditions of award specified by the Trustees

PSTIF Trustees

Professor The Lord Trees
FRCVS, FMedSci, Hon FRSE
Chair of Trustees
House of Lords
Viscount Stansgate
House of Lords
President, Parliamentary and Scientific Committee
Dr William Duncan
Secretary to Trustees
Former CEO of The Royal Society of Edinburgh
Secretary of General Council, University of Edinburgh
Dr Helen Mary Ewles
Head of Research and Innovation Policy, Royal Academy of Engineering
Philip Greenish CBE Hon FREng
Chair of the Southampton Hospitals Charity
Former CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Dr Ruth Gilligan
Assistant Director - Inclusive Institutions, Advance HE
Professor Michael Grove
Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education, University of Birmingham
Dr Alan Malcolm
Former Executive Secretary of Parliamentary and Scientific Committee
Former CEO of Institute of Biology
Stephen Metcalfe
Former Chair of Parliamentary and Scientific Committee

Governance

  • Decisions are made by PSTIF trustees, not connected bodies
  • Criteria reflect the Foundation's charitable objectives
  • Processes set out how grants are awarded

Meetings

The Trustees normally meet twice a year to consider grant applications and Foundation business.

Data Protection and Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation is committed to protecting the personal information of all its contacts and being clear about what information we collect from you and third parties and how we use it in accordance with all applicable laws concerning the protection of personal information. This policy explains:

  • What information we may collect about you
  • How we may use that information
  • In what situations we may disclose your details to third parties
  • Information about how we keep your personal information secure, how we maintain it and your rights to be able to access it

2. Data Controller and Data Protection Officer

The Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation ('PSTIF') is the Data Controller of any personal information collected within scope of this privacy policy. Our location and contact details are below:

The Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation
22 Greencoat Place, London SW1P 1DX
Email: william.duncan@scienceinparliament.org.uk

Our Data Protection Officer (DPO) is the first point of contact for people whose information is processed. Contact details for our DPO are as follows:

Secretary to Trustees
The Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation
22 Greencoat Place, London SW1P 1DX
Email: william.duncan@scienceinparliament.org.uk

3. Personal Information Held

PSTIF holds personal data provided by its Trustees, applicants for grants on the application (the 'Contacts'). The Information held, in all cases, is:

  • Title
  • Name
  • Email address

Additionally, we may also hold the following information if provided:

  • Job title
  • Name of Organisation (where applicable)
  • Postal address
  • Telephone

4. How We Use the Personal Information Held

The personal information held will be used to fulfil the purposes of PSTIF, for communications in connection with those purposes and to administer and improve the quality of the services that PSTIF provides to Contacts and to Contacts' organisations. Contacts can email us at william.duncan@scienceinparliament.org.uk if they no longer wish to be contacted individually or on behalf of their organisation(s).

  • The personal information may be shared with other organisations where there is a joint activity
  • PSTIF may share information with other organisations and businesses who provide services to PSTIF such as printers and distributors, web-site providers and those supplying administrative support. PSTIF will ensure that there is a written Agreement in place with all its service providers to ensure that they understand their obligations and responsibilities in respect of the Contacts' personal information
  • If PSTIF wishes to use a Contact's personal information for a reason other than those purposes set out above, PSTIF will inform the Contact before that use commences and will provide further information about the new purpose(s)
  • The personal information will be processed lawfully and transparently, and it will be kept safely
  • PSTIF may withdraw its services to any Contact who unreasonably fails to provide, or to allow retention of, any information which PSTIF considers to be necessary

5. Who We Give Contact Personal Information To

We will not routinely pass Contact information to any other organisation except for the purposes of PSTIF as above or if required to do so by law.

6. Legal Basis for Using Contact Personal Information

Under data protection legislation, PSTIF requires a legal basis to be able to process personal information. In most instances the legal basis will be Legitimate interest. In cases where PSTIF believes that there another legal basis, e.g. consent, is more appropriate, then we will act accordingly.

7. How We Keep Your Personal Information Secure

PSTIF will take all possible steps to protect the security of personal information in accordance with our legal obligations with information being stored either in secure storage or electronically in a secure server and/or databases which are password protected and made accessible to son a need-to-know basis only. We will ensure that any third parties we use for processing your personal information do the same.

We will only engage with online companies, suppliers and partners signing up to GDPR and the online Privacy Shield Network. Please note that the internet is not a secure platform and we cannot guarantee the security of the transmission of personal information via the internet. All personal information should therefore be submitted online if, and only if, the Contact accepts the incumbent security risks.

In the unlikely and regrettable event of a personal data breach, PSTIF will notify the ICO within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach and we will record the breach in our Data Protection Breach Log. If the breach is likely to affect the personal data or privacy of any of our Contacts adversely, we will notify them of the breach without unnecessary delay, detailing:

  • PSTIF name and contact details
  • The estimated time and date of the breach
  • A summary of the incident
  • The possible effect(s) that the breach could have on the individual
  • The measures taken by us to address the breach
  • How the affected individuals can mitigate any possible adverse impact of the breach

8. Contact Rights Over Their Personal Information

Once a Contact's personal information has been collected, the Contact has certain rights in relation to that personal information and has the right to:

  • Ask for a copy of their personal information
  • Correct inaccurate personal information held about them
  • Ask for their personal information to be deleted (within 30 days)
  • Restrict processing of their personal information
  • Ask for a copy of their information in a format that allows easy transfer ("data portability")

The Contact has a responsibility to the Committee to ensure that the Committee is kept informed of changes to ensure that the personal information held is accurate and current.

9. How Long We Will Hold Contact Personal Information

PSTIF will retain a copy of the Contact's personal information for as long as it is still needed for the purpose(s) for which it was collected.

10. Complaints About the Use of Contacts Personal Information

If a Contact is unhappy with the way in which their personal information has been handled by PSTIF, they may contact its Data Protection Officer (as shown above) who will try to resolve any issue informally. If the Data Protection Officer is not able to resolve the issue satisfactorily, the Contact can also make a complaint to the data protection supervisory authority. In the UK, this is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and they can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

11. Changes to This Data Protection and Privacy Policy

PSTIF will keep its Data Protection and Privacy Policy under regular review and we will inform you of any changes to this policy by sending an update by email. This privacy policy was last updated on 25 September 2025.

Contact Us

Secretary to the Trustees

Dr William Duncan
Secretary to Trustees
Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation

Contact Information

Email: william.duncan@scienceinparliament.org.uk

Address:
Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation
22 Greencoat Place
London SW1P 1DX

Grant Application Enquiries

Any informal enquiries, e.g. on eligibility, prior to submitting an application should be emailed to the Secretary at the email address shown above.

Application Deadlines

All applications must be submitted by a named person by the closing date specified in any call for applications. This will normally be at least 1 month before the Trustees meeting at which applications will be considered.

Privacy & Data Protection

For information on how we handle your personal data, please see our Privacy Policy.

Charity Information

The Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation is a charity registered in England and Wales.