President's Community Fund
How to Apply
The next application deadline is Friday 28 June 2024.
Please download the guidance notes and send completed application forms to communityfund@imperial.ac.uk.
Contact us for help with any questions.
We are committed to investing in our community, our people and our places, to increase our connections to one another and to our collective goals and aspirations.
As part of this commitment, we have established the President’s Community Fund to enhance the student experience and make a lasting impact on the wider Imperial community by improving existing facilities and creating new communal spaces, while encouraging collaboration across diverse parts of Imperial.
The fund has £1m available each year until 2026 to support projects across all campuses, through the support of generous donations. It welcomes applications from both students and staff for proposals to enhance our environment and best suit the way we work, study, and socialise as we emerge from the pandemic.
The President's Community Fund has been introduced to
- Enhance the student experience and benefit the wider Imperial community.
- Improve existing University facilities and/or address a shortfall in current facilities.
- Encourage collaboration across diverse parts of the Imperial community and foster inclusivity and community cohesion.
- Create a lasting impact on the Imperial community.
What we are looking for
The Fund will support projects that provide or improve spaces that can be utilised University wide. Previous projects funded include:
- SW7 gym refurbishment on the ground floor of Ethos
- Shared common space furniture to create collaborative spaces to work and relax
- Equipment for the new student makerspace in South Kensington
- New and upgraded common areas
- Greening of outdoor spaces
- Improvements to shared co-learning and co-working hubs
Read more about the projects the President's Fund has supported.
Information for Applicants
Funding and Eligibility
The President’s Community Fund will provide £5m over 5 years until 2026 to support a variety of small, medium and large projects. Proposals are welcomed from all College campuses and collaborative proposals between staff and students are encouraged.
To be eligible to apply, projects must meet the following criteria:
- Applicants must be staff members and/or students at Imperial College London.
- The project must aim to enhance the student experience and benefit the wider College community.
- The project must take place on College property.
- The cost of the project must total between £15,000 and £150,000.
How to Apply
The next application deadline is Friday 28 June 2024. Please download the guidance notes and application form and send completed forms to communityfund@imperial.ac.uk.
Applications will be reviewed quarterly. For any questions, please contact communityfund@imperial.ac.uk.
Process and Reporting
- Applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be considered by the Operations and Infrastructure Committee to assess their feasibility and any overlap with existing strategic plans.
- Successful projects will be managed by Imperial College London Project/Building Managers.
- Applicants will be invited to be involved in developing the vision of the project, although final decisions on feasibility, timeline and budget will be made by the Project/Building Managers.
- Project activities will be documented to capture the process and the outcome, which may be shared with the wider College community through the President’s webpages and/or internal news stories.
Review of Applications
Applications will be reviewed against the following six criteria:
- Impact - The project must benefit the College community and enhance the student experience. What is the need for the project and how will it benefit all those involved? Are there realistic objectives and timelines with a clear plan for delivery?
- Targeted - The project must identify a clear target area that would benefit from the project. Does the project target a specific audience with a clear rationale for why?
- Relevance - The project must improve existing facilities and/or address a shortfall in current facilities. Is the project available elsewhere in the College? Why are the specific improvements needed now?
- Collaboration - The project must encourage collaboration across diverse parts of the College community. How will your project engage and bring together members of the College community?
- Inclusivity - The project must demonstrate how they will foster inclusivity and community cohesion. Have all backgrounds and circumstances be considered? Are you actively encouraging all to take part?
- Legacy - The project must demonstrate how they will have a lasting impact on the College community. Will there be skills developed that can be applied elsewhere? Will relationships/collaborations developed be maintained?