2nd October 2026
News
On Monday 14th September, the Innovation Network on Cultures of Class welcomed Dr. Luke Blaxill from the University of Oxford as he delivered a funding workshop, but not the traditional kind that you might have attended before…
In our increasingly competitive academic climate, the UKRI and its subsidiary bodies offer a success rate of between 14%-25%. This is a harsh reality that demands a large investment of preparation and bid writing time, yet little chance of monetary return. With success within our institutions requiring a sizeable income stream to support research and Public and Community Engagement activity, our Network sought to identify other routes for funding that could attend to the collaborative and impact-focused goals of our network.
Following a huge success in securing more than 50 charitable awards during his PhD and Early Academic Career, Blaxill published the Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding, and established the Alternative Guide as an online funding resource. As former PGR director, Co-Chair Tanja Poppelreuter was familiar with some of the more alternative routes for postgraduate students, but was not as well acquainted with the opportunity for Early- and Mid-Career academics, or Networks. With Luke having demonstrated the vast scope and viability of ‘alternative’ sources of funding, the Innovation Network on Cultures of Class were keen to know what options might be available to us as a Network that champions academic research alongside philanthropic, community-based activity.
It wasn’t only our core team who this was of interest to, though – we had colleagues from the new faculty SHAPE, from Health and Society, PGRs, and members of the public come along to find out how they might benefit from alternative sources of funding.
Over two hours, Luke showcased the diverse range of charities and trusts that had an interest in supporting individual academics, and in supporting research projects with a clear public benefit. Some of these directories include:
- Register of charities – Charity Commission
- Funds online – published by the directory of social change (over 8000 funders)
- The Directory of Grant Making Trusts
- The Guide to Major Trusts
- The Guide to New Trusts
- The Grants Register
- The Complete Fundraising Handbook
Networking opportunities were built in to the session, with colleagues having the opportunity to share their current research projects and their future plans. In a room filled with a range of disciplines – creative practitioners, humanities scholars, healthcare researchers and business experts – one key issue brought together these projects: class and its associated inequalities and barriers.
Through Luke’s expertise and insights that he has so generously shared with us, we hope to see our Network members find new successes; either through securing that valuable research funding, or through identifying areas for future collaboration.
Our support for colleagues working in areas of class doesn’t end there – we will also be hosting a dedicated UKRI funded workshop this semester too. More on this soon!
If you have any questions or would like to know more about the session or our Network, please contact us at culturesofclass@salford.ac.uk.
Upcoming Network Events
Thursday 22nd October, 1pm-3pm, Salford Museum and Art Gallery
Celebrate the official launch of the Innovation Network on Cultures of Class, and hear from our keynote speaker, City Mayor Paul Dennett.
The Innovation Network on Cultures of Class, based at the University of Salford, invites all with an interest in social class, equality and opportunity to celebrate its launch.
We are delighted to be hosted by our partner organisation, the Salford Museum and Art Gallery, and to be joined by Mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett, as our Keynote speaker.
The Network is an interdisciplinary group that welcomes members of the public, museums, libraries and galleries, stakeholders in industry and politics, and academics to discuss matters of social class, past and present.
The Innovation Network on Cultures of Class will be running two events as part of this year’s Being Human Festival, the national festival of research across the arts and humanities.
Sunday 8th November: At the Crossroads of Manchester and Salford: A Walking Tour
Embrace your inner photographer and document the architectural developments from Aviva Studios to the Salford Precinct.
Join University of Salford Lecturers in Architecture, Dr Fadi Shayya and Dr Tanja Poppelreuter as they guide you on an architectural tour of Manchester and Salford from Aviva Studios, Manchester, through Ordsall, along Chapel Street and into the Salford Precinct. You will be encouraged to unleash your inner photographer, and take photos of buildings, streets and objects inspired by the tour, that will later be featured as part of an exhibition at the Working Class Movement Library from 11th-13th November.
This event is part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 5-14 November 2026. Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information please see beinghumanfestival.org
Places are free and can be booked here.
Wednesday 11th November – Friday 13th November: At the Crossroads of Manchester and Salford: An Exhibition.
Our second event as part of the Being Human Festival 2026 will showcase the photographs taken by members of the public at our event ‘At the Crossroads of Manchester and Salford: A Walking Tour’.
The exhibition will be open from Wednesday 11th November – Friday 13th November at the Working Class Movement Library.
Current Grant Schemes
The British Association for Local History (BALH) Small Grants Programme has been designed to support the study, enjoyment and dissemination of local history within Britain.
The BALH welcome applications for up to £500 from not-for-profit groups and organisations. We regret that individuals are not eligible to apply. You do not need to be a member of BALH to apply.
The closing date is Friday 9th October.
Historic England invites applications for Neighbourhood Heritage: Grants for Communities supporting community-led projects that use heritage to help people understand, influence and shape the future of their local places.
The closing date is Friday 27th November. Find more information here.
Early Career Research Support Grants provide funds to early career historians (historians who are within 5 years of submitting their corrected PhD in a historical subject) to undertake research. Applicants must also be members of the Royal Historical Society.
Grants of either £500 or £1000 per grant (based on the research activity to be undertaken) will be awarded by the Society.
The closing date to apply is Friday 4th December.
The Social History Society administers a Small Grants Fund to support research, events and activities undertaken by BME historians or focused on the histories of BME people
Grants can be used towards directly incurred research costs, for example costs of conference organising, consumables, travel and subsistence, equipment purchase, childcare, research assistance and similar immediate costs of conducting research.
We will make individual grants up to the amount of £1000. The application should clearly state for what the grant sought will be used. We reserve the right to offer a partial grant.
Events and other News from outside the Network
Alcoholism, domestic violence, mental illness and murder in the slums of Victorian Preston’s Irish quarter are the subject of an article by Brandon Reece Taylorian in this year’s journal of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire.