Empowering Black Researcher Communities
Innovate Now with Wellcome.
This is a pioneering grant and capacity-building programme that provides £13,000–£48,000 in multi-year funding to Black-led initiatives impacting the lives of Black researchers. We’ll help you grow sustainably, strengthen governance and leadership, and expand your ability to support the research careers of Black and Mixed Black heritage people in the UK, driving long-term change in research culture.
Why Innovate Now?
Innovate Now is here to provide you with direct and intentional support to help you grow your impact. We understand the unique challenges Black-led community initiatives face in securing funding for essential services. With our financial backing and expert guidance, you’ll be equipped to take your initiative to the next level, boosting operational readiness, strengthening impact, and creating the best possible future for both your initiative and the community you serve.
About the programme
Wellcome is a global charitable foundation that wants everyone to benefit from science’s potential to improve health and save lives. The funding for initiatives is provided to Do it Now Now by Wellcome.
Innovate Now with Wellcome aims to strengthen Black-led leadership in the UK research ecosystem. It responds to a critical gap: many Black-led initiatives that support the research careers of Black Heritage and Mixed Black Heritage people provide mentoring, safe spaces, networks, and advocacy, yet remain underfunded, under-recognised, and often volunteer-led. Registered or unregistered initiatives are eligible for this opportunity as long as the income gained by the initiative does not exceed £150k annually.
The programme offers multi-year grant funding of £13,000–£48,000, tiered by an initiative’s annual income and legal form, alongside practical support to build leadership, financial resilience, operational readiness, and long-term impact.
Innovate Now runs as a 2–3 year programme focused on long-term resilience rather than short-term delivery. Grantees receive support to strengthen governance and internal systems, develop leadership and wellbeing, and connect through peer learning and collective spaces, with ongoing tailored guidance over the funding period.
Application windows:
Round 1: opens 28 Jan 2026 - 25 Mar 2026
Round 2: opens 7 Sep 2026 - 27 Nov 2026
Applications are made through an Expression of Interest, followed by due diligence and a 1–2–1 health check for shortlisted applicants, proposal development support, and onboarding into the longer-term capacity-building programme. Support is built in throughout, including 1–2–1 calls and regular drop-in sessions during application windows.
Backing Black leaders to build a more equitable research culture across the UK.
Our objectives
Our objectives are to provide sustained, accessible support that enables UK-based, Black-led initiatives with annual income up to £150,000 to become more resilient, effective and sustainable over the long term. We will strengthen initiative foundations by improving governance, leadership, strategy and internal systems, and by building financial confidence and operational readiness. We will invest in leaders’ resilience and wellbeing through tailored development, practical support and reflective spaces, so initiatives are better equipped to grow without burning out.
We aim to expand the capacity of funded initiatives to support the research careers of Black Heritage and Mixed Black Heritage people in the UK, while also backing work that tackles the systemic barriers shaping research culture. Because initiatives work in different ways and contexts, we will fund a broad range of activity, such as capacity building and leadership development, mentoring and peer networks, training and workshops, community engagement, research support services, advocacy and systemic change.
Eligibility Criteria
Legal Incorporation
Initiatives may be registered (charities, community interest companies, social enterprises, limited companies) or sole trader/unincorporated/unregistered groups with appropriate governance.
Fiscal hosting arrangements are acceptable (if requested).
Initiatives can be unincorporated/unregistered, university-affiliated (especially non-Russell Group institutions) or community-based.
Applicants should demonstrate a track record of supporting Black heritage or Mixed Black heritage researchers, students, or communities involved in research careers.
Geography
Initiatives must be based in and operating in the UK.
Please note that we will be prioritising communities and interventions primarily supporting Black researchers based in the UK.
Leadership
At least one decision maker has to be a DiNN Member - to become a member of the Do it Now Now community, please fill in this form bit.ly/dinncode (it's free and takes three minutes).
Black-Led initiatives, over 50% of the leadership of the initiative must identify as Black. This includes Black Heritage and Mixed Black Heritage in its definition.
75% of the initiative’s Directors, Trustees, or equivalent Governing Body members must have lived experience of the social issues your service users face and is the focus of the initiative. (The percentage is in line with the DEI Data Standard, if this percentage is not met because the Board is too small or other reasons, you may still be eligible, as long as the decision-making is led by people from Black and Mixed Black communities).
Finance
Initiatives must be generating an annual income between £0k and £150k. Registered initiatives evidence this using their submitted accounts to Companies House/Charity Commission. Unregistered Initiatives will evidence this through contract detailing, bank statements or other means available, such as a letter from an accountant. Our due diligence process in this regard is proportionate to the size and registration of the initiative.
Unincorporated initiatives, Sole Traders, Constituted Groups and Registered initiatives earning under £10k annual income are eligible to receive a grant of £13k over 2 years as long as they meet all the other criteria and as funds are available.
Registered initiatives with annual income between £10k - £30k are eligible to receive a grant of £21k over 3 years, as long as they meet all the other criteria and as funds are available.
Registered initiatives with annual income between £30k - £150k are eligible to receive a grant of £48k over 3 years, as long as they meet all the other criteria and as funds are available.
Programme Events
Innovate Now with Wellcome -Information Session
Multiple dates
Develop the insight and know-how you need to define, prepare and write a successful proposal for this funding opportunity.
Application Support - Drop in Session
Mondays during recruitment, 4-5pm
Get access to our programmes team who will be available to answer any questions you have on a weekly basis.
How we’ll work
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Submit an EOI form to help the programme team understand your organisation's alignment with the funding criteria. This initial submission gathers essential details about your organisation’s mission, financials, and leadership. It is not a full proposal but sets the foundation for further engagement if shortlisted.
The expression of interest form will give us a good idea of how closely you meet the eligibility criteria.
For more information and a question by question breakdown, be sure to read through our guidance document.
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Shortlisted applicants undergo a detailed health check, where an assessor works with you to understand your organisation’s strengths and needs. The due diligence process includes reviewing key documents like accounts and governance policies. The goal is to assess readiness for capacity building and funding.
For more information about this please read the guidance document. -
If successful in the health check, you’ll move to proposal development. This involves working with the programme team to refine your project idea, ensuring it’s ready for submission to the funding committee. During this stage, you will also receive training and resources to strengthen your organisation’s proposal.
For more information please review the guidance document. -
Once your proposal is approved, you'll begin the contracting onboarding process. This includes receiving your contract for up to £48,000 grant. The onboarding phase ensures that you have all the resources and guidance needed to implement your project and achieve sustainable growth.
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We know that to achieve your goals capacity building, and more importantly, tailored support is necessary to move in the right direction. Our compensated capacity building programme will meet you where you are and support you all the way.
You will engage with dedicated trainers, subject matter experts as mentors, and much more. This LIVE online training is best suited to the leadership of the organisation.
Its time to take the next step
This is your opportunity to access up to £48,000 in funding and practical support to strengthen your Black-led impact initiative. If you’re ready to build long-term sustainability and make a real impact in Black researcher communities, we’re looking forward to welcoming you into the programme.
Why us?
As a Black community-focused infrastructure organisation, DiNN works intersectionally across the demographics and causes our community is active in.
Over the past couple of years, we have been particularly active in supporting the sustainability of Black-led climate action, youth-led, lived experience-led, and strengths-based organisations.
Our Support
We want you to have the best possible experience of this funding programme. Please feel free to get in touch with us so we can help you through.
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Get in touch with us directly by email and we’ll get back in touch within 2 working days.
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1-2-1 support calls are available throughout the duration of the Expression of Interest window.
This is an opportunity for you to clarify any questions you may have about the application process. To request a call, please email us. Please join the call with your questions prepared.
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Drop-in Sessions for application support will take place at set times during the application process following the screening of the Expressions of Interest. In these sessions, we will consistently offer opportunities to discuss any challenges you are having through the process.
Round 1 drop-ins will be here (Google Meet) from 4pm - 5pm every Monday between 28 January 2026 and 25 March 2026.
Round 2 drop-ins will be here (Google Meet) from 4pm - 5pm every Monday between 7 September 2026 and 27 November 2026.
Please note that this is excluding any bank holidays.
Our Collaborator
