In 2021 CAST launched a competitive open Impact Fund, which makes small pots of money available for practitioners, communities, or organisations who want to work closely with CAST researchers to co-develop and deliver low-carbon transformative initiatives.
Proposals eligible for the fund aim to decarbonise diet, transport and mobility, heating/cooling, and/or material consumption using a social/behavioural approach that sees people as agents of change. Interventions focus on creating change at household, community, and/or organisational levels.
The CAST Impact Fund is open to applications from non-academic organisations that wish to work with one or more CAST researchers, in particular our Early Career Researchers, to either evaluate an existing intervention or co-develop and evaluate a new intervention.
Over the last 18 months, the fund has supported 8 projects, including:
▪ Creating a Stakeholder Toolkit for Building Engagement with Climate Change in the context of Covid-19. Led by Dr. Chris Shaw, Climate Outreach
▪ Co-production of an assessment toolkit to embed assessment of carbon and co-benefits in decision-making. Led by Dr. Chris Jones, Tyndall Centre, University of Manchester
▪ Developing practical resources for transformative citizens’ assemblies on climate change. Led by Dr. Stuart Capstick, Cardiff University
▪ Connecting Chorlton Climate Action Partnership to strengthen climate action in cities. Led by Dr. Angela Minas, Tyndall Centre, University of Manchester
▪ Co-developing a net zero behaviour change strategy & toolkit for Cornwall Council. Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, University of Bath
▪ Designing new intervention pathways to reduce water and energy use in high-use household. Led by Dr. Claire Hoolohan, Tyndall Manchester.
▪ Positively influencing the travel choices of live music audiences. Led by Dr. Adam Corner, Independent Researcher.
More information will be shared soon on these projects, their partners and their impact.
If you’d like to hear when the Impact Fund opens please join our mailing list.