Program Overview

Introduction to the Bank of Imagination

The Bank of Imagination is an initiative that enables academics and partner organizations to collaborate on projects that benefit communities. It encourages innovation, experimentation, and co-creation of solutions with partners and recipients.

Our Values

• We are innovative: We challenge the status quo and uncover new ways of doing things.
  • We look at the world with fresh eyes to find innovative solutions.
• We make it happen: We prioritize experimentation and action over discussion.
  • We believe in taking action to solve complicated issues.
• We act with integrity: We work together for the common good, taking care of each other and the people we work with.
  • We are responsible to each other, our partners, and the communities we serve.
• We continue learning: We research, learn from others, and reflect on our actions to improve.
  • We test our ideas, reflect on our progress, and adjust our approach as needed.
• We are collaborative: We believe that innovation often lies in the unpredictable and requires many advocates working together.
  • We collaborate with others to imagine and create a new world.

Our Strategies

• Health: We search for innovative solutions to provide health benefits for everyone.
  • We aim to reduce the strain on the economy by promoting a healthy population.
• Education: We educate children to embrace and adapt to a world driven by technology and change.
  • We teach them to see challenges and solutions rather than unsolvable problems.
• Arts, culture, and the creative economy: We assist and encourage those in the creative economy to build sustainable and empowering sources of income.
  • We believe that art and culture enable us to live a more fulfilling life.
• Public sector innovation: We help public sectors adapt to austerity and discover opportunities to solve problems and empower citizens.
  • We enable them to deliver more with less while effectively engaging with their citizens.

What We Fund

We fund collaborative research that links academic research with partner organizations in the public, private, or third sectors.

The Bid Writing 101 Workshop

The Bid Writing 101 workshop is a highly interactive, hands-on workshop that helps participants develop the transferable skills to write effective funding bids. The workshop has a limited number of participants to ensure personalized attention.

Preparation

Before attending the workshop, participants are expected to submit an Expression of Interest for a project they would like the Bank of Imagination to fund. This project does not have to be a real-world project but serves as a vehicle for participation in the workshop.

On the Day

The workshop includes a learning section that takes participants through the bid application process, informing them of the types of information they need to consider for a successful bid. Participants will work on drafting their bids during the morning, with ample time for group feedback and one-to-one support from the Imagination team.

Writing Your Bid

A funding application form is distributed at the workshop. Participants will have the opportunity to draft their bids, with breaks for progress reports and feedback sessions.

Group Feedback and Reflection

Throughout the day, there are opportunities for group feedback as well as one-to-one support. The session concludes with a reflection on what has been learned, ensuring that everything has been understood, and answering any further questions. Discussion also includes where and how to apply for real-life funding for the bid proposal and how to apply the skills learned to future applications.

Bank of Imagination Background

The Bid Writing 101 workshop and the Bank of Imagination project originated from a HEIF-funded project called the Funding Accelerator, which ran for over eighteen months from January 2018. The aim was to create a 'bloom' of projects initially in the Blackburn with Darwen area and later including Blackpool, Morecambe & Lancaster, and Cumbria.

Team

• Leon Cruickshank
• Sharon Summers
• Lisa Turton

Related Areas of Interest

• Co-Design and Participatory Design
• Design for Policy & Governance
• Social Design

Writing Retreats

The Bank of Imagination organizes writing retreats to give project partners time and space to move their bids along. These retreats are seen as worthwhile, providing support, guidance, and the opportunity to critique and refine bids. They cater to a mix of experienced bid writers and those new to bid writing, offering a collective environment for learning and progress.