Thirty-three projects representing 17 European countries have been awarded grants by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) for the 2024 Brain Awareness Week campaign. Formats vary, with projects covering a wide range of neuroscience topics including AI, depression, memory, music, and healthy aging. But all grantees share the goal of connecting with their communities to inform and excite them about brain science and its possibilities.
These annual FENS/Dana Brain Awareness Week grants have been awarded since 2006, funded by the Dana Foundation and administered by FENS—both organizations with a strong commitment to public education and engagement around neuroscience. Though the grants are relatively small in size (up to EUR 1,000), the approximately 600 projects funded through the years have made a profound impact not only on the public audiences they serve to inform, but also on the organizers who gain increased visibility on their work and encourage participation from those outside of the neuroscience community. We recently shared some of these stories in our article, “Elevating the Impact of Brain Awareness Week in Europe.”
In addition to administering the European Brain Awareness Week grants program (the International Brain Research Organization administers grants to all countries outside of Europe), FENS also offers a variety of resources on their website for Brain Awareness Week organizers and potential organizers to use in their outreach efforts. Find videos on the history of the brain, why fake news is so fascinating to the brain, and brain development and psychiatric disorders, as just a few examples.
For those interested in organizing a Brain Awareness Week event in the future and looking for tips to write a successful grant proposal, watch FENS’ video on running an event. You can also access their Brain Awareness Week grant reports as far back as 2008 to gather inspiration.
In addition to the activities funded through FENS and IBRO, hundreds of dedicated Brain Awareness Week organizers around the world plan events and share information each year. Find activities and news about the 2024 campaign, March 11-17, by following the hashtags #BrainWeek and #BrainAwarenessWeek on social media.
