Ministry of Justice (HMPPS)

Reading for Redemption Phase 2 Expansion

The Reading for Redemption Phase 2 Small Grants Scheme funds UK higher education institutions and recognised research organisations to deliver and research university-led educational reading programmes in prisons. It builds on a proof-of-concept pilot at HMP Frankland and targets people in custody who can read but do not routinely take part in reading provision. Every project must be built around a curated reading list tailored to a specific prison cohort, with a reflective element and research on engagement, critical thinking and wellbeing. Up to four grants of £20,000 are available, paid in advance from the MoJ Spend to Save Innovation Fund, with delivery roughly January to December 2027.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £5,000 – £20,000
Deadline: 35 days left; 22 November
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Open to UK Higher Education Institutions, recognised research organisations, and academic partnerships led by an eligible institution
Delivery must be university-led, and applicants must provide evidence of support from the Higher Education Institution responsible for delivery and written confirmation in principle from a participating prison establishment that it is willing to take part
Applicants must demonstrate experience of delivering comparable higher education, educational reading or research programmes; appropriate governance and safeguarding arrangements; capacity and experience to work in prison environments; ability to deliver the monitoring and research requirements; capacity to manage public grant funding; and financial stability and organisational capability
They must identify the target cohort and explain why current reading provision does not meet its needs, show all costs fit within the grant, and confirm no duplicate funding
Any applicant must meet HMPPS due diligence requirements before an award is made
Charities and other organisations are not listed as eligible leads

What it funds

University-led educational reading programmes in prisons that test how structured reading, reflective discussion and literature-based learning can increase engagement with reading amongst individuals in custody who can read but do not routinely participate in existing reading provision:

A carefully curated reading list tailored to the needs of a specific prison cohort
Regular direct engagement with participants through university-led delivery, which may include facilitated discussions, reflective activities and supported reading sessions
A reflective element to the educational reading programme
Research on participant attendance and engagement, reading habits, attitudes to reading and learning, critical thinking, empathy and social awareness, staff observations, barriers and enablers, and lessons for future scaling
An end of prototype project report
Programme costs including resources, travel and research activity, which must be delivered within the grant

successful projects must submit a National Research Committee application within 4 weeks of confirmation of a successful bid and comply with HMPPS research governance. Activity takes place between approximately January and December 2027, with a final end of year report due by April 2028.

What it will not fund

Core services which HMPPS should be delivering
Activities that have received or will draw duplicate funding
Costs incurred in submitting applications
Activity outside the specified delivery period

How to apply

Agree in principle with a prison establishment that it will participate, and secure a supporting letter from the delivering Higher Education Institution
Send any clarification questions to prison_education@justice.gov.uk (answers are added to the advert)
Start a new application on Find a Grant and complete all questions in the Apply for a Grant application form, keeping within each word count and without diagrams, tables or images
Submit by 11.59pm on 22 November 2026
If successful, pass due diligence and fraud risk checks, sign a Grant Funding Agreement, and submit a National Research Committee application within 4 weeks

text beyond a word limit is not evaluated. Applications must average at least 3 out of 5 across the technical questions and not score below 3 on any question; grants go to the highest overall technical scores. The Authority may ask clarification questions only to fix minor errors or unclear points.

Have ready

Evidence of support from the Higher Education Institution responsible for delivery
Written confirmation in principle from the participating prison establishment of its willingness to participate

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