Commissioning Call for Short Policy-Focused Research Projects

The Rural Wales Local Policy and Innovation Partnership (Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales) invites applications from researchers to carry out a short research project addressing an issue concerning the economy, society or culture of Rural Wales where stakeholders have identified a need for further data, evidence and/or analysis to support effective policy-making.

The topics that we invite proposals on are:

1. Dynamics of the Labour Market in Rural Wales: Vacancies, Opportunities and Recruitment Challenges
2. The Geographical Clustering of Business Sectors within Rural Wales
3. Care Sector Provision and Employment in Rural Wales
4. Mapping Community and Third Sector Wellbeing Networks, Partnerships and Alliances In Wales
5. The Social, Economic and Cultural Contributions of On-Call Firefighters in Rural Wales
6. Business Models for Community Enterprises
7. What can we Learn from How Community and Cultural Organisations Engage and Implement Net Zero Policies?
8. Understanding Creative Freelancers in Rural Wales
9. Welsh Language as an Enabler or Barrier in Collaborative Projects
10. Modelling Labour and Skills Demands for Delivery of Local Area Energy Plans in Rural Wales
11. Capturing the Social Benefits of Community-owned Renewable Energy Schemes
12. How might a Universal Basic Infrastructure guarantee work for Rural Wales?
13. Models for Strengthening Rural Proofing in Wales
14. Representation of Rural Community Interests in Wales
15. Promoting Cultural Resilience and Wellbeing in Eryri National Park

Briefs for each of these topics can be found below. Research projects should address the requirements of the brief and applicants are invited to design and propose a research strategy and methodology appropriate to achieve the desired outcomes. It is envisaged that the projects will primarily involve desk-based and online research, including secondary data analysis, but there is scope for limited new primary data collection, for example through interviews, focus groups or surveys, within the time and funding available.

Projects should be completed over a period of no more than six months, with funding of up to £15,000 FEC available to support the work. Up to ten projects will be awarded, with no more than one project awarded on each topic.

This Commissioning Call is part of the UKRI-funded Local Policy Innovation Partnerships programme and as such eligibility criteria, funding terms and other conditions of the award, outlined below, are determined by UKRI regulations. More information about Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales can be found on our website.

Eligibility

Applicants must be employed at a university or other UKRI-recognised research organisation. Applicants do not need to be based in Wales.

Funding

Up to £15,000 FEC is available for each project. Following UKRI funding rules, grants will be paid at 80% of Full Economic Cost. The grant may be used for any item of expenditure permissible under UKRI rules, with the exception of PhD studentships. For example, funding may be used to cover investigator time (directly allocated costs), directly incurred staff costs, travel and research consumables, as well as indirect costs in accordance with normal UKRI funding terms.

Reporting, Data and IP

Project-holders will be required to produce and submit a research report and a Policy Brief, using templates provided, at the end of the funded period. These will be reviewed by the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Executive and published on the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales website and in the Rural Wales Data Hub. For certain topics there are additional requirements for outputs, as specified in the briefs below.

The project-holder will have ownership of results and other intellectual property generated by the research and will be entitled to publish from the work, subject to appropriate acknowledgement of funding. The project-holder will be required to grant Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sub-licensable, royalty-free licence to use the results for academic and non-commercial research purposes, for example in the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Annual Report.

Data generated by the research should, within reason, be made available for archiving and public access in the Rural Wales Data Hub, subject to appropriate measures to respect confidentiality and research participant anonymity. In accordance with UKRI requirements, data should also be offered to the UK Data Service for archiving.

Geographical Scope

The core area of Rural Wales covered by Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales is defined as the local authority areas of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys and the Vale of Glamorgan. However, it is recognised that for some topics it may be appropriate for research and analysis to additionally include wards or output areas in other local authority areas of Wales that are categorised as rural in the ONS rural-urban classification.

Application Process

Applications should be submitted using the online application form, by 09:00 on Monday 16 February 2026.

The online application form asks for details of (i) the topic being addressed; (ii) proposed methods and approach, including data sources, techniques for data collection and/or analysis, case studies (if applicable), and outputs; (iii) relevant expertise and experience of the researcher(s), including relevant publications and grants, and previous experience of policy-related research or engagement: (iv) budget costings; (v) risk assessment; and (vi) indicative timetable. A pdf copy of the application form can be found here for information, but the application must be submitted using the online form.

All applications will be peer reviewed by a pool of reviewers drawn from the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales team and the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Advisory Board. Awards will be made by a panel comprised by Professor Michael Woods (Director, Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales), Professor Thora Tenbrink (Lead, Responsive Research Work Stream), and three members of the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Advisory Board (2 academic and one from the policy sector).

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be assessed on the following criteria: (1) Understanding of the research problem and policy context; (2) Suitability of the proposed approach and methods; (3) Expertise of the researcher(s) relevant to the topic; (4) Experience of the researcher(s) in undertaking short-turnaround and/or policy-relevant research; (5) Feasibility of the proposed work within the available time and budget.

If no applicants on a topic are deemed to meet minimum thresholds on these criteria, no award will be made for that topic. A maximum of one award will be made per topic.

Timetable

Task	Date
Call advertised	5 January 2026
Deadline for applications	16 February 2026
Funding decision made	By 6 March 2026
Research to start	1 April 2026
Funding ends and report due	30 September 2026

Briefs for External Commissioning of Responsive Research Projects

1) Dynamics of the Labour Market in Rural Wales: Vacancies, Opportunities and Recruitment Challenges

The objective of this research is to investigate the current situation of the labour market in Rural Wales, focusing in particular on the type of opportunities that are available with local employers (e.g. sector, nature of work, salary level, qualifications required, Welsh language competence), and on turnover of vacancies, including identifying the roles and jobs that employers find more difficult to recruit to.

There is a widespread perception that there are limited employment opportunities for young people in Rural Wales, fuelling a dominant pattern of out-migration. A survey of over 1,000 young people in Rural Wales in 2021 found that only 22% agreed that employment opportunities in their local area were good, 63% were concerned about finding a suitable job in their local area, and 81% thought that they would need to move away for work, education or training. Moreover, 69% stated that the availability of more jobs related to their intended career would make it more likely that they would stay in the area. However, when respondents cited examples of specific jobs and careers, many were in sectors that are represented in Rural Wales, and/or have been the focus of investment through the Growth Deals. At the same time, there is anecdotal evidence of employers in rural areas facing difficulty in recruiting suitable employees and filling vacancies, which is supported by now-dated survey data. The Wales Rural Observatory survey of business in Rural Wales in 2013 found that 53% of respondents agreed that it was difficult to recruit appropriately skilled employees and 33% stated that there was a shortage of applicants for vacancies.

This research should contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the current dynamics of the labour market, and how supply and demand can be better matched, through case studies of two or three local authority areas [or Travel to Work Areas] in Rural Wales (one of which should be Ynys Môn [or Holyhead / Bangor, Caernarfon & Llangefni TTWAs], with the other(s) to be selected by the researcher). It should address the following research questions:

• What is the profile of current/recent advertised job vacancies in the case study area?
• How quickly are vacancies filled? Are some types of vacancy more difficult to recruit to than others? Are employers satisfied with the fit of recruited staff to requirements?
• How does the profile of vacancies compare with available data about the profile of the local workforce / young people in the local area?

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification. Full data from the 2021 Survey of Young People in Rural Wales will be made available to the researcher and emerging data from the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Survey of Rural Businesses, scheduled for October 2025, will be shared as it becomes available.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) summary profiles for each case study area that can be shared with local policy-makers and officials; (c) recommendations to local authorities, Growth Deals, Welsh Government and/or other appropriate bodies to inform policies and actions to enhance the fit between employment opportunities / employer needs and local labour supply.

2) The Geographical Clustering of Business Sectors within Rural Wales

The objective of this research is to develop understanding of the local-scale geographical distribution of businesses in specific sectors in Rural Wales and to investigate whether there are tendencies for businesses of certain types to cluster together within the same locality, and if so, which businesses sectors cluster where. It also aims to examine the benefits accruing to businesses from clustering and how these can be promoted or supported through policy.

The principle of benefits for innovation and productivity arising from businesses operating in a specific industry or sector co-locating in the same locality or region is well established in economic geography but has usually been studied at a metropolitan or regional scale. The clustering of related businesses on a smaller scale within rural areas is less well documented or understood, although there is both historical and anecdotal contemporary evidence of certain rural localities being known for their association with specific industries or sectors. Clustering has been implicitly incorporated into economic development strategies in Rural Wales, including the current Growth Deals, through prioritisation of specific sectors for growth and efforts to attract anchor companies/organisations that it is anticipated stimulate development of linked businesses. The WLGA’s Rural Vision for Wales in 2021 similarly proposed creating hubs for different cultural industries in selected small towns in Rural Wales as anchors for clusters of related small enterprises and freelancers. While many of these models are centred on an anchor company or institution, the research should also explore the potential for clusters to form without an anchor.

The research should provide an evidence base to inform policy and programmes for economic development, including place-based approaches that may aim to build on existing or emergent clusters, by:

• Analysing and mapping data on businesses in Rural Wales to identify existing geographical clusters of businesses operating in the same sector or industry.
• Using case studies to explore whether identified clusters involve functional collaboration or networking between businesses; the infrastructure and practices that support collaboration or networking; the factors contributing to the emergence of the cluster; and the benefits identified by businesses from being part of a cluster.
• Drawing on wider literature and/or examples outside Rural Wales to supplement the above analysis in identifying the potential for developing business clusters in Rural Wales and examples of good practice in promoting clusters and maximising their benefits to businesses.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification. Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) recommendations to local authorities, Growth Deals, Welsh Government and/or other appropriate bodies to inform policies and actions relating to the potential role of industry or sectoral clusters in economic development.

3) Care Sector Provision and Employment in Rural Wales

The objective of this research is to strengthen the evidence base on the structure and accessibility of the care sector in Rural Wales, its resilience to changing demography, and the profile of employment in the sector, including issues of recruitment and retention. The research should cover both residential and day care for the elderly and for other adults with special needs, in both the public and private sectors.

There is significant concern about the capacity and resilience of the care sector in Rural Wales, but robust and comprehensive data on the sector is limited. Social care has become the dominant item of expenditure for local authorities, with the combination of rising costs and budget reductions leading to difficult decisions about public provision. Limited availability in rural areas of specialist care facilities in particular has necessitated local authorities placing individuals in facilities outside the region, often at high cost. At the same time, there are suggestions that the private care sector has contracted, with Nation.Cymru reporting that 40 elderly care homes closed in Wales between 2020 and 2023, with only four new homes opening. Business property consultants Christie & Co have forecast a shortage of 10,000 care home beds in Wales over the next decade. Challenges of staff recruitment and retention have been cited as a contributing factor to the contraction of care provision, with Care Forum Wales highlighting the significant employment of non-UK migrant workers by care providers and raising concerns about the impact of proposed changes to immigration regulations around the overseas recruitment of care workers on the sector. It has been suggested that care providers in rural areas are more exposed to recruitment challenges due to smaller local labour markets, while the impact of the closure of care providers in rural areas is accentuated by limited transport infrastructure constraining the capacity of residents to travel to alternative providers.

The research should contribute to the evidence base on the care sector in Rural Wales by providing data and analysis on:

• The structure, location and capacity of public and private care provision in Rural Wales, including residential and day care, and recent changes.
• Employment in the care sector in Rural Wales, including issues of recruitment and retention, vacancies, and employment of non-UK nationals.
• Impacts of limitations in care provision, and of changes in care provision, on the accessibility of care to residents of rural communities.
• Challenges affecting the resilience of the care sector, including demographic changes, labour costs, and immigration regulations, and strategies adopted by the sector to plan for or mitigate these factors.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification. Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) recommendations to local authorities, health boards, Welsh Government and private care providers to inform future policy and planning.

4) Mapping community and third sector wellbeing networks, partnerships and alliances in Wales

The objective of this research is to provide an overview of community and third sector initiatives and networks for wellbeing operating in Rural Wales, to identify gaps and overlaps in provision and activity, and to inform perspectives on how support for community and third sector wellbeing networks can be delivered more coherently and equitably.

Community and third sector initiatives and networks are important in supporting and advancing the wellbeing agenda in Wales, acting across the seven wellbeing goals identified in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, playing a key role in enabling community led action, knowledge exchange and place-based collaboration. There has been a rapid growth in grassroots development of networks and alliances that are either geographically or thematically focused, but initiatives can be disconnected and partial. While policies in Wales espouse the importance of co-production, the national infrastructure is not in place to make a practical positive difference for impactful change in community settings. Recent research by Together for Change (TfC) has highlighted systemic gaps at the national level around opportunities for people to convene around a platform for change that delivers knowledge transfer, space for discussion and relationship building, and support for skills and capacity development in research, data, and evaluation. These gaps form barriers that stand in the way of impactful coherent community-led action for wellbeing.

There is currently no comprehensive understanding of the number, nature, function and geographical reach of community and third sector-led wellbeing networks, partnerships and alliances in Wales. Government and anchor organisations that have a support role in developing the wellbeing economy need a fuller and more detailed overview of the rapidly changing place-based community-led landscape in order to further understand how impactful change can be supported in a sustainable way.

The research will contribute to this agenda by examining community and third sector networks, partnerships and alliances for wellbeing in Wales through:

• Mapping community and third sector wellbeing networks, partnerships and alliances operating in and across Rural Wales, including their number, coverage and geographical distribution; their function, form and membership; and their sources of funding.
• Compiling an overview of the governance structures and organisational practices of networks, partnerships and alliances and the range of activities undertaken or supported, including roles in relation to capacity-building, co-production, learning, knowledge sharing, research, evaluation and policy influence.
• Identifying gaps and overlaps in coverage and examining factors promoting or constraining further expansion and/or collaboration.
• Investigating challenges faced by community and third sector networks, partnerships and alliances for wellbeing, including sufficiency of funding and resources, and strategies for adaptation or mitigation.

Applicants should outline the research methods that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification. Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) recommendations for enhanced support mechanisms directed to potential users including community organisations, CVCs, funders, local authorities, Public Services Boards, Welsh Government departments.  It is anticipated that the research will help shape more coordinated and effective support for community-led action, inform decisions on resource allocation, funding and mechanisms for knowledge transfer, and influence programmes relating to place-based development and wellbeing.

5) The Social, Economic and Cultural Contributions of On-Call Firefighters in Rural Wales

The objective of this research is to develop understanding of the social, economic and cultural contributions of On-Call (part-time) Firefighters (OCFF) to rural communities in Wales, providing evidence to enable recognition of the social, economic and cultural value of OCFFs to be incorporated into decision-making and to inform national and local policies to support the sustainability of the OCFF service, to respond to emergencies.

In Wales, 54% of firefighters are OCFFs, with much of Rural Wales between the Heads of the Valleys and the north coast almost wholly dependent on OCFFs for fire and rescue services. Despite their critical role, OCFFs and the Retained Duty System (RDS) within which they work, face systemic challenges, including under-recognition, recruitment difficulties, and resource constraints. OCFFs not only perform a vital role in emergency response but also embed the Fire and Rescue Service in local communities, often formally or informally making contributions to wider community life. 

However, the social, cultural, and economic value of OCFFs is neither well defined, nor well understood. This can result in a poorly articulated, and therefore understated value proposition by which strategic leaders, politicians, and policy makers might make the case for broadening the opportunities to augment OCFFs role in local communities, investing in steadfast sustainable solutions, and increasing local community resilience. 

The research should develop understanding of these issues by:

• Quantifying the social, economic and cultural contributions of OCFFs
• Developing a Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework and potentially a tool, tailored to OCFFs. 
• Identifying measurable social impacts, including community medical response resilience, cost savings, and cultural community orientated engagement activity, volunteer retention rates, community identity, and public recognition of firefighter contributions, Improved safety outcomes, enhanced public trust, and community engagement.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a set of benchmark data covering the three Fire and Rescue Services in Wales; (b) a proposed SROI framework for assessing the social, economic and cultural value of OCFFs that can be employed by Fire and Rescue Services in Wales and potentially elsewhere; (c) a short report following the provided template, including recommendations to Fire and Rescue Services, the Welsh Government and its Social Partnerships to enhance OCFF recruitment, retention, and resource allocation.

Applicants should outline the research methods that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification.

This research need has been identified by the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service who are willing to provide further guidance and assistance during the research.

6) Business models for community enterprises

The objective of this research is to develop understanding of ‘what works’ as business models for community enterprises in the context of Rural Wales, including both the constitutional form and governance structure of enterprises and models for revenue generation and financial sustainability.

Community enterprises play an increasingly important role in the economy and society of Rural Wales, frequently filling gaps in service provision and infrastructure created by the withdrawal of public or private providers, or forming vehicles for community-led action for environmental sustainability and the Net Zero transition, economic regeneration, cultural resilience, or addressing local inequalities. Community enterprises aim to enhance local control through community ownership and management, and to contribute to community wealth-building by retaining profits locally, but there is no single organisational form that they take. Common models include Community Interest Companies, social enterprises, and cooperatives, but the pros and cons of these different structures are not widely understood by community activists. Financial sustainability can be a challenge for community enterprises of all forms, with many reliant on limited-term grant funding. Some enterprises have however developed independent revenue streams, including innovation approaches such as providing the Clerk function for Community Councils, yet again there is little understanding of the transferability or scalability of these models.

Additionally, access to resources has been identified as a barrier to the continuation and growth of community enterprises. Pooling resources has been identified as one way to increase the resilience and sustainability and may be enabled or constrained by different business models. This approach is commonly described in the private sector as ‘bootstrapping’, with a variant model of ‘socially oriented bootstrapping’ promoted for community and social enterprises in recent academic literature.

The research should contribute to evaluation of different business models and identification of ‘what works’ through:

• Surveying the range of business models adopted by community enterprises in Rural Wales.
• Case studies to examine business structures and financial models in detail, including motivations for adopting specific approaches, benefits accrued and challenges encountered.
• Assessment of factors affecting the transferability or scalability of the models identified.
• Analysis of the scale of resource pooling (or ‘bootstrapping’) by community enterprises in Rural Wales, challenges encountered, and potential for wider use.

Applicants should outline the research methods that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification. Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) worked examples, templates or infographics illustrating different models that can be shared with community enterprises; (c) recommendations for enhancing guidance and support for community enterprises for potential users including Government, business support, and third sector organisations.

7) What can we learn from how community and cultural organisations engage and implement net zero policies?

The objective of this research is to develop understanding of the ways in community and cultural organisations in Rural Wales engage with and take action on the climate emergency; and to identify lessons from these experiences that can inform more effective policy-making and support the wider application of policies in this area.

Community and cultural organisations are important to the implementation of policies to address the climate emergency and support the Net Zero transition in Rural Wales. They serve as key actors in public engagement on climate and nature crises, driving behavioural change and local innovation. Cultural norms and storytelling are critical influences on how we act, whilst integration of cultural identity and language in climate strategies have been shown to maintain social legitimacy. Equally, people-centred and place-based approaches can help deliver a just transition to avoid disadvantaging rural communities (e.g., through land-use conflicts, or affordability).

There are a growing number of bespoke third sector organisations and partnerships to support net zero education and community engagement (e.g. GwyrddNi) that we can learn more from. There is also an opportunity to better understand how longstanding community and cultural organisations (e.g. Merched y Wawr, Young Farmers Club, Eisteddfod) envisage and engage with net zero and communicate with their members with regards to this.

We know that uptake and delivery of Net Zero policies and initiatives across this sector is uneven. For example, the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales survey of Community Councils found that only 22% of responding councils had implemented energy efficiency measures, 16% had switched to a green energy supplier and 6% had set carbon emission targets. Understanding the factors shaping the uptake of such policies and initiatives by community groups is crucial for widening and accelerating the Net Zero transition, yet current knowledge about how community groups approach decision-making around these proposals is limited. Previously noted barriers within the cultural sector include limited resources, fragmented funding, and lack of carbon literacy, suggesting greater scope to embed sustainability in governance, align funding with climate goals, and leverage cultural spaces for climate education.

Taking forward these insights, the research should contribute learning on community and cultural organisations’ engagement with the climate emergency to examine:

• Decision-making factors shaping adoption or implementation of climate mitigation/adaptation policies.
• Communication and framing strategies used to engage communities effectively.
• Integration of culture, language, and identity in climate-related activities.
• How climate actions are embedded within the wider mission and activities of organisations.
• Challenges and enablers in implementing climate initiatives.
• Benefits and co-benefits realised from these actions (e.g., social, cultural, economic).

The research should analyse the collected evidence to identify lessons that can be drawn to support and guide the adoption of similar policies and initiatives by other groups, or to inform broader policy-making.

Applicants should outline the research methods that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification. Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) guidance for community and cultural organisations considering and implementing actions to address the climate emergency; (c) recommendations to Welsh Government, local authorities and other bodies on policy actions to support community engagement with the climate emergency and Net Zero transition.

8) Understanding Creative Freelancers in Rural Wales

The objective of this research is to develop knowledge of freelancers in the creative sector and their experiences of working in Rural Wales. It will explore the profile of creative freelancers, their needs and how these are or are not currently being met. The aim is to improve the infrastructure supporting creative freelancers in order to further enhance their contribution to economic and cultural life in Rural Wales.

Freelancers and portfolio workers are an important part of the cultural and creative sector workforce, as recognised in the recent Welsh Government policy document on Priorities for Culture. However, in order to fully realise the ambitions of the strategy, more evidence is needed on the experiences of creative freelancers, the challenges they face, and the contribution that they make to both economic and cultural life. Freelance workers are significant in the workforce of Rural Wales, but creative freelancers are also essential to cultural activities in the region. The development and outreach of the arts is largely funded through specific projects delivered by freelance practitioners. However, project funding often does not cover the background co-ordination work involved in organising the sector and nurturing new talent.

In Rural Wales, in particular, the sparser density and smaller size of cultural organisations and institutions limit their administrative capacity, leading to a greater burden falling on freelance practitioners. Additionally, while many creative freelancers actively choose to live and work in rural communities, such areas commonly lack the density of cultural and creative networks found in cities and easy access to venues and support infrastructure. As such, work as a creative freelancer in Rural Wales can be isolated with fewer opportunities.

This research should contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the experiences and needs of creative freelance practitioners and portfolio workers in Rural Wales, covering the following elements:

• The number, profile and geographical distribution of freelance practitioners working in the creative and cultural sectors in Rural Wales, including their fields of practice.
• The structure and dynamics of networks of creative freelancers in Rural Wales, including how these are co-ordinated, the activities that they support, and how they engage with cultural institutions in Rural Wales and beyond.
• The working environment and business ecosystem for creative freelancers in Rural Wales, including opportunities for work, training and skills development, financial stability, and access to business support.
• The cultural / creative infrastructure of Rural Wales and how these interact with creative freelancers, including funding, opportunities for employment, and access to physical infrastructure such as studio or workshop spaces, venues, and meeting locations.

The project should examine the current experiences of creative freelancers in relation to the above, including improvisations and work-arounds to adapt to the challenges of a rural context, and identify their needs for future development. It should consider how identified needs can be met through policy interventions and initiatives, including correspondence with the Welsh Government Wellbeing Goals and with Wellbeing Plans of local authorities and public bodies.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification. This research need has been identified by Pontio Arts and the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Empowering Communities for Cultural Resilience Thematic Group, who are willing to provide further guidance and assistance during the research.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) case study examples of good practice in an appropriate format for sharing with the sector; (c) recommendations to Welsh Government, Arts Council Wales, local authorities and other relevant public bodies and sector organisations.

9) Welsh Language as an Enabler or Barrier in Collaborative Projects

Welsh language policies support and require the inclusion of Welsh language across institutional initiatives in Wales, such as community communications by the Council, academic outreach endeavours, or consultations by health providers. The goal is to achieve equitable accessibility for those who are most comfortable with Welsh medium communication, whilst working towards the Welsh Government’s ambitious target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

Principles and good practice are less clear for transdisciplinary projects which bring together representatives from very different backgrounds for equitable exchange of perspectives and co-creation of solutions. Informal experiences and anecdotal evidence from cross-sector collaborations suggest that simple bilingual policies may not be sufficient for truly equitable communication in such cases. The situation in such projects is clearly more complex and challenging as compared to one-way communications that can be offered bilingually, or small-group conversations where the preferred language can be agreed by the speakers. Transdisciplinary collaborations are often characterised by more extended workshops and group discussions, where higher numbers of participants increase the likelihood of including non-Welsh speakers. Without a translator present, group conversations will then almost inevitably be held in English, unless Welsh speakers decide to summarise their more extended Welsh-medium contributions in English. Such approaches typically place the burden on Welsh speakers, with detrimental effects on the use of Welsh language. Simultaneous translation improves this situation but is costly, not always feasible, and often seen to hamper free-flowing communication.

The effects of these principles and mechanisms for cross-sector collaborative projects in Wales, including their potential for positive development, are so far poorly understood. Capturing the challenges of multi-participant bilingual communication and exploring solutions will be a valuable part of understanding how to create a truly equitable environment. Experience shows that participants are more likely to engage meaningfully when their preferred language is supported.

There is abundant evidence for the key role of the Welsh language for people’s sense of identity and belonging in many parts of Wales, sentiments that will affect readiness to commit to collaborative projects that aim to integrate lived experience with academic insights. Rather than being primarily an obstacle and a burden linked to the need for translation, the Welsh language may therefore serve as a so far undervalued facilitator to reach people in a way that matters to them, far beyond the mechanisms and goals of accessible communication.

Addressing the urgent need to improve understanding of the role of Welsh as an enabler or barrier for collaboration, this project will examine the intersection of Welsh language policies and the reality of transdisciplinary research projects in Wales. Aiming to identify best practice enabling a truly bilingual, equitable project environment along with the potential benefits and gains of such an approach, it will identify barriers and enablers of a linguistically fair and inclusive working environment that will encourage people to engage independent of their language preference. Specific emphasis will be on attitudes, experiences and perceptions of project participants and leaders, as solutions are often evident in the lived experiences of those directly involved.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) recommendations and actionable guidance showing how bilingual approaches can be implemented to community organisations, academic leaders, CVCs, funders, local authorities, Public Services Boards, Welsh Government departments and Welsh language support initiatives. It is anticipated that the research will help shape more coordinated and effective Welsh-language support for transdisciplinary projects, inform development of mechanisms for community engagement, and influence programmes relating to place-based bilingual support.

10) Modelling Labour and Skills Demands for Delivery of Local Area Energy Plans in Rural Wales

Local authorities in Wales have a statutory requirement to produce a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP). LAEPs use technical evidence on the whole energy system, wider non-technical factors, and engagement with stakeholders to outline an action plan for transitioning to Ner Zero energy systems by 2050. By taking a more proactive, whole-systems, data-driven approach to energy planning, LAEP aim to deliver cost savings and a more managed energy transition.

The implementation of the LAEPs in Rural Wales will involve substantial installation of infrastructure and retrofitting of buildings, creating significant demands for skilled labour. The age of rural housing, high number of rural households that rely on oil-based heating systems, and the limited state of infrastructure for electric charging in rural villages, accentuate the challenge in rural districts. For example, in Ceredigion and Powys alone it is estimated that additional investment of £1.95 billion will be required to deliver LAEP objectives, including installations of heat pumps and solar PV, fabric efficient upgrades for domestic homes, charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, district heat networks, and large-scale renewable energy projects. The investment is projected to create up to 995 jobs, including heat pump installers, insulation and retrofit specialists, solar PV technicians, EV charging infrastructure engineers, grid upgrade engineers, smart energy system technicians, project managers, carbon management specialists, energy policy advisors, home energy advisors, community engagement officers and skills trainers.

At the same time, it is recognised that there are capacity issues in the construction and allied trades sector in Rural Wales. Underlying this concern is a shortage of appropriately skilled and trained labour. Individual contractors may be trained in the installation on particular models, for instance of heat pumps, but lack the broader competence to work with a range of systems and models required to be adaptable in a diverse rural market that lacks the critical mass for specialisation to be feasible. Furthermore, recent research by the Countryside and Community Research Institute has highlighted that effective and appropriate implementation of LAEP actions requires not only builders, electricians and plumbers, but also architects, surveyors and other professionals with appropriate expertise to advise on the adaptation of rural buildings.

The Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Innovation Lab on the Regenerative Economy has identified a lack of clear information on the ‘pipeline’ of future work as an obstacle to rural construction and allied businesses investing and recruiting labour, as well as limited understanding among potential employees in the sector about the type and range of work opportunities involved. Regional Skills Partnerships have recognised that the implementation of LAEPs will create a need for training to supply necessary skilled workers but cannot plan effectively for provision without more accurate information on the nature and scale of the demand.

The purpose of this project is to provide robust projections of work to be undertaken in order to deliver LAEPs and associated labour and skills demands to enable more effective planning by businesses in the sector and by training providers. It will involve:

• Reviews of LAEPs for the 10 local authorities covering Rural Wales.
• Modelling of the scale of activities required to implement LAEP actions and the projected pipeline of work for businesses in the construction and allied sectors.
• Mapping of current workforce capacity in the construction and energy sectors in the region.
• Comparison and modelling of additional skilled labour demand in order to deliver LAEP
• Identification of recruitment, upskilling and training requirements.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a projected pipeline of work required to implement LAEPs and associated calculation of labour and skills needs, in an accessible format that can be shared with businesses and sector stakeholders; (b) a short report following the provided template, including recommendations to Welsh Government, Regional Skills Partnerships, local authorities, training providers and sector businesses.

Applicants should outline the research methods that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification.

This research need has been identified by the Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership who are willing to provide further guidance and assistance during the research.

11) Capturing the Social Benefits of Community-owned Renewable Energy Schemes

Renewables are a critical part of the net zero transition but have long been contentious. There is an extensive literature considering the disbenefits to rural communities hosting corporate-led developments, and more recent reflections on how such justice concerns can be addressed. Expanding opportunities for community-owned developments is a key avenue to ensure a just-transition, but there are gaps in our understanding that have limited support for such initiatives.

The impact of renewables developments is typically explored in terms of narrow economic benefits (no. of jobs, quantum of investment spend, MWh’s generated, C02 saved). Yet wider measures of social impact are very relevant for community projects. These can include impacts on energy poverty, social and cultural capital – such as skills, confidence and social-connectedness – as well as greater sense of control and autonomy, plus possible ‘spillover’ effects from engagement with energy projects into other areas of sustainable practices. Whilst these benefits have been documented in Welsh case studies, and more widely, there is limited insight on how to utilise and replicate such measures in proposed interventions and innovations.

Much previous research has focused on new wind energy generation, and there is a need to widen our grasp of social impacts to embrace a wider range of sustainable energy infrastructures, in transport, heat, storage/hydrogen and energy system innovations that link these together (e.g. smart local energy systems). Survey research by Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales earlier this year found that around one in ten responding communities had community wind or solar energy schemes, with smaller numbers investing in biomass, hydrogen or hydropower projects.  

This project will consider how we can measure the social impacts of renewable energy projects more effectively so these benefits can be incorporated into planning proposals and reported to funders and government. Specifically, we aim to develop evidence that supports policy initiatives encouraging local community ownership, which highlights the added value provided compared to corporate-owned developments.  We envisage that the research will include:

• A rapid review of the existing research literature on the social benefits of renewable energy developments: forms of benefit; evidence of their achievement in practice; of the utilisation of such evidence.
• Identification of exemplar cases studies (both within and beyond Wales), of projects or companies that have given careful attention to social benefits, and to their monitoring and reporting.
• Analysis of the potential flow of social benefits to communities in rural Wales and the form that these might take, including possible social and geographical variations and the scale at which benefits may be feasibly realised (e.g. individual communities, wider districts, etc.).
• Analysis of the effect of different project forms, technologies, and ownership models on the scope for social benefits and their distribution to beneficiaries.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) a toolkit/template that could be used by community organisations and asset owners to show the value of their project and feed into Welsh Government evidence for policies.

12) How might a Universal Basic Infrastructure guarantee work for Rural Wales?

The concept of Universal Basic Infrastructure has been developed by economist Diane Coyle and colleagues in the Bennett Institute at Cambridge University as a mechanism for addressing the geographically uneven distribution of social infrastructure and access to services. It covers public services, such as healthcare, education, and policing, as well as key private sector services such as banking, and infrastructure including public transport and broadband networks. The report by Coyle and colleagues also acknowledges the importance of community assets that form part of a the social infrastructure of place, contributing to local wellbeing and people’s identity and pride in place.

Coyle’s proposal for a Universal Basic Infrastructure guarantee would set a per capita formula below which public services may not fall: core local services and facilities could not be closed or reduced below minimum standards. Private companies providing utility-type services such as transport or broadband similarly would be required by their regulators to deliver minimum universal standards as part of their social licence to operate.

The idea of Universal Basic Infrastructure has an obvious appeal in a region such as rural Wales, where access to services and infrastructure is more uneven than in urban areas, and where both public and private services have been rationalised over the last fifteen years, including, but not limited to, schools, libraries, day care centres, bank branches, post offices and GP surgeries.

However, Bennett Institute report stops short of providing a blueprint for how a Universal Basic Infrastructure might be implemented or setting thresholds. The purpose of this project is therefore to establish the feasibility of a Universal Basic Infrastructure in rural Wales and to scope out how it could work. It should:

• Canvass views of relevant stakeholders on the pros and cons of a Universal Basic Infrastructure, services and infrastructure that might be covered, and the process to establish appropriate thresholds.
• Review the availability of appropriate data to monitor and map access to Universal Basic Infrastructure in rural Wales.
• Set out principles for the development of a Universal Basic Infrastructure for rural Wales.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) a briefing document with recommendations suitable for public dissemination.

13) Models for Strengthening Rural Proofing in Wales

Rural proofing involves the screening of proposed legislation and government programmes to assess their impact on rural communities. Rural proofing is an established part of Welsh Government practice, but is not a statutory requirement. This has led to concerns that rural proofing is not applied consistently or robustly across all policy areas. In its ‘Rural Manifesto’ for the 2026 Senedd elections, the Welsh Local Government Association Rural Forum, representing local authorities covering rural areas, calls for the development of a “a more robust rural proofing tool and a rural impact assessment measure to the policy gateway tool for assessing all new national policy, funding and legislative proposals to ensure that they do not impact negatively on rural areas”.

Rural proofing is applied in all nations of the UK, as well as in many European countries, but the statutory basis and mechanisms vary. In Northern Ireland, for instance, the Rural Needs Act (2016) introduced a statutory process for the assessment of the needs of rural communities and the impact of legislation. In Scotland, the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 gave statutory status to a more geographically limited process of ‘Islands proofing’ through Island Communities Impact Assessments.

The purpose of this project is to review the application of rural proofing in Wales, understand criticisms, and identify whether models from other UK and European countries might be translated to Wales, including making rural proofing a statutory requirement. It should:

• Establish the current application of rural proofing to policies in Wales.
• Explore criticisms of current rural proofing arrangements and proposals for change advocated by rural stakeholders.
• Examine and analyse approaches to rural proofing and rural needs assessment in other UK nations and European countries, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and evaluating the potential for lessons or models to be adopted in Wales.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) a briefing document with recommendations suitable for public dissemination.

14) Representation of Rural Community Interests in Wales

Wales does not have a national forum or association representing rural communities or rural community organisations. Rural interests are partially represented by the WLGA Rural Forum of local authorities with rural areas and by organisations such as the farming unions, yet these do not direct represent rural communities and may have different, more specific core concerns. Critics have argued that the absence of a national forum for rural communities means that the interests of rural communities are less clearly heard in policy debates and are not actively lobbied for.

A range of models existing in other UK nations and European countries for representing community interests. In England, ACRE has served as an umbrella body for rural community organisations, structured through county-wide Community Councils, for several decades. In Northern Ireland, the Rural Community Network is a membership-based body connecting community groups, voluntary sector organisations and statutory authorities. More widely in Europe, several countries have adopted the model of Rural Parliaments. These are not elected law-making bodies, but rather are forums in which representatives of rural community organisations come together to discuss issues of shared concerned and agree ‘asks’ to government. The format of Rural Parliaments varies. In Scotland, for example, the Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament has met every 2 to 3 years since 2014, issues and share experiences and ideas through in-person and online events curated by rural community organisations. Some countries, including Scotland, have parallel Rural Youth Parliaments.

The purpose of this project is to consider how the representation of rural communities in Wales might be strengthened. It should:

• Review current mechanisms through which rural interests are represented in the policy-process in Wales, identifying strengths and limitations.
• Review the features, pros and cons of models for rural community sector representation in other UK nations and European countries.
• Identify stakeholder views on the merits of different models for application in Wales.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) a briefing document with recommendations suitable for public dissemination.

15) Promoting Cultural Resilience and Wellbeing in Eryri National Park

National Park Authorities, like all public bodies, have a duty under the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act (2015) to outline policies and adopt plans for working towards the collective vision for Wales represented in the seven national Wellbeing Goals of ‘a prosperous Wales’, ‘a resilient Wales’, ‘a healthier Wales’, ‘a more equal Wales’, ‘a Wales of cohesive communities’, ‘a Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language’, and ‘a globally responsible Wales’. For National Parks, these wellbeing goals must be cross-referenced with the Welsh Government’s priorities for Designated Landscapes.

Eryri National Park Authority (previously known in English as Snowdonia National Park Authority) adopted as Wellbeing Statement in 2021, which sets out three key objectives of ‘Resilient Environments’, ‘Resilient Communities’, and ‘Resilient Ways of Working’ and series of 15 actions for achieving  these objectives. The actions include “improving the management and understanding of Cultural Heritage”; “promoting sustainable tourism to add value to local communities”; and “promoting and actively supporting the Welsh language”, but culture is not foregrounded in the wellbeing strategy.

The purpose of this project will be to explore how cultural resilience and wellbeing can be more strongly incorporated into Eryri National Park’s Wellbeing Strategy and operational plans, including protection and enhancement of both material and intangible cultural heritage. It should include:

• Identification of Eryri’s key cultural assets and how these intersect with its environmental, social and economic assets.
• Evaluation of the contribution of the National Park’s current policies and activities towards cultural resilience and wellbeing, including language investments.
• Consideration of further actions and initiatives that Eryri National Park could take to support cultural resilience and wellbeing and maximise local social economic value, including wellbeing activities with local communities.
• Analysis of the partnerships and funding opportunities that will enable the National Park Authority to deliver a plan for cultural resilience and wellbeing.

Applicants should outline the research methods and data sources that they intend to use to deliver the above research specification.

Outcomes from the research should include: (a) a short report following the provided template; (b) a presentation to the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Empowering Communities for Cultural Resilience Thematic Group. This research priority has been proposed by the Empowering Communities for Cultural Resilience Thematic Group and the Co-Leads, Dr Eifiona Thomas Lane and Osian Gwynn, are willing to provide further guidance and assistance during the research.