The Accelerator is a planned and structured programme that includes training activities, mentoring and financial support for the Citizen Science Initiatives (CSIs) that were selected in the IMPETUS 1st Open Call.
Successful applicants receive €20,000 (for kickstarting projects) or €10,000 (for sustaining projects) to help deliver a six-month citizen science project with the help of the IMPETUS team.
It includes:
- Intensive training at the start of the accelerator on project design, citizen engagement, data management and preservation, impact assessment and sustainability;
- Online mentoring during the pilot on a diverse set of citizen science challenges, including data quality, data preservation, GDPR, research ethics, motivating participation, citizen empowerment, EDI (equality, diversity, inclusion), public engagement, targeted science communication, data journalism, and impact;
- Promotion via news on the IMPETUS website and on social media, as well as presenting opportunities at the IMPETUS conference and other related events;
- Peer learning and networking, facilitated through workshops and online tools.
- Peer-learning and networking, within and between pilot cohorts, through the IMPETUS Aperitives, creating bridges with external communities of interest.
It runs between 15 June and 15 December 2023.