Charity
As a registered charity, fellowship and National Academy, the Royal Society undertakes a range of activities that provide public benefit, either directly or indirectly. These include providing financial support and funding programmes for scientists at various stages of their careers, organising scientific conferences to foster discussion, publishing scientific journals, electing outstanding scientists from around the world as Fellows and Foreign Members, and representing the UK to advocate for science and its benefits, including informing public policy.
Research and innovation advance our economic, social and cultural wellbeing, provide health benefits and are key to sustainable long-term economic growth. The Society is concerned with excellent science, wherever and by whomever it is done, and is committed to increasing diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The Society carries out several activities to fulfil its charitable aims:
- Grants to fund scientific research
- Providing scientific advice for policymakers
- Promoting science education and engagement
- Supporting scientific collaboration, nationally and internationally
- Recognising scientific excellence
The Society has a number of attributes that mean it is uniquely placed to carry out this role:
- The expertise of its Fellowship, which includes world leaders across all scientific fields
- Its history and the successes of the Society’s Fellows act as a source of inspiration
- Its independence from Government and other organisations
- Its ability to convene groups of individuals in key roles and with relevant expertise
- The breadth of its scientific disciplines; this removes barriers and enables leading scientists in different fields to come together
