UK Research and Innovation Opportunities

Description

Full Job Description

Opportunity status: Upcoming

Funders:

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

Funding type: Grant

Award range: £2,000,000 - £10,000,000

Publication date: 8 September 2026

Opening date:

To be confirmed

Closing date:

Open - no closing date

Apply for funding to bring people, expertise and ideas together in ambitious, larger-scale programmes. Challenge awards tackle major research, economic and societal challenges, generating impactful new knowledge and innovation.

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for ESRC funding.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be between £2 million and £10 million. ESRC will fund 80% of the FEC. Projects can be up to five years in length.

This is a pre-announcement and the information may change. More information will be available on this page when the funding opportunity opens.

Eligibility

This opportunity will be open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible.

Eligibility

You can be at any stage of your career. It is likely that successful applications will be from significantly sized teams led by researchers with experience and expertise appropriate to the scale, complexity and ambition of the proposed project. There is no limit to the number of additional roles that can be added. All members of the project team must be fully justified and meet the requirements set out in the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) roles in funding applications.

International researchers can apply as project co-lead (international). You must include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners.

Business, third sector or government body project co-leads based in the UK can also be included as a project co-lead.

We welcome applications that take an interdisciplinary approach. Find out more about how UKRI supports research that spans different disciplines.

The social sciences within ESRC’s remit must represent more than 50% of the research focus and effort. Complete and submit the remit query form, if you are unsure whether your proposed research falls within ESRC’s remit.

Equality, Diversity And Inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

• career breaks

• support for people with caring responsibilities

• flexible working

• alternative working patterns

UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Demand Management

We do not anticipate that demand management will be applied to this funding opportunity. However, should the level of interest exceed what can be managed within the assessment process, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) may introduce limits on the number of applications that can be submitted. Further details will be clearly communicated where this is the case. UKRI encourages organisations to support applicants in preparing well-planned, high-quality applications that are competitive for funding relative to the funding opportunity.

Aim

Tackling important and complex challenges requires ambition, scale and collaboration. Challenge awards bring together world-leading expertise in programmes of activity that address defined issues, knowledge gaps and unmet needs that significantly limit scientific progress or affect society and the economy. These innovative programmes will meaningfully strengthen and accelerate collaborations within and beyond the social science ecosystem, enhance national capability and generate new insights and solutions that contribute to a more prosperous, resilient and sustainable future.

Scope

Challenge awards support ambitious programmes of research, innovation or infrastructure that bring people, expertise and ideas together at scale. This includes mobilising collaborations between researchers from across disciplinary and methodological boundaries, across national borders, and between academic and non-academic partners to enhance the relevance, reach and impact of the project.

Challenge awards must address an evidenced knowledge gap, either by pushing the boundaries of social science to tackle significant research challenges, responding to societal or economic challenges or bringing both together to generate new knowledge and drive impact. The proposed activity must address a need that is not being tackled elsewhere and deliver your objectives within the award timeframe.

We welcome ambitious applications across the full funding range and duration available. You have the freedom to propose the approach that best achieves your aims and are encouraged to think beyond established project models. This could include, but is not limited to, a research centre or other programme, novel use or creation of a data resource or infrastructure, a new network with a flexible funding pot, a mix of approaches or another innovative mechanism.

We expect to support investments of varying scales, including those with budgets at the lower end of the funding range. What defines a Challenge award is not the form it takes, or the level of funding required but its ambition to mobilise collaborations at scale to achieve substantial progress against a major scientific, societal or economic challenge.

Success will require experienced leadership, strong governance and management, and a willingness to adapt approaches where needed to achieve the award’s objectives. You must demonstrate robust strategies for knowledge exchange and impact, identifying appropriate beneficiaries, users and audiences for your outputs. Engagement, collaboration and, where appropriate, co-production should be embedded from the outset and integrated throughout the project to maximise its value, reach and influence across research, policy, practice or wider society.

Challenge awards will create significant opportunities for the development of academic and non-academic staff at different career stages. You must have clear and credible plans for embedding capacity building and leadership development, including support, mentoring and skills development for those undertaking the complex management activities associated with large programmes. We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.

Challenge awards are standalone investments, and no further funding will be available through this funding opportunity beyond the award period. Where appropriate, you should demonstrate early consideration of sustainability and legacy, including how the knowledge, resources, partnerships and benefits arising from the award will continue beyond the lifetime of the investment.

Duration

The duration of this award is a maximum of 60 months.

Funding Available

The FEC of your project can be between £2 million and £10 million.

ESRC will fund 80% of the FEC.

What We Will Fund

You have wide scope and freedom to propose the activities most suitable to meet your project’s objectives. Activities may include but are not limited to:

• larger scale research, innovation or infrastructure programmes

• flexible funding pots that enable subcontracting of further small research projects as part of the proposed programme. These must only be included where they strengthen the proposed programme

You can request up to three associated studentships. Requests exceeding this number may exceptionally be considered where necessary to deliver the capacity-building aims of the proposed programme. All requests for studentships must be fully justified.

What We Will Not Fund

Applications cannot be accepted under this funding opportunity for:

• uninvited resubmissions of projects that have previously been submitted to UKRI. Find out more about UKRI’s resubmissions policy

• continuation of work previously funded by ESRC or other funders (applications must be standalone defined programmes of work)

• proposals seeking transition funding to help wind down or sustain an existing ESRC award while alternative funding is secured

• applications comprising a set of small, disconnected research projects

• data collection or data resource development that substantially duplicates existing data resources without a compelling justification of the additional value it would provide

• unspecified research work

• research already underway or carried out

• writing up previous research

• literature reviews

• general conference attendance not related to the proposed project

• travel for general study not related to the proposed project

• expeditions not related to the proposed project

• requests to hold conferences, workshops or seminars where these constitute the primary project component.

• preparation of books and publications where these constitute the primary project component

• preparation and production of materials such as curriculum materials and software development where these constitute the primary project component

Research Ethics

We require that the research we support is designed and conducted in such a way that it meets ethical principles and is subject to proper professional and institutional oversight in terms of research governance. We have agreed a Framework for Research Ethics that all submitted proposals must comply with. Read further details about the Framework for Research Ethics and guidance on compliance.

Esrc Data Infrastructure

We support a range of data infrastructure. You must carefully consider how your project can use, build on or contribute to existing data resources and infrastructures, where appropriate. See Facilities and resources for information on finding and using ESRC datasets which are available across the UK.

Data Requirements

We recognise the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by ESRC-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research.  See our research data policy for details and further information on data requirements. The requirements of the research data policy are a condition of ESRC research funding.

Where relevant, details on data management and sharing should be provided in the ‘Data management’ section. See the importance of managing and sharing data and content for inclusion in a data management plan on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website for further guidance. We expect you to provide a summary of the points provided. The UKDS (email: datasharing@ukdataservice.ac.uk) will be pleased to advise you on the availability of data within the academic community and provide advice on data deposit requirements.

Equitable Partnership Principles

When undertaking research and innovation activities outside the UK, you must recognise and address the possible impact of contextual, societal and cultural differences on the ethical conduct of those activities.

Researchers should also follow the principles of equitable partnerships to address inherent power imbalances when working with partners in resource-poor settings.

Applying the principles will encourage equitable access, especially in low and middle-income countries, while maintaining incentives for innovation. You should consider the principles from the start of the research and development cycle.

Read UKRI’s guidance on research in a global setting.

Trusted Research And Innovation (Tr&I)

UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.

See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.

How to apply

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service, so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. We will publish full details on how to apply when the funding opportunity opens.

Institutional Matched Funding

There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.

This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

Assessment Process

Applications to this funding opportunity will be assessed using a multi-stage process.

Final funding decisions will be made using a tiered approach in accordance with How we make decisions.

We expect to update this pre-announcement with further information on the application and assessment process in this pre-announcement in late 2026.

Get Help With Your Application

If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page.

The helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility, content or remit of a funding opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.

Contact Details

For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.

For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact challenge@esrc.ukri.org

Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.

Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org

Phone: 01793 547490

Our phone lines are open:

• Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm

• Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.

For further information on submitting an application read How applicants use the Funding Service.

Research And Innovation Impact

Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment; to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.

Virtual Town Hall For Potential Applicants

We will hold a virtual town hall on 30 September 2026 at 10:00am UK time. This will provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions.

Register for the town hall

Requirements and qualifications This opportunity will be open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible.

You can be at any stage of your career. It is likely that successful applications will be from significantly sized teams led by researchers with experience and expertise appropriate to the scale, complexity and ambition of the proposed project. There is no limit to the number of additional roles that can be added. All members of the project team must be fully justified and meet the requirements set out in the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) roles in funding applications.

International researchers can apply as project co-lead (international). You must include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners.

Business, third sector or government body project co-leads based in the UK can also be included as a project co-lead.

We welcome applications that take an interdisciplinary approach. Find out more about how UKRI supports research that spans different disciplines.

The social sciences within ESRC’s remit must represent more than 50% of the research focus and effort. Complete and submit the remit query form, if you are unsure whether your proposed research falls within ESRC’s remit.

We recognise the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by ESRC-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research.  See our research data policy for details and further information on data requirements. The requirements of the research data policy are a condition of ESRC research funding.

Where relevant, details on data management and sharing should be provided in the ‘Data management’ section. See the importance of managing and sharing data and content for inclusion in a data management plan on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website for further guidance. We expect you to provide a summary of the points provided. The UKDS (email: datasharing@ukdataservice.ac.uk) will be pleased to advise you on the availability of data within the academic community and provide advice on data deposit requirements.

This opportunity will be open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible.

You can be at any stage of your career. It is likely that successful applications will be from significantly sized teams led by researchers with experience and expertise appropriate to the scale, complexity and ambition of the proposed project. There is no limit to the number of additional roles that can be added. All members of the project team must be fully justified and meet the requirements set out in the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) roles in funding applications.

International researchers can apply as project co-lead (international). You must include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners.

Business, third sector or government body project co-leads based in the UK can also be included as a project co-lead.

We welcome applications that take an interdisciplinary approach. Find out more about how UKRI supports research that spans different disciplines.

The social sciences within ESRC’s remit must represent more than 50% of the research focus and effort. Complete and submit the remit query form, if you are unsure whether your proposed research falls within ESRC’s remit.

We recognise the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by ESRC-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research.  See our research data policy for details and further information on data requirements. The requirements of the research data policy are a condition of ESRC research funding.

Where relevant, details on data management and sharing should be provided in the ‘Data management’ section. See the importance of managing and sharing data and content for inclusion in a data management plan on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website for further guidance. We expect you to provide a summary of the points provided. The UKDS (email: datasharing@ukdataservice.ac.uk) will be pleased to advise you on the availability of data within the academic community and provide advice on data deposit requirements.