Research grants for original and ambitious projects that confront the scale and urgency of the biggest social and economic challenges shaping the UK public policy agenda.
Proposals are expected to address one or more of the following priority questions as set out in the Foundation’s strategic review:
- How can we build a prosperous and fair society, where people are secure and can fulfil their potential?
- How can we build an inclusive society, where people thrive and feel they belong, in the context of changing demography and ways of life? well, in the context of changing demography and ways of life?
- How can we ensure that developments in science and technology work for people and society?
- How can policies to address climate change be developed in a way that promotes a prosperous, fair and inclusive society?
- How can we build and maintain the effective, accountable and trustworthy institutions that our society and democracy need?
They must also meet the following assessment criteria:
- Relevance: Is the proposal relevant to at least one of the priority questions?
- Impact: Is there a clear path to how the research and related activities might make a difference to people’s lives?
- Rigour: Is the research methodology appropriate and rigorous? Does it incorporate multidisciplinary perspectives?
- Experience: Does the team have the appropriate experience, expertise and potential, including the capacity to manage large, complex projects?
- Value for money: Is the budget requested appropriate, and does it offer good value for money?
As such, proposals are expected to combine rigorous research with a clear focus on impact.
ELIGIBILITY
Grants are for projects directly concerned with UK issues and society – this includes comparative work between the four nations and internationally which results in lessons for policy and practice, within and across the UK.
The following will not be funded:
- individuals without formal employment or other relationship with the institution hosting the grant
- projects led by individuals unaffiliated to any particular organisation
- projects led by undergraduates or master’s students
- PhD fees or projects where the main purpose is to support a PhD
- the establishment of academic posts
- ongoing costs or the costs of ‘rolling out’ existing work or services
Full eligibility criteria, including those relating to staffing, can be found on pages 7-8 of the Guide for Applicants below.
VALUE AND DURATION
These are major grants, typically in the range of £1–3 million and are expected to last between two and five years.
KEY DATES
Outline application deadline: 16 March 2026
Full application invites: June/July 2026
Peer review: August 2026
Decisions: November 2026
Earliest project start: January 2027
Further information, including full details of priority research questions, can be found on the opportunity webpage.
Prospective applicants are welcome to send a one-page summary of their proposal to strategicfund@nuffieldfoundation.org to check on potential fit before applying.