Funding for original research ideas which take new approaches, and suggest new solutions, to real world social problems. Such work would be unlikely to be funded by existing funding bodies.
Awards are intended to enable one or more short periods of face-to-face joint group work (such as workshops, working-in-pairs, or short academic visits) by supporting, for example, relief from teaching and/or administration, research and travel expenses, fieldwork and practical work.
ELIGIBILITY
Researchers from anywhere in Europe* who hold a PhD are eligible to apply as Principal Investigator to lead a small group of 2-10 scholars (which may include graduate students).
* Eligibility for ISRF funding opportunities is unaffected by Brexit – applications from UK institutions are encouraged.
The competition is open to individual researchers who wish to bring together and to cooperate with others (to be named in the proposal), on a specific project, including pilot stages. There will normally be one principal applicant but joint applications by two or more colleagues are acceptable. In such cases, the application should be submitted by one of the PI’s, and the other(s) should be clearly labelled as co-PI(s) when details of collaborators are entered in the application form.
Eligible research is defined as that which crosses established disciplinary boundaries and critically challenges incumbent theories and approaches, so as to address afresh empirical problems with no currently adequate theory or investigative methodology. Innovation may also come from controversial theoretical approaches motivated by critical challenge of incumbent theories. Projects ranging across the breadth of the social scientific disciplines and interdisciplinary research fields are welcome, and relevant applications from scholars working within the humanities are also encouraged.
VALUE AND DURATION
Applicants in the UK can apply for up to £7,500 for a period of up to one year.
KEY DATES
Deadline: 13 March 2026
Applicants notified: end of July 2026
Latest start date: end of June 2027
More information, including FAQs and how to apply, can be found on the opportunity webpage.
Summaries of of projects previously funded under this scheme can also be viewed on the ISRF website.