Grant Directories

The Royal Society of Chemistry makes grants to support activities that aim to advance the chemical sciences. Through the LGBT+ Inclusion in STEM grants programme, the Society is aiming to address LGBT+ underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). the Royal Society of Chemistry will offer grants to pilot research studies, bringing together STEM and the social sciences to actively study attrition and retention of LGBT+ groups in STEM. 

The Edith Murphy Foundation was established in memory of Hughie Murphy. Its purpose is to support other organisations (predominantly, but not exclusively, other registered charities) that: carry out research; support individuals who by reason of their age, youth, infirmity, disablement, poverty or social and economic circumstances are suffering hardship, distress or are otherwise in need; relieve the suffering and care for unwanted animals. The value of grants made is normally between £500 and £5,000 although larger grants are made in some circumstances. Since its inception in 1993 the charity has supported over 650 organisations with grants of around £17.5 million enabling these groups to carry out ground breaking research as well as providing much needed support to those in need of care.

Since 1965 The Horse Trust has given over £25 million in funding for non-invasive research projects, clinical residencies, capital buildings and equipment for vet schools and other institutions to advance knowledge of veterinary treatment, the optimal care of equines and the prevention of disease and suffering.

The Society for Experimental Biology encourages the cross-fertilisation of ideas and disciplines. They support new ideas, innovation and bold leaps in thinking and ensure that experimentation is at the heart of biology. Through the Diversity Grant the society provides grants of up to £1,000 to help tackle barriers to inclusion, and support initiatives that promote diversity in academia and science. This may include but is not limited to: Making your workplace a more inclusive environment for example through the creation of good practice toolkits or holding a diversity training session; Improving inclusivity at research events you have organised for example, providing financial aid to underrepresented groups or improving accessibility of facilities; Improving Diversity in your field for example through the creation or support of a mentoring scheme ; Increasing awareness of the contributions of underrepresented groups in experimental biology for example organising hackathons, gi...

The British Society for Plant Pathology (BSPP) was founded in 1981 for the study and advancement of plant pathology. Through the Plant Pathology Promotion Fund the Society provides grants of up to £2,000 to projects that aim to stimulate interest in, and knowledge and awareness of, Plant Pathology to people who do not normally come into contact with the subject. The projects can be parts of larger efforts for the promotion of the public understanding of science but should specifically address the role, function and activities of Plant Pathology.

The National Composites Centre (NCC) is a world-class research centre, which provides funding, and access to cutting-edge technology and specialist engineers to companies in the UK to drive innovation in the design and manufacture of composites. Through the SME Boost Programme, match funding up to £25,000 is available to make innovative composites research and development as straightforward as possible for small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK. Funding could support feasibility studies to see how composites can help improve an idea, or upscaling an existing product to meet future requirements. Programme participants also receive access to the NCC's knowledge network.

Alcohol Change UK is a charity that is dedicated to funding work that improves understanding of what causes excessive drinking, how it can be prevented and the best ways of tackling the problems it causes. Through the New Horizons programme the charity aims to explore how people’s experience of alcohol harm is affected by their membership of, identification with, or exclusion from groups and communities, and how constructions of meaning within a community may promote or prevent alcohol harm amongst its members. The charity welcome proposals that address any aspects of alcohol use, harm and treatment services, and how these relate to groups, communities and meaning.

Bloodwise is a UK based charity dedicated to funding research into all blood cancers including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, as well as to offering information and support to blood cancer patients.  Funding is available for laboratory-based research projects and clinical trials. Project grants are awarded for up to £280,000 and up to three years for clearly defined research projects addressing key questions in the field of blood cancer. The remit of the project grant scheme includes research projects that maximise the value and outcome of a clinical trial and specifically includes applications that would previously have been considered through the Trial-Associated Research Project scheme.

The Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) provides grants of between £20,000 and £100,000 to support independent research and projects that promote good practice within the fields of privacy and data protection.  The funding is available to academic institutions; organisations with a genuine commitment to public benefit outcomes; trade and industry associations; or civil society groups.

The Royal Society is the independent scientific academy of the UK and the Commonwealth, dedicated to promoting excellence in science. The scheme, which is funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), provides the opportunity for highly qualified young researchers to conduct cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. The Royal Society is provided with a quota for this scheme by JSPS.

The Royal Society is the independent scientific academy of the UK and the Commonwealth, dedicated to promoting excellence in science. This award offers an opportunity to foster and promote international collaboration between outstanding research groups in the UK and overseas, with a view to supporting work on global challenges and problems facing developing countries.

The Royal Society is the independent scientific academy of the UK and the Commonwealth, dedicated to promoting excellence in science.  The Lisa Jardine Grant Scheme are intended to encourage the free movement of researchers across disciplines and countries and to stimulate academics studying intellectual history to consider science in their research.

The AI for Good Start-up Programme reflects the shared belief that the biggest opportunity for AI is not for AI to shape our future, but for people to shape AI to make the future we want to see. The initial cohort included eleven ventures focusing on AI for accessibility and AI for environmental sustainability. The second programme sees the addition of AI for Humanitarian Action and AI for Cultural Heritage

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Through the Writing Workshops 2020 programme the British Academy provides financial support to encourage early career researchers in ODA eligible countries to publish in high impact journals in the fields of the humanities and the social sciences, and enable them to build connections with academics and journal editors based in the UK and elsewhere.

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Through the BA/Jisc Digital Research in Humanities programme the British Academy in partnership with Jisc provides financial support to enable novel research through the application of new methods and tools to existing digital resources.

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Through the APEX Awards programme the British Academy provides financial support to promote collaboration across academic disciplines through the support of world-leading interdisciplinary research projects. The programme is a partnership with the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society (‘the Academies’) and with generous support from the Leverhulme Trust

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Through the Neil Ker Memorial Fund programme the British Academy provides financial support to promote the study of Western medieval manuscripts, in particular those of British interest; that is enabling investigation of their production (including decoration), readership and use in particular.

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Through the Newton Mobility Grants programme the British Academy provides financial support for international researchers based in a country covered by the Newton Fund to establish and develop collaboration with UK researchers around a specific jointly defined research project. The grants intend to strengthen the research capacity/capability of and contribute to promoting economic development and social welfare in, the overseas country. 

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Through the Postdoctoral Fellowships programme the British Academy provides financial support, the fellowship is a three year award made to an annual cohort of outstanding early career researchers in the humanities or social sciences.

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Through the Mid-Career Fellowships Awards programme the British Academy provides financial support to support outstanding individual researchers with excellent research proposals, and to promote public understanding and engagement with humanities and social sciences.

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Through the Stein-Arnold Exploration Fund the British Academy provides financial support to encourage the research on the antiquities or historical geography or early history or arts of those parts of Asia which come within the sphere of the ancient civilisations of India, China, and Iran, including Central Asia.

The Gatsby Plant Science small grants programme funds exceptional research projects that are unlikely to attract support from research councils or other funding agencies.

The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust is an independent charity that awards grants to registered and exempt charities in the UK. The Trust supports important medical research and many related aspects of medicine and aims to make life easier for the sick and disadvantaged. Through the Sir Jules Thorn Award for Biomedical Research the trust offers one grant of up to £1.7 million to support an original programme of translational biomedical research, extending for up to five years. The Award enables successful applicants to pursue their own independent research programme.

The Wellcome Trust is a research charity that funds research to improve human and animal health. The Trust supports both biomedical research and research into the public understanding of science. Through the Springboard Awards programme the Trust provides small grants to support basic biomedical scientists as they develop their independent research careers. The scheme is a collaboration between the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) and the Wellcome Trust.

The Wellcome Trust is a research charity that funds research to improve human and animal health. The Trust supports both biomedical research and research into the public understanding of science. Through the Open Research Fund Programme the Trust supports researchers to develop and test innovative ways of making health research open, accessible and reusable.

The Wellcome Trust is a research charity that funds research to improve human and animal health. The Trust supports both biomedical research and research into the public understanding of science. Through the Seed Awards in Humanities and Social Science programme the Trust helps researchers develop compelling and innovative ideas that will go on to form part of larger grant applications to Wellcome or elsewhere.

The Wellcome Trust is a research charity that funds research to improve human and animal health. The Trust supports both biomedical research and research into the public understanding of science. Through The Hub Award Programme the Trust brings researchers and creative professionals together at Wellcome Collection to work as a collaborative residency.

The Wellcome Trust is a research charity that funds research to improve human and animal health. The Trust supports both biomedical research and research into the public understanding of science. Through the International Exchange Programme in Humanities, Social Science and Bioethics stream the Trust enables researchers to run international exchange programmes. The exchanges will help to transform careers and shape the direction of future research.

The Wellcome Trust is a research charity that funds research to improve human and animal health. The Trust supports both biomedical research and research into the public understanding of science.  Through the PhD Training Fellowships for Clinicians programme the Trust offers clinicians the opportunity to undertake a PhD within a structured and mentored training environment.

The Wellcome Trust is a research charity that funds research to improve human and animal health. The Trust supports both biomedical research and research into the public understanding of science.  Through the Career Development Awards programme the trust provides funding for mid-career researchers from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders. They will develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work and deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing.

The Wellcome Trust is a research charity that funds research to improve human and animal health. The Trust supports both biomedical research and research into the public understanding of science.  Through the Biomedical Vacation Scholarship programme the Trust provide promising undergraduates with hands-on experience of research during the summer holidays, with the aim or encouraging them to consider a career in research.

The Nuffield Foundation aims to improve social well-being by funding research and innovation in education, justice and welfare. Through the Research Development and Analysis Fund the foundation supports projects to inform the design and operation of social policy and practice across the foundations three core domains of Education, Welfare and Justice.

The Royal Society is the independent scientific academy of the UK and the Commonwealth, dedicated to promoting excellence in science. The Royal Society Wolfson Fellowships provides long-term flexible funding for senior career researchers recruited or retained to a UK university or research institution in fields identified as a strategic priority for the host department or organisation. Up to five years of funding is available to cover salary, research expenses, 4 year PhD studentship and other justified research costs.

The Nuffield Foundation aims to improve social well-being by funding research and innovation in education, justice and welfare. Through the Strategic Fund the Foundation supports researchers to develop original and challenging ideas, to work collaboratively across disciplines, and to influence social policy in a period of rapid change and uncertainty for our society.

The Wolfson Foundation awards grants to support and promote excellence in education, science & medicine, the arts & humanities and health & disability. Through its Funding for Universities and Research Institutions funding stream the Foundation aims to support research intensive universities and research institutions. Grants are awarded towards new buildings, refurbishment work and major equipment to enable high quality research. Awards are also made on occasion to support access to university collections held in university-owned museums and research libraries or to improve public engagement with science. Applications from universities should be co-ordinated by the Development Office to ensure that the project presented is the institution’s strategic priority.

Grants of up to £1000 are available to individual UK University bioscience departments to host and deliver a workshop on learning and teaching in the biosciences, with the aim of there being three such workshops, delivered by different institutions, per year.

The Royal Society of Biology offers grants of up to £1000 to give the opportunity to its members of overseas travel in connection with biological study, teaching or research to those who would otherwise be unlikely to have it.

The Lloyd’s Register Foundation is a UK charity established in 2012. Their mission is to protect the safety of life and property, and to advance transport and engineering education and research. The Foundation's Access to Research Infrastructure Scheme was established to help researchers access research infrastructure in support of studies leading to improved safety of life and property. The primary goal is to support researchers who would benefit from accessing world-class research infrastructure that is not available in their host institution or country and where the funding schemes available in their country of residence does not facilitate such access. Examples might include: researchers needing access to unique equipment hosted in other countries; transnational research collaborations focused on world-leading research facilities; and supporting promising researchers who do not have access to high quality research infrastructures in their own country.

Innovation loans are a 2-year pilot programme to broaden the range of innovation finance support available to businesses, so they can access funding at all stages of innovation. Innovation loans of between £100,000 and £1 million are available to UK small or medium-sized enterprises (SME) that want to scale up and grow by developing new or improved products, processes or services.  The loans are available for up to 10 years are accessed through themed competitions that will open for applications via five funding rounds.  A total of £50 million will be available over 2 years to the end of 2020.

The Music Export Growth Scheme is designed to make available grants ranging from £5,000 - £50,000 to UK-registered independent music companies to assist them with marketing campaigns when looking to introduce successful UK music projects overseas.

Bethnal Green Ventures (BGV) is an accelerator programme, early-stage investor and support network for ambitious technology start-ups that are tackling problems in the areas of health, education, sustainability, civic engagement, tech to support young people, workertech. BGV's accelerator programme invests in and supports teams with new ideas through an intensive three-month programme. Supported teams may include software developers, designers or people with personal experience of something they want to change - from teachers and doctors, to patients and carers. BGV looks for early-stage ideas with the potential to help millions of people. Teams of between two and four people selected to be part of the BGV programme will benefit from a £60,000 investment in exchange for 7% equity. BGV also provides a three month programme of support and advice to help build, test and launch each start-up.

The Royal Society of Chemistry believes that for chemistry and the chemical sciences to prosper; it must attract, develop and retain a diverse community of talented people. The Inclusion and Diversity fund has been created to provide financial support of up to £5,000 to members, professionals, network groups, volunteer groups, institutions and organisations to enable them to develop innovative products, activities and research projects which promote inclusion and diversity. Proposed activities must demonstrate their relevance to the Society's Inclusion and Diversity strategy.

The H&M Conscious Foundation Global Change Awards fund early stage ideas that present new environmentally friendly approaches that reinvent the fashion industry. This means changing the way garments are designed and produced, shipped, bought, used and recycled. The competition has three categories: circular business models, circular materials and circular processes. Global Change Award is open for anyone over 18 to apply. It is also open for institutions, organisations and social businesses. Five winners, will share a €1 million grant and get access to an innovation accelerator provided by H&M Foundation, Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

The International Partnership Space Programme is a two year £32 million pound programme designed to enable UK satellite and other space sector companies to develop international partnerships for mutual benefit. The objectives for this programme are to show the additionality UK satellite or space technology can provide over terrestrial solutions in terms of societal or economic benefits. This call for proposals addresses areas including Earth Observation, Space Science or Life Sciences. It aims to address emerging space economies centred in South America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific and/or Nations linked with the UK Government Newton Programme including Brazil, China, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. Funding will be available of between £500,000 and £4million; at least 50% matched funding is required.

The Honor Frost Foundation (HFF) makes grants available for marine and maritime archaeology projects and training and education with a focus on the Eastern Mediterranean. HFF grants are available to individual scholars, affiliated scholars and institutions and are intended to support or facilitate research projects covering any period or aspect of maritime and marine archaeology and maritime cultural heritage. Support will also be given to training, publications, workshops and conference with regional involvement, conservation work, museum exhibitions, public engagement and education in maritime archaeology and the protection of underwater cultural heritage. Individual grants will not normally exceed £10,000. The foundation has a particular focus on Cyprus, Lebanon and Syria.

The European Research Councils (ERC) main objective is to encourage high quality research in Europe through competitive funding. ERC Advanced Grants are for active researchers of any nationality who have a track record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years, the funding is available for ground breaking, high risk projects that open new directions in the researchers respective fields or other domains. Funding of up to EUR 2.5 million over 5 years, is available for pioneering and far-reaching research at the frontiers of the fields addressed and that involve new, ground-breaking or unconventional methodologies whose risk is justified by the possibility of a major breakthrough.

The British Academy, the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences, has announced that its Small Research Grant scheme is open for applications.  Under the Small Research Grants programme grants of between £500 and £10,000 over two years are available to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. Funds will be available to facilitate initial project planning and development; to support the direct costs of research; and to enable the advancement of research through workshops, or visits by or to partner scholars. 

Emeritus Fellowships provide research expenses of up to £24,000 for a period of between three months and two years to enable senior researchers who have retired from an academic post to complete a research project and prepare the results for publication. Funding is available to cover: Travel and subsistence costs for periods away from home; the employment of a research, clerical or secretarial assistant to support the work of the applicant; Photocopies; Photographic expenses; Office or laboratory consumables. Funding is not available for the studies of disease, illness and disabilities in humans and animals, or research that is intended to inform clinical practice or the development of medical applications.