Pre-announcement: ESRC applicant-led: explore awards

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Funding opportunity Funding opportunity: Pre-announcement: ESRC applicant-led: explore awards Opportunity status: Upcoming Funders: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Funding type: Grant Award range: £300,000 - £2,000,000 Publication date: 8 September 2026 Opening date: 5 November 2026 9:00am UK time Closing date: Open - no closing date Apply for funding to advance knowledge through ambitious, curiosity-driven social science. We are looking for creative, innovative and bold proposals within ESRC’s remit that advance knowledge by pushing disciplinary, methodological or conceptual boundaries. You can propose the approach that best achieves your aims. We will fund individuals or research teams with up to four core members. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for ESRC funding. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £2 million. ESRC will fund 80% of the FEC. Projects can last up to five years. This is a pre-announcement and the information may change. More information will be available on this page when the funding opportunity opens. Who can apply This opportunity will be open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible . Who can apply You can be at any stage of your career. Applications must be submitted by an individual researcher or a small central research team consisting of no more than four members, comprising one project lead and up to three project co-leads. Further research and innovation associates, grant managers, specialists, technicians and professional enabling staff can be included in addition, so long as their contributions are 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) and must be included within the maximum team size. 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 and must be included within the maximum team size. 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. What we're looking for 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 Curiosity-driven social science generates ideas, perspectives and breakthroughs that advance and reshape understanding, creating the foundations for future social and economic benefit. Explore awards support individuals and small teams with ambitious ideas, recognising the important role they play in generating novel questions and disruptive thinking. We welcome creative, innovative and bold proposals from anywhere within ESRC’s remit that advance knowledge by pushing disciplinary, methodological or conceptual boundaries, or otherwise generate important new understanding. Scope We are looking for applications that challenge assumptions, open up new areas of enquiry or new sources or uses of evidence, bring concepts together in unexpected ways, or test novel approaches and methods. Working in this way brings the potential for high reward but also involves uncertainty and risk. Outcomes may be uncertain, timelines to impact may be long-term, and the risk of failure is inherent in pushing the boundaries of social science. We are looking for ideas that embrace this challenge, take responsible risks that are integral to maximising potential, and actively manage uncertainty in ways that do not suppress innovation. Ambitious research will not always deliver anticipated results, but we expect you to demonstrate that the potential gains justify the risks involved. What a high-quality project looks like will differ based on the focus of its ambition for advancing knowledge. You have the freedom to propose the approach best suited to achieving your aims, whether that means a research project, data resource or infrastructure initiative, or another mechanism. Projects may focus on experimental or theoretical work without a specific use in mind or be more applied in nature. We welcome proposals across a wide range of funding scales and award durations. What defines an Explore award is not the form of the project or the type of research, but the novelty and ambition of its contribution within or beyond its field, and its potential to shift understanding and inspire future directions for research. Duration The duration of this award is a maximum of 60 months. Funding available The FEC of your project can be between £300,000 and £2 million. ESRC will fund 80% of the FEC. What we will fund You have wide scope and freedom to propose the research activities best suited to achieving your project’s objectives. Activities may include, but are not limited to: basic or applied research projects exploratory or early-stage investigations methodological development or innovation large-scale surveys data infrastructure or novel data resources secondary analysis and other forms of existing data reuse You must clearly set out your overall objectives, your project’s novelty and potential significance, and why the proposed activities are appropriate to deliver these. You must also clearly address the risks in your proposed approach and how you plan to proactively and proportionately manage these to balance delivery, innovation and scope for long-term impact. You are expected to set out leadership and management structures appropriate for the level of funding and type of activity you are seeking support for in the ‘Approach’ and ’Applicant and team capability to deliver’ sections. 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 unspecified research work research already underway or carried out consultancy, evaluation or analysis whose primary purpose is to deliver pre-defined or specified policy, commercial or implementation outcomes data collection or data resource development that substantially duplicates existing data resources without a compelling justification of the additional value it would provide writing up previous research or completing previously funded research objectives 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 The following cannot be included in applications: flexible funding pots that enable subcontracting of further small research projects 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 applicants 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. Supporting skills and talent We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment . 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 you 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. Summary Word limit: 550 In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application. We may make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example: opinion-formers policymakers the public the wider research community Guidance for writing a summary Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of: context overall aims and objectives focus and novelty of contribution to understanding potential to shift understanding and inspire future research directions Core team List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following: project lead (PL) project co-lead (UK) (PcL) project co-lead (international) (PcL (I)) specialist grant manager professional enabling staff research and innovation associate technician Only list one individual as project lead. UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application. Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications . Application questions Vision Word limit: 750 What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work? What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how your proposed work: is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s) has the potential to advance current understanding, or generate new knowledge, questions, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area is timely given current trends, context, and needs is novel with potential gains justifying any risks involved has significant potential to inspire future research directions In the Vision section you must also: clearly explain and evidence what is novel, creative and innovative about your idea and how you hope it will push disciplinary, methodological or conceptual boundaries, or otherwise generate important new understanding. For example, will it challenge assumptions, open up new areas of enquiry or new sources or uses of evidence, bring concepts together in unexpected ways, or test novel approaches and methods? describe the potential significance and scope for long-term impact of your proposed work References may be included within this section. You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service. Approach Word limit: 2,500 How are you going to deliver your proposed work? What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how you have designed your approach so that it: is the most effective and appropriate way to achieve your objectives uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable) appropriately uses, builds on or contributes to existing data resources and infrastructures, and why any new data collection is necessary (if applicable) clearly addresses risks and how they will be managed proactively and proportionately to balance delivery, innovation and scope for long-te

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