ESRC is replacing its applicant-led funding offer in stages with five routes—React, Connect, Grow, Explore and Challenge—intended to support a wider range of research purposes, from urgent policy questions to large-scale collaborations. The change is designed to make funding more outcome-focused, encourage novelty and responsible risk-taking, and speed decisions on strong ideas. It is not yet evidence that funded projects or applicants have become more diverse: ESRC’s published pages set out aims and scheme terms, not measured outcomes.
What is changing in ESRC funding?
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is refreshing its applicant-led funding offer. UKRI describes four intended features: more outcome-focused opportunities, more strategic management and curation of the portfolio, greater support for novelty and responsible risk-taking, and faster funding decisions for the best ideas. The five routes are being introduced in phases, rather than opening together. ESRC’s funding overview sets out the programme structure.
Here, “project diversity” is best understood as an aim to support a broader mix of questions, methods, career paths and collaborations—not as a claim that outcomes have already changed. The new opportunities invite ambitious or boundary-pushing research and, in some cases, career moves into new areas. The published scheme pages do not report results showing increased diversity among applicants or funded projects.
Which new ESRC scheme might fit your project?
The routes differ in purpose, scale and timing. Their award amounts are programme terms, not evidence of success rates or impact.
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| Route | Intended purpose | Award and timing |
|---|---|---|
| React | Time-critical research responding to an urgent evidence need for UK policymakers or public-service practitioners; requires a public-sector partner with a concrete plan to use the outputs. | £50,000–£100,000; six-month pilot. Projects may last up to six months. |
| Connect | Testing new or higher-risk ideas and building early collaborations in emerging areas. | £50,000–£150,000; six-month pilot. |
| Grow | Early-career development and moves into new research areas. | £100,000–£500,000 over 18 months to five years; planned for November 2026. |
| Explore | Curiosity-driven, ambitious social science that may push disciplinary, methodological or conceptual boundaries. | £300,000–£2 million, for up to five years; planned to open 5 November 2026. Details are provisional. |
| Challenge | Collaborations addressing complex problems at scale. | £2 million–£10 million; planned for early 2027. |
The award ranges and planned opening dates above are from ESRC’s funding overview; React’s specific conditions are described in its official opportunity outline. For Explore, consult the pre-announcement as well: its information may change.
When do the new ESRC grants open?
There is no single launch date for the five routes. React and Connect are six-month pilots already described in the official overview; Grow is planned for November 2026, Explore for 5 November 2026, and Challenge for early 2027. Check each live opportunity page for the current application window and requirements rather than treating these planned dates as guarantees.
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What to know about Explore
The Explore page is a pre-announcement published on 8 September 2026. It gives a planned opening date of 5 November 2026 but no closing date. It says the core team is limited to four members, social sciences must account for more than 50% of research focus and effort, and UK organisations must be eligible for ESRC funding. These particulars are provisional and may change; use the official Explore page for updates.
Can you still apply for an ESRC research grant?
Yes. ESRC’s current responsive-mode research-grants opportunity remains open until 4 November 2026 at 4:00pm UK time. It supports researcher-driven work within ESRC’s remit, with awards of £350,000–£1 million, funding at 80% of full economic cost, and project durations up to five years. The deadline and terms are on the responsive-mode opportunity page.
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This is a transition, not an immediate closure of every current grant type. Compare the live responsive-mode criteria with the new route that best fits your work before choosing where to apply; the routes are not interchangeable simply because they are all ESRC funding.
What does ESRC mean by responsible risk-taking?
ESRC’s guidance recognises that ambitious research may carry a higher-than-normal risk of not delivering every expected output. Risk can arise from innovative or untested methods, new theory, unusual combinations of disciplines, difficult data or participant access, or sensitive and controversial subjects. The guidance does not suggest that a weakly designed proposal is preferred: the work still needs to be clearly specified, and applicants should consider its potential impacts. See ESRC’s guidance on impact and innovation.
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The Explore pre-announcement says: “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.” That describes the uncertainty associated with its ambition; it is not a waiver of the need for a credible research plan.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the funding shake-up does—and does not—show
The announced routes give applicants different ways to pursue urgent evidence needs, early collaborations, career development, intellectually ambitious work or large-scale problem-solving. ESRC says the redesign is intended to broaden its support and take responsible risks. The official pages reviewed do not provide statistical evidence that applicant diversity, project diversity, success rates or research impact have already improved. Those outcomes should not be inferred from the programme’s aims or award ranges.
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