ESRC responsive mode: research grants round two
UK Research and Innovation's ESRC responsive mode: research grants round two funds investigator-led social science research, with a focus on projects using AI to address societal or economic challenges.
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Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: November 4, 2026 (Closing date)
Funding Amounts: £350,000–£1,000,000 per project (ESRC funds 80% of full economic cost, up to 5 years)
Summary: Supports ambitious, investigator-led social science research projects—including those using AI—across all ESRC disciplines.
Key Information: Social sciences must be >50% of research focus; highlight notice for AI-related projects is active.
Description
This opportunity from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), funds investigator-driven research projects across the social sciences. It welcomes proposals for basic, applied, and strategic research, including methodological development, large-scale surveys, and research infrastructure. There are no thematic or methodological restrictions, provided the majority of the work is within the ESRC’s remit. The current round features a highlight notice encouraging applications that use artificial intelligence (AI), such as deep learning or generative AI, to address societal or economic challenges. Interdisciplinary and innovative proposals are encouraged, as long as social sciences remain the primary focus.
