What Works Centre for a climate resilient UK
What Works Centre for a climate resilient UK supports an independent centre to generate, synthesise and share evidence that helps governments, communities and businesses make effective adaptation decisions.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: October 1, 2026, 9:00am UK time (Opening) | October 8, 2026, 10:00–11:00am UK time (Webinar) | December 15, 2026, 4:00pm UK time (Closing) | August 1, 2027 (Latest grant start)
Funding Amounts: One award up to £21.1 million funder contribution over 44 months, normally at 80% FEC
Summary: Establish an independent centre that generates, synthesises and mobilises evidence to accelerate effective climate adaptation across the UK.
Key Information: Applications must include at least one UK-based project co-lead from business, the third sector or government.
Description
UK Research and Innovation and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are funding an independent What Works Centre, delivered through the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), with devolved governments as formal partners. The centre will bring stakeholders together to identify evidence needs, generate and synthesise trusted evidence, and translate findings into practical adaptation decisions.
The programme must cover healthy natural environments and food systems, thriving places, and services and infrastructure. It combines real-world pilots, robust evaluations and decision-support tools to improve the effectiveness, equity and value for money of adaptation. Priorities include place-based approaches, vulnerability, investment, governance, and intervention co-benefits and trade-offs. Its primary audiences are UK and devolved governments, with wider engagement across communities, businesses and delivery organisations.
