GrantRadar

UK Space Agency (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

ESERO-UK (European Space Education Resource Office UK) grant

A single grant of up to £4.5 million over 2027/28 to 2029/30 for a lead organisation, ideally heading a consortium, to run ESERO-UK: the UK-wide space education and engagement programme for young people aged 4-19 across schools, colleges and cultural, community and social settings. The programme focuses on young people under-represented in STEM and space careers and on equipping teachers and other educators. ESA expects to add up to €750,000 through a separate contract with the winner. This is a national delivery contract-scale grant, suited only to large, experienced education organisations or consortia.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£1 – £4,500,000
Deadline
94 days left
20 January
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • The project must be led by a UK organisation that will receive the grant; any type of UK organisation can lead
  • The UK Space Agency encourages a consortium bringing together expertise, networks and capacity to deliver a coherent UK-wide programme; only the lead organisation submits, and it must put a collaboration or flow-down agreement in place with partners within 30 days of signing
  • All project members need anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies, GDPR compliance and a conflicts-of-interest process
  • The lead needs a UK bank account and must show it can manage the project
  • Applicants must pass due diligence on financial standing, governance, conflicts of interest, national security and technical expertise
  • Non-UK partners may join if they bring their own funding

What it funds

Delivery of the ESERO-UK programme, meeting three objectives:

  • Supporting young people aged 4-19 to build interest, confidence, skills and understanding of space, and to make informed choices about subjects, qualifications, skills pathways and careers
  • Improving equity, inclusion and diversity in the future space workforce by increasing access to space education and enrichment for young people under-represented in STEM and space careers, or who face barriers to participation and progression
  • Strengthening the capability and confidence of educators and other influencers to use space as a context for learning, enrichment and careers-related activity

eligible costs include personnel, equipment used on the project, travel and subsistence within set limits, subcontractors, training specific to the project, project operating costs and overheads, and costs of delivering education and outreach. Funding is on a cost recovery basis with no profit, paid in arrears against milestones.

What it will not fund

  • Profit margins or commercial charge-out rates
  • Lobbying or activity intended to influence Parliament, Government or political parties, or the award of contracts and grants
  • Using grant funding to petition for additional funding
  • Reclaimable input VAT
  • Activities of a political or exclusively religious nature
  • Goods or services the recipient has a statutory duty to provide
  • Costs reimbursed by other public or private grants
  • Contributions in kind
  • Acquisition or improvement of fixed assets, or their depreciation
  • Interest payments
  • Gifts to individuals, entertaining and alcohol
  • Fines, penalties, or liabilities incurred before the funding agreement
  • Employee benefits and bonuses
  • Full overhead recovery (full absorption costing)
  • Fuel, first or business class travel, visas

How to apply

  1. Read the call guidance, application form templates, assessment criteria and draft Grant Funding Agreement on the gov.uk call page
  2. Optionally attend the market engagement webinar on 28 October 2026
  3. Create an account on the DSIT Flexigrant portal and find the ESERO-UK application form
  4. Complete Application Form Part A online and upload the attachments by 11:59pm UK time on 20 January 2027
  5. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to a presentation and question-and-answer session in January-February 2027
  6. Successful applicants complete due diligence, Partner Assurance Statements and the Grant Funding Agreement

templates must be used unaltered; an omitted mandatory section or altered template means rejection. Questions go only to ESERO-UKgrantcall@DSIT.gov.uk.

Have ready

  • Cover letter
  • Application Form Part A (completed on Flexigrant)
  • Application Form Part B: budget spreadsheet (work packages, milestones, overheads, risk register, schedule, ESA funding breakdown)
  • Application Form Part C: calculated overheads template, only for additional organisations claiming calculated overheads
  • CVs for key personnel of the lead and each partner
  • Letters of support from all project partners
  • Marked-up Grant Funding Agreement, only if requesting changes

after selection, a Partner Assurance Statement for every partner and due diligence information are required.

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