UK Research and Innovation, Economic and Social Research Council

ESRC applicant-led: Grow awards

ESRC Grow awards fund individual social science researchers at a key career point to make a step-change: establishing independence, pivoting boldly into a new social science discipline, or building expertise in advanced or emerging methods. The award centres on the project lead's development, delivered through a defined project of research, training, placements, mentoring or similar. Projects cost £100,000 to £500,000 at full economic cost, of which ESRC pays 80%, and run 18 months to five years. Applications are taken at any time until October 2029.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £100,000 – £500,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Heavy; budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

Researchers at any career stage based at a UK research organisation with standard ESRC/UKRI eligibility; the award must focus on the development of the project lead
Other team members are allowed only where their contributions are needed for the development project and fully justified
International researchers can join as project co-lead (international), and UK-based business, third sector or government body staff can join as project co-leads
The host research organisation is expected to support the applicant's development (mentoring, research and skills development) and set this out in the application
Only the lead research organisation can submit

What it funds

A defined project through which the project lead develops, deploys and tests new skills, with activities that might include:

Basic or applied research projects that enable career development objectives
Secondary analysis and other forms of existing data reuse that enable career development objectives
Methodological or technical capability development and application
Interdisciplinary collaborations and transfer of insights or techniques across disciplinary boundaries
Discipline transitions within (or into) the social sciences
Placements, secondments or immersive development opportunities in both academic and non-academic contexts
Tailored mentoring or leadership development activities

The FEC can be between £100,000 and £500,000; ESRC funds 80%. Awards last 18 to 60 months. Social sciences within ESRC's remit must be more than 50% of the research focus and effort.

What it will not fund

Uninvited resubmissions of projects previously submitted to UKRI
Unspecified research work
Research already underway or carried out
Writing up previous research or completing previously funded research objectives
General literature reviews not related to the proposed development project
General conference attendance not related to the proposed development project
Travel for general study not related to the proposed development project
Expeditions not related to the proposed development project
Requests to hold conferences, workshops or seminars where these constitute the primary project component
Preparation of books and publications not related to the proposed development project
Preparation and production of materials such as curriculum materials and software development where these constitute the primary project component
Training courses or learning activities where these constitute the primary project component
Research, evidence synthesis, or knowledge exchange activity with no associated development component
Transitions to disciplines outside the social sciences
Transitions to research-focused or other roles in non-academic organisations
Transitions to non-research roles within academic organisations
Flexible funding pots that enable subcontracting of further small research projects
Associated studentships

How to apply

Check the project is within ESRC's remit; use the remit query form if unsure
Make sure your organisation is registered on the UKRI Funding Service (not Je-S)
Select 'Start application' on the Funding finder page, confirm you are the project lead, and sign in or create a Funding Service account
Answer the questions: summary, vision, approach, research organisation support, applicant fit to the funding opportunity, applicant and team capability, resources and cost justification, ethics, project partners, data management and sharing, facilities and career stage
Send the completed application to your research office, which checks it and submits it to UKRI
At least three expert reviewers assess it; if it has enough support you respond to their comments before an ESRC applicant-led panel scores it

Apply when ready; ESRC holds regular decision points. Applications short of support after the first two reviews may be rejected before a third.

Have ready

A single PDF of letters or emails of support from each named project partner (not from the host or co-leads' research organisations)
Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) for the team

Additional ethics question sets may need downloading, completing and uploading if the project involves them.

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