Opportunity status:
Open
Funders:
Funding type:
Grant
Total fund:
£20,000,000
Award range:
£1,120,000 - £3,450,000
Publication date:
2 October 2025
Opening date:
16 October 2025 9:00am UK time
Closing date:
26 February 2026 4:00pm UK time
Last updated: 9 October 2025 -
Apply for funding to support innovative, large-scale and complex projects that tackle big environmental science questions and have the potential to produce world-leading research.
We welcome multi and interdisciplinary research, as long as it is predominantly within the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)’s remit, delivered by collaborative teams.
Funding of between £1.12 million and £3.45 million (at 100% full economic cost) is available for projects lasting up to five years. We expect to fund up to eight projects.
Before applying for funding, check the following:
* * *, if you are unsure whether your proposed research falls within the remit of NERC
To lead a project, you must be based at an eligible organisation. .
Who is eligible to apply
This funding opportunity is open to research groups and individuals. We:
* encourage multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and collaborations with other UK organisations
* welcome applications from individuals at any career stage, subject to NERC eligibility criteria
You may be involved in no more than two applications submitted to this funding opportunity. Only one of these can be as a project lead.
Project partners fund their own involvement. We will only fund minor incidental expenses, such as some travel costs, if needed for project partners.
Resubmissions
We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have previously been submitted to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).