ESRC Responsive Mode: Research Grants

ESRC Responsive Mode Research Grants

Supports United Kingdom social science teams through flexible grants for independent evidence-building innovation.

The Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) Responsive Mode Research Grants are the UK's primary always-open funding mechanism for social science research. There is no fixed deadline — applications are submitted at any time via the UKRI Funding Service and assessed on a rolling basis. Awards range from £350,000 to £1,000,000 at full economic cost (FEC), with ESRC funding 80% and the host institution covering the remaining 20%. Projects may run for up to five years (60 months). The scheme opened on 29 September 2023 and operates continuously; the current active round is Round Two. ESRC has signalled that the scheme will be refreshed towards the end of 2026 and into 2027, so applicants should monitor for any structural changes.

Eligible research spans the full breadth of social science — basic, applied, and strategic — provided social sciences represent more than 50% of the project's research focus and effort. Fundable activities include standard research projects, methodological development, large-scale surveys, and data infrastructure. The scheme has issued a specific highlight notice for artificial intelligence for social science research since April 2024. Applications must be submitted by the host research organisation, not by individuals directly. UK-based business, third-sector, and government co-investigators are permitted. International researchers may participate as project co-leads under international agreement, but cannot serve as project lead.

ESRC's responsive mode model was designed to replace the previous deadline-based competitive rounds, which created submission peaks and bottlenecks. The always-open structure allows research teams to apply when their proposal is ready and timely, without waiting for a scheduled round. Assessment is handled by ESRC peer review panels on a continuous basis. Institutions must be registered and eligible for ESRC funding via the UKRI Funding Service before submitting. Awards made under this scheme represent the core of ESRC's investment in investigator-led social science research across the UK.