In this guest blog, Dr Eilidh Denham, Strategic Research Executive in the Research Strategy Team in the Edinburgh Research Office, introduces a new resource that supports researchers navigating and understanding the UK’s complex funding landscape and signposts to support.
The UK has a complex and fast-changing research funding landscape and an understanding of this is pivotal to the development of a UK-based researchers’ career, research, and funding strategies. When I conducted interviews with mid-career researchers to understand their support needs and challenges, the conversations revealed that academics who had started their research career elsewhere and relocated to the UK often found it challenging to adapt to the UK’s funding landscape. This prompted me to gather and create a set of resources that aim to address this support need and help academics to learn about the UK funding system, who the key UK funders are and their different funding mechanisms, as well as what must be considered when applying for UK funding. These resources are particularly suitable for those who are new to the UK funding landscape which we anticipate to include early career researchers, as well as researchers who have recently relocated to the UK.
The new resources are available as 3 main SharePoint pages on the ERO Research Community HUBsite with links to supporting resources, including a set of more detailed pages about the main UK research funders:
The UK Funding Landscape
This resource provides an overview of the UK funding system and signposts to available supporting resources. Information provided includes overviews of where research funding in the UK originates and an explainer of the UK Dual Support Funding System, as well as summaries of the main categories of UK research funders (e.g., UKRI, charities, and societies) and the different types of funding opportunities that are on offer (e.g., fellowships, research grants, and seed funding).
UK Research Funders
In this resource, you can learn more specifics about the different UK funders. It offers an introduction to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) with its research councils, such as BBSRC, ESRC and MRC. There is also the option to dive deeper into the each individual UKRI council to learn about their vision and strategy, as well as their current funding priorities. This is crucial when identifying the right funder match for your project and career and can support you in tailoring your application for specific schemes.
You can also access information on UK Charities and Trusts as well as National Academies and Royal Societies that might offer smaller funding schemes and career development funding awards.
Guide to applying for UK Funding
There is also a guide to applying for UK funding which covers the main features of a standard UK funding application and signposts to where further support for particular aspects is available on the ERO Research Community HUBsite or elsewhere on UoE website. Here, you’ll find information and resources on Narrative CVs, preparing a budget, embedding research culture in funding proposals as well as finding out more about the processes of preparing and submitting a proposal and signposting to support.
Guide to Applying for UK Funding
Upcoming Event
In addition to the published static resources, we will run a number of research community events to support the launch of these new resources, the first of which will be an “Introduction to the UK Funding Landscape” online event on 25th June.
Introduction to the UK Funding Landscape Tickets, Wed, Jun 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite
This 1-hour session will provide an overview of how research is funded in the UK and who funds it, with introductions to key terminologies such as directive and responsive mode funding. Attendees will also learn about different funding types from seed funding to fellowships and grants, and gain insights into the ways in which political, economic, and social factors influence and shape the sector. Equipped with that knowledge and awareness of resources, researchers new to the UK funding landscape will be better positioned to plan their research and become more strategic in developing their UK-based funding profile.
For further info, please contact Eilidh Denham (edenham@ed.ac.uk) from the Strategic Research Team.
