ARMA / ESRC Virtual Study Tour - 14 July 2026 by ARMA UK

New Investigators

2026-07-03 14:27:23 UTC

NI currently ringfences funding for ECRs - the new schemes do not seem at first glance to do this. How will ESRC ensure that ECRs are not squeezed out of its new schemes by more experienced researchers? 'Grow' seems to be the closest scheme to NI, but it will be open to all career stages.

Five new pilots

2026-07-06 15:07:45 UTC

Are the five new opportunities (React, Connect, Grow, Explore, Challenge) replace the existing applicant-led opportunities (esp. standard grant)? If yes, will they be phased out? The announcement isn't clear, and some of our staff are worried about applications currently being developed. https://www.ukri.org/councils/esrc/guidance-for-applicants/types-of-funding-we-offer/

Joint funding agreements

2026-07-07 08:49:55 UTC

How will the new schemes relate to the joint funding agreements with Brazil, Luxembourg?

Re. new schemes - will there be anything akin to the old secondary data scheme, encouraging use of UK Data Service repositories?

2026-07-07 12:23:52 UTC

Challenge scheme queries

2026-07-07 12:30:57 UTC

1) Will the 'challenge' strand of the new funding scheme be a single or multi-stage process for large centre applications?

2) What will the timeline be for the challenge scheme once a proposal for an ESRC centre has been submitted?

Tiered model

2026-07-07 12:34:58 UTC

Regarding the use of Tiers to categorise proposals into: Tier 1 - Fundable, Tier 2 - Competitive, Tier 3 - Unfundable. You have said that Tier 2 is to be "curated" and subject to strategic decisions. Ostensibly this is to ensure that there is balance (e.g. ensure enough ECRs are getting funding), however it is unclear what the mechanism for this will be. It makes curiosity led research vulnerable to political decision making and this needs to be made fully transparent to allay fears.

Re-submission amnesty

2026-07-07 12:40:12 UTC

The number of fantastic proposals that were top rated, but ultimately rejected and could not then be resubmitted is regrettable. With the closure of the responsive mode calls and the advent of the new suite of schemes there is an opportunity for an amnesty on the re-submission policy. Will you allow previously unsuccessful bids to be re-submitted under the new schemes? You could introduce a minimum score for re-submission. Looking ahead - what will the resubmission policy be?

Assessment of new schemes

2026-07-07 12:46:40 UTC

Given the peer review burden and unmanageable volume of applications what will the applications assessment process look like? Will it be DPR like Connect and React, do you have another alternative in mind, or will it use the peer review/panel review system?

Grants with more than 4 applicants

2026-07-07 12:59:54 UTC

In the recent town hall, you noted explore was for small teams of up to 4. Can you confirm that larger teams will be be eligible for this scheme?

Challenge

2026-07-07 13:02:19 UTC

I appreciate ESRC feels it is removing workload from HEIs by making this an open scheme.

-Can you confirm total budget for this scheme and any plans for staggering this to prevent it all being spent in year 1.

-Will previous/current ESRC Centres be eligible to apply?

Degrowth and alternative economic models

2026-07-07 13:09:37 UTC

In light of bucket 1 focus on curiosity and applicant driven research - does ESRC stand by Stain Westlake previous assertion that ESRC will not prioritise research into degrowth? How does this fit with a so called applicant led model?

Overlap between current and new schemes

2026-07-07 13:49:27 UTC

How much overlap do you envisage between the launch of Grow and Explore and the closing of the current responsive mode schemes?

30% rule

2026-07-07 14:03:15 UTC

For the Standard research grants previously the combined costs for specific project partners couldn't exceed 30% of the total FEC - with the new focus on teams and 3rd sector partners will this change?

Pure curiosity

2026-07-07 15:01:37 UTC

The belief that applicant-led mode applications have to align with ESRC strategic priorities in order to be competitive is quite deeply held by some. It seems like this isn't the case. How will you communicate that clearly in the new opportunities?

Progression to panel rates

2026-07-07 15:04:16 UTC

At the previous Nov 2025 study tour you mentioned that there were a relatively high number of applications not getting to panel (over 50%), and you were going to look into the reasons/external factors driving this. Do you have any insights to share?

Strategc partners

2026-07-07 15:06:36 UTC

Do ESRC have strategic partner universities (like BBSRC, EPSRC...)? If so, who are they and what are the criteria?

Challenge Funding

2026-07-08 06:21:17 UTC

With the scale of funding available through the new Challenge funding strand, how will ESRC manage the possibility of a number of competitive proposals being submitted in a close timeframe? Is there a risk that some institutions may submit a number of high value applications to this call? Is there a risk that funding could all be awarded to a small amount of institutions (say in the 'golden triangle')?

Number of awards?

2026-07-08 06:27:06 UTC

The five new strands look like a great way to ensure an entry point for every researcher. The range of funding for each strand has increased to enable researchers to apply for more funding eg ESRC New Investigator currently limited to £350,000 and now potentially up to £500,000 in the 'Grow' strand. With the maximum value increasing, does this mean that fewer applications will be awarded by ESRC as the amount of funding available for all applicant-led funding has not increased enough (especially with the new Challenge strand)?

Thrive Model

2026-07-08 06:31:34 UTC

AHRC Large Grants will use team convening approaches to deliver this scale of funding (Thrive Principals). Will ESRC introduce these approaches into some of the schemes (eg Challenge funding)?

Application form

2026-07-08 08:56:08 UTC

Will the application form (i.e. the Vision, Approach, etc. format in TFS) change?

6-8 week notice period

2026-07-08 11:53:12 UTC

I think what these comments/ questions show is that 6 weeks notice before closing existing schemes (as noted in recent town hall), is really not sufficient when so many details of new schemes unclear. Will ESRC consider revising up these timings?

Timing

2026-07-08 12:06:25 UTC

You have said you don't want a sudden influx of applications trying to beat the deadline for closure of the old schemes. Would you then explicitly advise against submitting beyond a certain date or period? If someone has been preparing a submission for several months and they submit in September as they had planned will that inevitably be viewed as someone trying to beat the deadline regardless of intention?

Consulting and process

2026-07-08 13:55:23 UTC

What was the process involved in the development of these schemes?

Were any universities involved?

Were there any advisory groups representing different stakeholders (for example ECRs) consulted as part of the process?

2026-07-08 14:58:05 UTC

I would like to hear a definitive statement on the role of non-academic impact in evaluation of proposals (under all the new schemes). The AHRC has recently reiterated the centrality of impact, but Stian Westlake had previously intimated that non-academic impact may become less important for the ESRC grants.

ECRs/PDRAs and Fellowships

2026-08-05 12:19:03 UTC

Are there likely to be any new ESRC Fellowships, or other schemes that would fund 100% fte for an ECR who does not have a post?