Funding Opportunities

Call Open: TBA

The second round is yet to be announced.

The 2025-26 Research Development Fund (Strategic Awards) is open for applications to support activities taking place between 1 Feb 2026 - 31 July 2026.

Awards of up to £30,000 are available to support the development of future external funding bids in areas of pioneering, world-class research.

The RDF provides pump-priming support for new research initiatives and/or future external funding applications. It also aims to stimulate cross-discipline/departmental collaboration and partnerships with industry (*match funding is necessary from industrial partners).

Deadline: 16th March 2026 (by 17:00)

Up to £5,000 to support the development of new interdisciplinary research ideas and other speculative early-stage activities (e.g. network development).

There are four application rounds per year, details of which can be found here.

Awards are prioritised for projects that are ineligible for other Warwick funding.

Eligibility

Warwick-based staff only. Principal Applicants should be permanent (incl. probationary) Warwick academic staff or holders of externally funded fellowships that extend beyond the proposed activity.

IAS Fellows (P2K, EUTOPIA-SIF, Early Career, Associate) may also apply as long as their fellowship extends beyond the proposed activity.

Co-investigators can be from Warwick or other institutions.

See hereLink opens in a new window for details on how to apply.

NOTE: applications currently only accepted for Data, Digital Science, and AILink opens in a new window.

Early career researchers (including PhD students) are encouraged to apply to Warwick's Research Spotlights SchemeLink opens in a new window which aims to support the university's interdisciplinary research community. Grants are made to support development of an inclusive knowledge society, as well as activities that explore the role of university and staff in knowledge production, dissemination, and use.

Previous awards included grants of ~£1,000-£2,000 in relation to four major areas:

• Behaviour
• Digital, Data Science, and AI
• Health
• Society and Culture

Deadlines vary by opportunity. Please see individual pages for more information.

Deadline: 18 March 2026

Research and Impact Services (RIS) have reprised their Horizon Europe Seed Fund for the 2025/2026 academic yearLink opens in a new window.

Open to Warwick academics and researchers to engage with Horizon EuropeLink opens in a new window, the world's largest Research and Innovation Programme.

Funding is available for three routes:

• Route 1: Collaborations (up to £7,500)
• Route 2: Brokerage (up to £3,000)
• Route 3: Consultancy (up to £7,500)

Final 2025/26 deadline is 18 March 2026.

RIS will deliver an Information Session for prospective applicants on 23 February 2026.

Deadline: April 2026 (date TBC)

The International Partnership Fund (IPF) supports mobility to wider European partners and is managed through International Strategy and Relations (ISR)Link opens in a new window. The fund supports faculty colleagues who wish to foster or establish collaborations with peers at top international universities or institutions, including in Europe.

The call will open in March 2026 with a deadline in April 2026.

In previous years, funding has been awarded over two financial years of up to £3,500/year for Europe and £5,000/year for the rest of the world.