Main Grants Fund

Main Grants Fund is sponsored by Nuffield Foundation. The Nuffield Foundation's Main Grants Fund invites applications for research and innovation that have the potential to improve people's lives.

Research Funding | Apply for Funding | Nuffield Foundation We support new ideas, rigorous research and innovative interventions that tackle some of the UK's most urgent social challenges.

Rooted in our founding mission to advance social wellbeing, and shaped by today’s economic and social challenges, our funding supports work that furthers understanding, shifts public debate, and ultimately improves lives for individuals, families and communities across the UK. We expect to spend £150 million over five years on activities and work that align with our purpose: to improve people’s lives within a just and inclusive society.

Open Main Grants (Research, Development and Analysis Fund) Outline application deadline: 5 October 2026 Usually six months to three years Funding for research projects that address one or more of our five interconnected priorities and aim to improve lives in the UK Open Racial Diversity UK Fund Outline application deadline: October 2026 Usually six months to three years Research funding to understand the barriers and pathways to a racially just and inclusive society Closed UK impacts of the US-Iran conflict Up to eight projects, with a total funding budget of over £350,000 Rapid response research funding to understand the economic and social impacts on the UK of the 2026 conflict involving US, Iran, Israel and the wider region.

Research grants for original and ambitious projects that confront the scale and urgency of the UK’s biggest social and economic challenges Research funding to improve the social and economic well-being of people living with musculoskeletal conditions. Support for grant-holders See our resources for grant-holders Support for grant-holders Using the 360Giving Data Standard, our awarded grants since 2016 are available to view online.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4. 0 International License. The data is freely accessible to be used by anyone and must be attributed to Nuffield Foundation.

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