Governance after Brexit programme

Smaller innovation grant - funder deadline: 3rd May 2018 Larger grant - funder deadline: 22nd May 2018

This is the first phase of the ESRC's new Governance after Brexit Programme. 

This call aims to develop a major programme of research which addresses the impact of Brexit on all of these facets of UK governance. This body of work seeks to engage with the multitude of challenges posed by Brexit, and the opportunities it offers, for society, politics and economics throughout all regions and localities.

This call is particularly interested in proposals with research strategies that take risks in pursuit of high-level rewards, which blend disciplines and push the boundaries of methodological innovation across all levels of analysis.

This first phase of Governance after Brexit will be made up of two streams of smaller and larger grants:

• The smaller 'Innovation' grants are intended for projects with highly innovative research methods, a diverse range of participants and a novel combination and application of disciplinary approaches. The commissioning process is designed specifically to identify and support innovative and cutting-edge work, and allows for a higher acceptance of risk than would perhaps be the case with more traditional commissioning approaches. Smaller 'Innovation' grant proposals should be between £150,000 and £249,999 at 100% fEC and should start from 1 November 2018 for a maximum period of 24 months if successful. 
• The larger grants are intended for fuller, larger-scale activities, such as survey work, comparative and ethnographic methods, and multiple location studies. Larger grant proposals should be between £250,000 and £750,000 at 100% fEC (with the ESRC contributing 80% fEC) and should start from 1 December 2018 for a maximum period of 36 months if successful. 

Assessment process
Smaller 'Innovation' grants will be assessed through a two phase process. Eligible proposals will first be assessed anonymously by an expert commissioning panel. The resulting shortlist of proposals will then be considered by the commissioning panel who will then make final funding recommendations. 
 
Larger grants will be assessed by at least three expert academic peer reviewers. Applicants will have the opportunity to respond to anonymised reviewer comments before proposals are considered by the commissioning panel and funding recommendations are made. Applicants should nominate two potential academic reviewers and may also nominate up to two potential users from business, government or voluntary sectors.

Further application information
All proposals must be submitted through the Je-S system. See the ESRC website for further information including guidance documents. If you'd like to submit an application, please contact Karen or Elizabeth or your Centre Administrator. 

Faculty Expression on Interest: 6th April 2018

Faculty 1st draft review: 

• Smaller grant: 12th April 2018
• Larger grant: 24th April 2018  

Research services deadline (TBC):

• Smaller grant: 26th April 2018.
• Larger grant: 15th May 2018   

Funder deadline:

• Smaller grants: 16.00 on 3rd May 2018.  
• Larger grants: 16.00 on 22nd May 2018.