Applications are:

• Sought from researchers across all discipline areas.
• To be led by a UoM applicant who is eligible to apply for external research funding, this includes academics on teaching and research contracts and independent research fellows.

Applicants are requested to confirm that the application has been discussed with their Head of Department/Division.

The funding opportunity aims to foster connections to scope, seed and grow new research directions and breakthroughs. The three streams of funding provide support for:

• Early discussion and collaboration to test the potential of emerging research fields and new areas of enquiry.
• Development of cross disciplinary collaborations to develop and deepen understanding, stimulate new insights and explore external research funding applications.
• Deep discussion amongst a small defined group to assess the readiness of their ambitious, bold research ideas and insights for external research funding applications.

All applications are expected to be underpinned by excellent research and lead to advances in curiosity-driven research.  All applications will be expected to outline how they will deliver distinctive outcomes, such as:  

• Making a discovery that upends current thinking.
• Testing an unconventional idea at a disciplinary interface.
• Opening novel research paradigms for further exploration in the longer-term.
• Demonstrating proof of principle.
• Establishing feasibility of a new approach.
• Establishing a new cross-disciplinary collaboration.
• Submitting large external research funding applications.

The funding opportunity will not cover: 

• Support for research including research already carried out, writing up previous research, literature surveys. 
• Training and conference attendance.
• Preparation and production of materials such as curriculum materials and software development.
• Equipment purchase, instrument access or infrastructure costs.
• Incremental developments or proposals which focus on user-driven challenges. 

Applications are invited for funding for a period of 12 months from 1 August 2026. All funds must be spent by 31 July 2027.

Funding amounts are:

• Up to £5,000 for internal ideation networks.
• Up to £25,000 for external networks.
• Up to £10,000 for ideas, discussion and writing.

Eligible costs (funded at 100%): Costs of travel, subsistence, and consumables which are related to meetings, seminars, workshops, networking, events, exchanges and visits to and from potential collaborators. This may include the costs of external speakers and facilitators.

Ineligible costs: Staff time, research and equipment costs.

Please note that applications do not need to be costed by Research Services teams.

The application form asks applicants to: 

• Summarise the aims and objectives of the programme of activity. 
• Outline the vision for the proposed work and explain how the programme of activity will advance knowledge, build deeper understanding, uncover new research directions and seed the next wave of breakthroughs. 
• Describe the approach being taken to deliver the vision including the underpinning research that is the basis of the programme of activity.  
• Outline a programme of activity.  
• Provide details of the applicant and the team and their capability to deliver the proposed programme of activity. 
• Identify expected outcomes, for example,  
  • Making a discovery that upends current thinking.
  • Testing an unconventional idea at a disciplinary interface.
  • Opening novel research paradigms for further exploration in the longer-term.
  • Demonstrating proof of principle.
  • Establishing feasibility of a new approach.
  • Establishing a new cross-disciplinary collaboration.
  • Submitting large external research funding applications.
• Summarise the resources required to deliver the proposed programme of activity. 

All applicants must:

• Complete and submit the online application form by 4pm on Wednesday 22 April 2026 to rst@manchester.ac.uk. Late applications will not be accepted.
• Confirm within the application form that the application has been discussed with the lead applicant’s Head of Department/Division.
• Complete an anonymised EDI form to help us compare the pool of applicants with award holders. 

All applications received by the call deadline will be:

• Checked for eligibility by the Research Strategy Team.
• Reviewed and assessed by a panel of colleagues in the home Faculty of the lead applicant.
• Reviewed, assessed and ranked by a cross-University panel including the Vice-President for Research, Associate Vice-Presidents for Research and Innovation and Faculty Vice-Deans for Research and Innovation.

The criteria that applications will be assessed against are:  

• Excellence of the underpinning research.
• The potential for the programme of activity to advance knowledge, build deeper understanding, uncover new research directions and seed the next wave of breakthroughs.
• The potential for the programme of activity to lead to external funding applications, for example, ERC, ARIA, BBSRC Pioneer, AHRC Curiosity, NERC Pushing frontier, Leverhulme Research Centres.
• Feasibility, and appropriateness of the proposed programme of activity, including delivery by the proposed team in the time period specified.
• In addition, applications for ideas discussion writing and external works will be assessed on the strength of the proposed group of academics or network. 

Research Committee is identifying funding mechanisms which will support the delivery of From Manchester, for the world and this new fund will be adapted and refined following an assessment of its impact. To inform this successful applicants will be required to:

• Submit a short report on the use of the funds received outlining the impact.
• Continue to report for a period of three years on external research funding that has been secured.

Questions about Applicants 

Who can be a lead applicant? Lead applicants must a UoM employee who is eligible to apply for external research funding.   

I have an honorary appointment with UoM. Can I be the lead applicant? No. Applications must be led by a UoM member of staff. Colleagues with an honorary/visiting contract may be a member of the team. 

Can I submit multiple proposals? You can only submit one proposal as a lead applicant. If you are named as member of the team on other proposals, they must be distinct proposals. 

Is there a limit to the number of applicants there can be on a project? No there is no limit, however, the role of each team member should be clearly outlined in the application. 

Questions about the Application 

Are there discipline areas that are being prioritised for this call? No. Applications are sought from researchers across all discipline areas.  

What is the call looking for? The call is looking for proposals which are underpinned by excellent research and which foster connections and collaborations with the potential to scope, seed and grow new research directions and breakthroughs. 

Can I include external partners? Yes. External partners can be included in the application. Their role in the project should be clearly outlined in the application. 

Questions about the Costings 

How much can I apply for? Applicants can apply for up to £5,000 for internal ideation networks, up to £25,000 for external networks and up to £10,000 for ideas, discussion and writing. 

What are the rules relating to including equipment and staff time in the costings? Staff-time and equipment costs are not eligible.   

What will the call fund? The call will fund the costs of travel, subsistence and consumables which are related to meetings, seminars, workshops, networking events, exchanges and visits to and from potential collaborators, this may include the costs of external facilitators and speakers.  

Questions about the Application and Approval Process 

What approval is required when I submit the application? Lead applicants are requested to confirm, within the application form, that they have discussed the application with their Head of Department/Division.   

What is the selection process? All applications will be reviewed and assessed by a panel of colleagues in the home Faculty of the lead applicant Applications will then be reviewed by a panel comprising the Faculty Vice Deans for Research and Innovation, the Vice President and Associate Vice Presidents for Research and Innovation and they will agree a final ranking of all proposals.  

When will I know the outcome of my application? Applicants will be informed of the final decision via email week at the end of June 2026.