The Research, Development and Analysis Fund is one of the Nuffield Foundation’s main grant programmes and a key component of its mission to advance educational opportunity and social well-being across the UK. Established in 2017 to support research aligned with its five year strategy, the fund has invited proposals for up to £750,000 to fund research to inform the design and operation of social policy and practice in three core domains – Education, Welfare and Justice – that the Foundation identifies as underpinning a well-functioning society.

For the second 2025 application round, the Nuffield Foundation has revised the fund as the Main Grants (Research, Development and Analysis Fund) and is seeking proposals for research that aligns with one or more questions identified in its recent Strategic Review. The review was conducted in response to the current landscape of profound uncertainty and aims to take a refreshed approach to addressing the inequalities, disadvantages and vulnerabilities that shape people’s lives.

Proposals submitted for the October 2025 application deadline must address one or more of the following questions:

• How can we build a prosperous and fair society, where people are secure and can fulfil their potential?
• How can we build an inclusive society, where people thrive and feel they belong, in the context of changing demography and ways of life?
• How can we ensure that developments in science and technology work for people and society?
• How can policies to address climate change be developed in a way that promotes a prosperous, fair and inclusive society?
• How can we build and maintain the effective, accountable and trustworthy institutions that our society and democracy need?

The maximum Main Grant limit has also been revised to £500,000 (in exceptional circumstances, and with prior agreement, the Foundation will accept applications for grants of up to £750,000).

Applicants should be employed by, or have a formal affiliation with, a UK-based organisation such as a university, research organisation or voluntary sector body.

The Foundation is also inviting applications for its Strategic Fund, which operates as an enhanced version of its Main Grant and will support ambitious, cross-cutting research that responds to at least one of the five Strategic Review priority questions and demonstrates capacity to confront the scale and urgency of emerging economic and social, demographic, technological and climate pressures.

The budget for the Strategic Grants call is £15 million, which will award grants of between £1 million to £3 million over two to five years for original, transformative ideas that have the scale and ambition to anticipate and address some of the most significant themes and developments shaping the UK public policy agenda, now and in the future.

Outline applications for the Main Grants must be submitted by 6 October 2025.

Outline applications for the Strategic Fund must be submitted by 16 March 2026.