The 2026 Racial Diversity UK Fund priority theme is ‘inter-generational changes, continuities and challenges in racially diverse UK’.

The Nuffield Foundation’s Racial Diversity UK Fund (RDUK) provides funding for PIs at UK-based universities, research organisations and voluntary sector bodies seeking to conduct research that aims to understand the barriers and pathways to a racially just and inclusive society.

The programme is funded by an endowment that supports work relating to the UK in the context of the Commonwealth. The overall focus is on the future of UK society as shaped by its colonial past, specifically by the migration of people from former British colonies to the UK.

Work funded by RDUK Fund is expected to:

• Contribute to understanding, public debate, policy and/or practice on tackling racial inequalities, discrimination and disadvantage.
• Map pathways towards a UK that is comfortable with and reaping the benefits of its growing racial diversity.

The Nuffield Foundation has announced the priority theme for the 2026/27 RDUK Fund application round: ‘Inter-generational changes, continuities and challenges in racially diverse UK‘.

The foundation is interested in projects aiming to examine what the generational shifts in outlooks, experiences and conditions mean for the potentials and challenges of the UK’s racially diverse future, in the context of its colonial past and a changing institutional, policy and political environment.

Potential topics could include, but are not limited to:

• Identities, belonging and exclusions.
• Aspirations and values.
• Civic and political participation.
• Life chances and experience.

Funding requests can range from £15,000 to £500,000 over a period of six months to three years. The majority of awards are for no more than £300,000.

Grants will fund 100% of eligible costs, including staff costs, consultants, research costs, engagement and dissemination, equipment, and other direct research costs.

For HEIs, grants will fund all directly incurred costs and most directly allocated costs (excluding the estates costs of PIs and permanent university staff). PhD fees and student costs are not eligible for funding, however time and costs can be funded for PhD students to work on specific tasks.

Projects must be led by a named Principal Investigator who is employed by, or formally affiliated with, a UK-based organisation. The PI will act as lead applicant and should be based at the host institution.

Encouragement is given to applicants from diverse backgrounds, particularly from individuals and organisations from racially minoritised communities. Partnership applications bringing together researchers and racially minoritised communities to explore challenges and develop solutions are particularly encouraged. There is no limit on the number of outline or full applications that can be submitted by an organisation.

The RDUK Fund is now open for outline applications.