Flexible Fund Tier 1: Applications Open

Key information

The Research Capability Hub (RCH) is inviting applications for Tier 1 Flexible Fund projects. Funding is available for organisations to develop openly accessible online training that strengthens research capability across the UK social science community.

Funding available	Up to £10,000 (fEC)
Project duration	Up to 6 months
Opens	13 August 2026
Deadline	27 September 2026, 4:00pm
Funder	Research Capability Hub (RCH)

Priority themes

For this first funding call, applications should align with one of the following priority themes:

• Participatory Research Methods
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
• Working Across Disciplines

Full details are available in the Guidance for Applicants. These themes were identified through a structured programme of engagement and needs analysis involving a sample of researchers, training providers and research infrastructure organisations from across the social science community.

Who can apply

Applications are welcome from organisations eligible to receive UKRI funding. Please go to UKRI’s list of research organisations eligible for funding. The Project Lead must be employed by, or formally affiliated with, an eligible organisation and can only be named as project lead on one application. In line with our aim to development future leaders, we are particularly interested in applications led by early- and mid-career researchers.

How to apply

Applications will be submitted through a word document, with templates and guidance available below. The fund opens on 13 August 2026 and the deadline for submission of proposals is 27 September 2026 at 4:00pm. All proposals and supporting documents should be emailed to rch-enquiries@open.ac.uk.

The application documents are: 

• Guidance for Applicants
• Application Form
• Budget Template
• Risk Assessment Template

These documents are available in Downloads section at the end of this page.

Support for Applicants

To support prospective applicants, the RCH team is hosting online information sessions on:

• 18 August 2026
• 14 September 2026

These sessions will provide an overview of the funding call, priority themes, eligibility requirements and application process, as well as an opportunity to ask questions.

Contact us

As this is the first Flexible Fund call, we welcome questions, feedback and conversations with prospective applicants. If you would like to discuss an idea or learn more about the Fund, please contact the team.

Downloads