This funding round has closed.

NERC Research Infrastructure Renewal

This round closed on 21 October 2026. No date for a later round is published on this page.

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

Applications closed

Funding: £300,000 – £1,000,000
Deadline: 21 October 2026
Location: England
Applications: Applications closed

Overview

This NERC grant helps you renew, replace or enhance existing research infrastructure and facilities for environmental science. The capability must be available to the wider environmental science community, not just your own institution.

You can ask for £300,000 to £1,000,000, and NERC will fund 100% of the full economic cost. The total fund is £8,000,000. Projects last three to 12 months and must start by 1 February 2027. NERC expects most spending to happen before 31 March 2027.

The money is for capital investment. That can cover ageing or end-of-life equipment, upgrades to performance, reliability or accessibility, digital or physical assets, and the installation and commissioning needed to bring them into use. It will not pay for entirely new facilities, routine running or maintenance costs, staffing for routine operation, or research projects whose main aim is new findings. Infrastructure mainly for one research group or institution is also out.

Applications must come from an eligible UK research organisation, on behalf of the infrastructure or facility itself. NERC expects one coordinated application for each facility. You will need a clear plan for community access, plus a delivery schedule and expenditure profile.

The opportunity is open now and closes at 4:00pm UK time on 21 October 2026. You apply through the UKRI Funding Service, and your research office submits the final application, so allow time for their checks. Demand management is being applied.

Official source: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/research-infrastructure-renewal/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 15 October 2026.

Requirements to check

Who can apply:

academicpublic sector

Key requirements:

NERC funds 100% of the full economic cost.
Projects last three to 12 months and must start by 1 February 2027.
Most expenditure is expected before 31 March 2027.
All costs must go in the Exceptions Equipment line on the Funding Service.
Requests outside £300,000 to £1,000,000 needed NERC approval before applying.
No matched funding from host institutions is required.

You must be based at an eligible UK research organisation, meaning one that meets standard UKRI funding eligibility. Applications must be made on behalf of the infrastructure, facility, platform or capability that will receive the investment. NERC expects one coordinated application from each. Each person can lead one application and co-lead one application. The infrastructure must benefit the wider environmental science community. NERC will not fund new facilities, or infrastructure mainly for a single group or institution.

This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.

Who is this for?

Facilities and infrastructure teams at eligible UK research organisations that need to renew, replace or upgrade shared environmental science capabilities.

Sectors

Environment & Conservation Professional & Scientific Services

Regions

England

No published award history for Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Some funders do not publish their grants data.

Full details from Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

Apply for capital funding to renew, replace and enhance capabilities for environmental science. The funding opportunity is for existing facilities, laboratories and other national capabilities which are demonstrably available for use by the wider environmental science community.

How to apply

Select 'Start application' on the UKRI funding page and confirm you are the project lead. Sign in to or create a UKRI Funding Service account. Answer the questions online, then send the completed application to your research office. They check it and submit it to UKRI. You cannot apply through Je-S.

Get notified about grants like this

Create a free account to receive alerts when new environment & conservation funding opens.

Create free account