This is an invite only opportunity for funding to run the International Social Survey Programme in Great Britain and Northern Ireland for 2025-2027.
The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £970,000. Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) expects up to £817,000 (FEC) of this funding to be spent on data collection.
Funding is available from 1 February 2025 up to 31 May 2028.
This is an invite only funding opportunity. The invite is issued to research organisations, not individuals.
Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new UKRI Funding Service.
For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual.
Project leads from non-UK organisations are not eligible to apply for funding for this opportunity.
Project co-leads based in non-UK research organisations can be included in research grant applications. Read project co-lead (international) policy guidance for details of eligible organisations and costs.
Business, third sector or government body project co-leads based in the UK can also be included on research grant proposals as a project co-lead. Read Including project co-leads from business, third sector or government bodies for details of eligible organisations and costs.
We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.
We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:
Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI.
Our aim for the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, to ensure continuity of data collection and participation of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the ISSP to meet the needs of the social science research and user community to support impact. This will be supported by the following ESRC funding objectives:
ISSP is expected to support the delivery of ESRC’s data infrastructure strategy. particularly within the following focus areas: building and sustaining a foundation; leadership and connectedness; and impact and public benefit. As part of the application, you should clearly outline how your work packages would contribute to the above ESRC objectives for ISSP.
The International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) was established in 1984 with Great Britain as one of its founding members. The ISSP has since expanded to 44 members around the globe, enhancing the value of this cross-national collaboration which collects annual surveys on diverse topics relevant to social sciences. We have funded ISSP since 2004, investing in this data as a resource for the UK and international social science community.
The current ISSP team at the National Centre for Social Research is funded to collect and provide data for the respective ISSP modules in 2022, 2023 and 2024 in Great Britain. No funding is currently in place to conduct data collection in 2025 and onwards. Therefore, to manage the risk of creating a data gap to the current ISSP data pool we are inviting the current team to apply for further funding to continue their work on ISSP for the next three waves of data collection.
As part of the ESRC Data Infrastructure portfolio, ISSP plays a role in the delivery of ESRC’s data infrastructure strategy. Our continued support of the ISSP over two decades has enabled us to make a significant contribution to enabling comparison of Great Britain internationally, as a robust resource for the social science community in international comparative research.
This is important in fostering the UK as a world class place to do research, further contributing to the ESRC strategic delivery plan through its role as an international collaboration supporting understanding of global priorities.
The primary purpose of the ISSP in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is to conduct annual data collection in line with the ISSP requirements. Notably:
For details please refer to the ISSP Working Principles (PDF, 132KB).
For 2025, 2026 and 2027 the modules to be fielded are:
In addition, we welcome the addition of an additional sample in Scotland alongside the main survey in each annual data collection to enable investigation into Scottish attitudes alongside Great Britain and Northern Ireland and internationally.
A minimum sample of 1,000 cases is to be achieved and this data collection should mirror the main data collection, meeting the ISSP requirements.
The application should outline plans for conducting data collections for both the main sample and boosts. The impact of any changes in data collection methods on data quality, including (but not limited to) sample bias and the potential for time series disruptions should also be discussed. Additionally, justification, support, and benefits for the inclusion of the additional sample in Scotland must be outlined.
We have continually invested in ISSP as a resource for the UK and international social science community, ensuring access to enable and encourage both wide-spread and high-impact use of the data and promoting the value and impact of the data is intrinsic to maintaining this resource.
As an infrastructure and resource to the community, it is essential ISSP:
As a resource for the community, ISSP must demonstrate and promote the value and potential of the data to the research and user community as well as the wider public. We welcome innovative approaches to achieve this.
This can be done via initial findings. The objective of initial findings is to solely demonstrate the utility of the data to a wide user base. It should ideally be released alongside the data or within the same period, though this should not delay data release. Any analysis and its presentation must be sufficiently simple for users to quickly and clearly understand the potential of the data. Accessibility must be prioritised over research quality of value.
The application should outline user demand for the data including what use has been made of the data collected to date, as well as plans to ensure user needs are met. Additionally, the likely research and policy uses of the next three waves of data should be highlighted and any planned activities to promote the data to interested communities.
The ISSP team is expected to:
The application should outline any planned collaborations and its benefits, for example with other ESRC investments or the wider social science community. In addition, how the ISSP team expect to work with the ISSP collaboration to support the development and successful delivery of the project in accordance with the working principles.
We will set out monitoring and reporting requirements in the terms and conditions of the award. Award holders will be required to produce an updated timeline, deliverables list and risk register at the start of the grant, for regular discussion with us.
The award holders will be expected to provide us with a short, written, six-monthly update on activities, including risk, finance, progress, and where applicable impact. More frequent updates will be expected on important activities, risks and major project changes if they present a risk to meeting its objectives. Researchfish reporting is also required.
We will assign an investment manager as a lead contact for each funded investment. Contact will include a twice-yearly meeting between ESRC and the project lead, as well as other members of the team where appropriate.
Applications should include sufficient time for project leads and (where relevant) co-leads to meet these monitoring requirements.
For more information on the background of this funding opportunity, go to the Additional information section.
The duration of this award is a maximum of 40 months.
The FEC of your project can be up to £970,000. We expect up to £817,000 (FEC) of this funding to be spend on data collection.
We will be looking for a strong statement of commitment from your research organisation.
We expect applications to include details of support including why the proposed work is needed. The statement should include details of any matched funding that will be provided to support the activity and any additional support that might add value to the work.
UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.
As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.
See further guidance and information about TR&I – including where you can find additional support.
ESRC supports a range of data infrastructure. Where relevant, we encourage applicants to consider whether the use of these resources could add value to the project. See facilities and resources for information on finding and using ESRC datasets which are available across the UK.
Where relevant, details of datasets and infrastructure to be used in your project should be given in the Facilities section.
ESRC recognises the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by ESRC-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research. See our research data policy for details and further information on data requirements. The requirements of the research data policy are a condition of ESRC research funding.
Where relevant, details on data management and sharing should be provided in the Data Management section. See the importance of managing and sharing data and content for inclusion in a data management plan on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website for further guidance. We expect applicants to provide a summary of the points provided. The UKDS [email: datasharing@ukdataservice.ac.uk] will be pleased to advise applicants on the availability of data within the academic community and provide advice on data deposit requirements.
We expect you to consider the potential scientific, societal and economic impacts of your work. Outputs, dissemination and impact are a key part of the criteria for most peer review and assessment processes. We also encourage applications that demonstrate innovation and interdisciplinarity (combining approaches from more than one discipline).
We are committed to knowledge exchange and encouraging collaboration between
researchers and the private, public and civil society sectors. Collaborative working benefits both the researchers and the individuals/organisations involved. Through collaboration, partners learn about each other’s expertise, share knowledge and gain an appreciation of different professional cultures. Collaborative activity can therefore lead to a better understanding of the ways that academic research can add value and offer insights to key issues of concern for policy and practice.
Knowledge exchange should not be treated as an ‘add-on’ at the end of a project but considered before the start and built into a project.
When undertaking research and innovation activities outside the UK, you must recognise and address the possible impact of contextual, societal and cultural differences on the ethical conduct of those activities.
Researchers should also follow the principles of equitable partnerships to address inherent power imbalances when working with partners in resource-poor settings.
Applying the principles will encourage equitable access, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), while maintaining incentives for innovation. You should consider the principles from the start of the research and development cycle.
Read UKRI’s guidance on research in a global setting.
We require that the research we support is designed and conducted in such a way that it meets ethical principles and is subject to proper professional and institutional oversight in terms of research governance. We have agreed a framework for research ethics that all submitted proposals must comply with. Read further details about the framework for research ethics and guidance on compliance.
We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant:
Watch our research office webinars about the Funding Service.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
Applications should be self-contained, and hyperlinks should only be used to provide links directly to reference information. To ensure the information’s integrity is maintained, where possible, persistent identifiers such as digital object identifiers should be used. Assessors are not required to access links to carry out assessment or recommend a funding decision. You should use your discretion when including reference and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
References should be included in the appropriate question section of the application and be easily identifiable by the assessors for example (Smith, Research Paper, 2019).
You must not include links to web resources to extend your application.
ESRC must receive your application by 4.00pm UK time on 12 November 2024.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
ESRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.
ESRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at What ESRC has funded.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.
Word limit: 550
In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We may make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
Only list one individual as project lead.
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Word limit: 1,500
Why is the ISSP valuable to the UK and what is your vision for maximising this value?
Explain how the proposed infrastructure will:
Within the Vision section we also expect you to:
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
References may be included within this section.
Word limit: 2,500
What are your plans to manage and deliver the proposed infrastructure?
A demonstration of:
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
References may be included within this section.
Word limit: 1,650
Why are you the right individual or team to deliver and manage the proposed infrastructure?
Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
The word count for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for R4RI modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.
Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you, and if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on), have and how this will help to deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.
Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed below. You should use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI. You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member brings:
Additions: Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).
You should complete this section as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.
Word limit: 500
What are the ethical and RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.
Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated:
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Word limit: 1,500
What will you need to deliver and manage the proposed infrastructure and how much will it cost?
Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular:
Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources. Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:
For detailed guidance on eligible costs please see the ESRC research funding guide.
Word limit: 10
Provide details of support from your research organisation.
Provide a Statement of Support from your research organisation detailing why the proposed work is needed. This should include details of any matched funding that will be provided to support the activity and any additional support that might add value to the work.
The ESRC will be looking for a strong statement of commitment from your research organisation.
ESRC recognises that in some instances, this information may be provided by the Research Office, the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) or equivalent, or a combination of both.
You must also include the following details:
Upload details are provided within the Funding Service on the actual application.
Add details about any project partners’ contributions. If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service.
A project partner is a collaborating organisation who will have an integral role in the proposed research. This may include direct (cash) or indirect (in-kind) contributions such as expertise, staff time or use of facilities.
Add the following project partner details:
If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Word limit: 1,500
How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed work?
Provide a data management plan that clearly details how you will comply with UKRI’s published data sharing policy, which includes detailed guidance notes.
Demonstrate compliance and that you have designed your proposed work so that you can appropriately manage and share data in accordance with ESRC’s research data policy and ESRC framework for research ethics.
Within the ‘Data Management’ section we also expect you to:
Word limit: 500
What approaches and activities do you have planned that will embed EDI into your proposed work?
Explain how your EDI plan:
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the service.
References may be included within this section.
Word limit: 500
How will you embed environmental sustainability within the grant activities.
Explain how your proposed work will embed environmental sustainability throughout its aims, objectives, operations and research outcomes.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the service.
References may be included within this section.
Word limit: 250
Does your proposed work require the support and use of a facility?
If you will need to use a facility (including access to, and use of data infrastructure), follow your proposed facility’s normal access request procedures. Ensure you have prior agreement so that if you are offered funding, they will support the use of their facility on your project. ESRC encourages the use of secondary and linked datasets.
For each requested facility you will need to provide the:
Facilities should only be named if they are on the facility information list above. If you will not need to use a facility, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Word limit: 100
Does the proposed work involve international collaboration in a sensitive research or technology area?
Demonstrate how your proposed international collaboration relates to Trusted Research and Innovation, including:
If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration in a sensitive research or technology area, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
We may ask you to provide additional information about how your proposed project will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help manage these risks.
We reserve the right to amend this assessment process as the opportunity progresses.
We will assess your application using the following process.
We will appoint a panel of experts spanning the breadth of the funding opportunity’s scope to assess the quality of your application against the assessment areas. There will be an opportunity to respond to these comments.
The panel will individually assess and score your application against the questions and expectations outlined in the How to apply section. The panel will then meet to agree a final score and any conditions.
The panel will make a funding recommendation to ESRC. ESRC will make the final funding decision.
We will give feedback with the outcome of your application.
We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment (DORA) and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.
Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making.
We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.
The assessment areas we will use are:
Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.
If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page.
Important note: The Helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the Helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding Finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility or content/remit of an opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.
For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.
For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact datainfrastructure@esrc.ukri.org
Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.
Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org
Phone: 01793 547490
Our phone lines are open:
To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.
See further information on submitting an application.
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email datainfrastructure@esrc.ukri.org
Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].
Typical examples of confidential information include:
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.
Visit the International Social Survey Programme website.
Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment; to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.
UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process if required.
We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities. We are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career, such as:
Reviewers and panel members will be advised to consider the unequal impacts that COVID-19 related disruption might have had on the capability to deliver and career development of those individuals included in the application. They will be asked to consider the capability of the applicant and their wider team to deliver the research they are proposing.
Where disruptions have occurred, you can highlight this within your application if you wish, but there is no requirement to detail the specific circumstances that caused the disruption.
