Crafts Small Grants Fund

The CAGE Research Centre is funded until 2030 by the Economic Social and Research Council to deliver independent policy-driven research informed by culture history and behaviour.

The centre has a ring-fenced funding allocation of 拢500,000 for researchers based in UK institutions working in fields which support our goals and objectives. The fund is named after the late Nick Crafts, founding director of CAGE and . It is split into pots of up to 拢20,000, funding 100% of eligible project costs and is available to both early-career and established researchers using quantitative methods who can demonstrate an innovative approach to their work.

Aim of the fund

While the centre is based in the economics discipline, CAGE has always taken an interdisciplinary approach and we encourage applications that work across all disciplines. We are inviting applications for research projects which use data science insights and techniques and will result in impactful outputs (briefings, publications, datasets). Ideally, proposals should align with one or more of CAGE鈥檚 core themes:

We are interested in funding high quality and innovative social science led research. The first stage application is an under 500 word expression of interest on a proposed project. Once assessed this will then progress quickly to the second stage.

Eligibility

Awards are made to individual applicants via their host institution.
Awards can be held for a period of up to two years, subject to any approval of extension which CAGE/天美传媒 may give at its sole discretion.
The applicant must be of post-doctoral status.
The Award must be hosted by a High Education Institution eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding in the United Kingdom.
The applicant must have an employment contract with the host institution which commences before the Grant commencement date and outlasts the Grant period.

Value and duration

The maximum Award for the Crafts Small Grants Fund is up to 拢20,000. Funding will cover a project timeline of up to two years and must be used in direct delivery of the award.

Costs eligible for funding include:

Research assistance
Data acquisition
Event costs
Travel expenses

Costs ineligible for funding are:

The salaries of the primary investigator and any co-investigators
The indirect costs and estates costs of the host institution

Key dates:

Call for applications: September 2026

EOI deadline: 31st October 2026

Notification of outcomes: November 2026

Second stage invite: December 2026

Grant starts: Early 2027

Grant ends: By end of 2029

Stage 1 (EOI) Selection Principles

All applications will undergo an eligibility check to ensure the application is complete and the researcher meets the eligibility criteria.

This funding is available on a competitive basis with a maximum of two project ideas per applicant. It is not expected that all applications for funding will be successful.

Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

An understanding of the way the projects align with one or more of CAGE鈥檚 themes.
Demonstrable methodology for the work.
Impact outcomes of the proposed activity, i.e. briefing/policy papers, datasets.

Application Process

Applicants must submit an initial expression of interest in no more than 500 words using the online form provided. This should include project idea (research question), proposed methodology, dataset, and outputs.

Applications at this stage will be anonymous but will need to include the field of work, employment status, institution and diversity-related questions.