Funding guidance

Eligibility for each funding opportunity is outlined in the call documentation which can be accessed through our funding opportunities page.

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports UK and international researchers and innovators to take on key issues affecting developing countries.

It does this through:

• challenge-led multidisciplinary research
• strengthening capability for research, innovation and knowledge exchange in developing countries and the UK through partnership with excellent UK researchers
• providing an agile response to emergencies where there is an urgent need.

GCRF addresses key challenges in DAC-listed countries such as: threats to the sustainability of natural resources; flooding and famine resulting from climate change; environmental degradation; population growth and rapid urbanisation; fragile states, growing inequality, and violence; threats to animal and plant health; and global health challenges including the development of vaccines and viral threats.

The fund is managed by the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and delivered by UK and international partners.

The Newton Fund builds unique research and innovation partnerships to take on sustainable development priorities agreed between the United Kingdom and: Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.

Under the Newton Fund, UK researchers work in partnership with researchers these partner countries on tailored research themes including health and neglected diseases, low carbon energy, environmental resilience and research commercialisation.

The fund is managed by the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and delivered by UK and international partners. UK investment is matched by investment and resources from partner countries.

Both funds are governed by the Official Development Assistance Board, which is chaired by the UK minister for science. It is supported by an operational officials’ group.
In July 2016 the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee recommended the creation of a coherence and coordination mechanism for government ODA-research funds. Following this recommendation, the Strategic Coherence for ODA-funded Research (SCOR) Board was established in 2017 to provide high-level coherence for UK ODA research. BEIS is represented on the SCOR board by the Director of International Science and Innovation at BEIS.
The Global Challenges Research Fund is supported by the Strategic Advisory Group which advises the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the strategic development and delivery of the fund. It is chaired by Dame Judith Macgregor and UK Research and Innovation acts as its secretariat.

UK investment is supporting research and innovation in at least 73 countries through the Newton Fund and Global Challenges Research Fund.
All countries are on the DAC list of ODA recipients, which means they are eligible to receive official development assistance (ODA). These consist of all Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) based on gross national income (GNI) per capita as published by the World Bank.

No. The key to ODA compliance is what the primary purpose of the research is and where the benefits of the research are expected to be experienced, not where it takes place.
The primary purpose of any Newton Fund or GCRF research project must be to promote the economic development and welfare of a country or countries on the DAC list.
Any benefit to the UK or any other non-DAC list country can only be a secondary consideration.

BEIS ODA-funded research and innovation is designed to help reduce poverty by generating and putting into use knowledge and technology to address development challenges and advance development for the world’s poorest people and countries.

BEIS research and innovation ODA enables the UK’s world-leading research and innovation base to help address challenges faced by developing countries, such as combating antimicrobial resistance, ensuring food and nutrition security, and building resilience to natural disasters.
BEIS, alongside the FCDO and Defra also invest in UK International Climate Finance (ICF), which plays a crucial role in addressing Climate change.

Yes, the Newton Fund* and GCRF investments are classed and reported as official development assistance.

All UK Aid (Official Development Assistance) complies with the international standards set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The primary consideration of any ODA activity is that it must promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective.

*Under the Newton Fund, the UK’s ODA investment is matched by investment and resources from partner countries but only the UK’s portion of the investment is classed and reported as ODA.

UK Aid or Official Development Assistance (ODA) is funding provided by official agencies around the world, including the UK government, to promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries. 

Research and innovation can lead to economic growth and play a decisive role in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. In recent decades, significant progress has been made in improving people’s health, making the world a better place for women, designing laws that foster open and just societies, and protecting our planet. 

The Newton Fund and Global Challenges Research Fund and are an integral part of the UK’s strategy to address key development challenges such as human health, food security and climate change. 

Our funds aim to deliver the UK aid strategy by:

• strengthening global peace, security and governance
• strengthening resilience and response to crises
• promoting global prosperity
• tackling extreme poverty and helping the world’s most vulnerable