AHRC Responsive Mode: Catalyst Award
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) · United Kingdom
Catalyst awards support researchers who have not previously led a significant research project. The funding helps accelerate their development as independent researchers while building leadership, collaboration and project management experience through ambitious or complex research projects.
Summary
Deadline
Rolling
Updated
16 Oct 2026
Catalyst awards support researchers who have not previously led a significant research project. The funding helps accelerate their development as independent researchers while building leadership, collaboration and project management experience through ambitious or complex research projects.
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Arts and humanities research areas within the AHRC remit.
Match funding
No additional institutional matched funding is required beyond the standard 20% FEC contribution. Direct and in-kind contributions from third-party project partners are encouraged.
Eligible applicants
Researchers based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding who have not previously been a project lead on a significant research grant or fellowship, subject to specified exceptions such as doctoral training awards, early career fellowships, AHRC Curiosity Awards and certain other awards.
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
£100,000 to £300,000 (Full Economic Cost)
Total fund available
Not specified
Funding intensity
AHRC funds 80% of the full economic cost (FEC). International project co-leads are funded at 100% FEC subject to applicable limits.
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Projects should advance knowledge within arts and humanities disciplines and demonstrate how funding will develop researchers' leadership, research capability and independence. Projects may be single discipline, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary.
Eligible expenses
- Project staff, travel, collaboration or partnership costs, consumables, facilities and other justified research costs. Mentoring salary costs may also be claimed where mentoring is included.
Ineligible costs
Not specified
Application and risks
Application platform
UKRI Funding Service
Competitiveness
Not specified
Decision timeline
Assessment aims to be completed within approximately 9 months after submission.
Assessment process
Applications undergo peer review by three experts, followed where applicable by an applicant response and panel assessment. AHRC makes the final funding decision.
Application sections
- Summary, discipline classification, eligibility, vision, approach, applicant and team capability to deliver, ethics and responsible research and innovation, resources and cost justification, and project partner details.
Application components
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if they fail eligibility requirements, fall outside the AHRC remit, or do not follow submission guidance.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
31 Jan 2025
Project duration
Up to 5 years
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
Not specified
Collaboration rules
- Collaborative projects are encouraged and may involve interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary teams, networks and partnerships. Project co-leads are permitted and encouraged where they provide relevant expertise.
Consortium requirements
- Not specified
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-08-11.
International Collaboration Requirement
International researchers may participate as project co-leads, subject to UKRI and AHRC eligibility rules.
Research Category
Arts and humanities research, including interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and practice-based research.
Research Organisation Funding
Funding is awarded to the host organisation under the full economic cost model.
Subcontractors
Not specified
Interview Stage
No interview stage specified
Key Requirements
Projects must demonstrate research excellence, a clear development pathway for the researcher, strong methodology, appropriate collaboration where relevant, and justified resources. The project must help accelerate the applicant's development as an independent researcher.
Important Notes
The opportunity is continuously open with no fixed closing date. Applications are submitted through the UKRI Funding Service. The full economic cost can be up to £300,000, with AHRC funding 80% of FEC. (ukri.org)
Application deadline in source document
Open with no fixed closing date
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Open
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Funding amount
- £100,000 to £300,000 (Full Economic Cost)
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Arts and humanities research areas within the AHRC remit.
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- 31 Jan 2025