CFAs: Economic Research on the Returns to R and D Investment (UK)

Deadline: 19-Nov-2026

The Economic Research on the Returns to R&D Investment funding opportunity supports research projects that develop new and innovative ways to measure the returns on investments in research and development (R&D). The initiative aims to strengthen economic research and improve the evidence base for understanding how R&D investment affects economic outcomes. It focuses on methodological advancements, innovative measurement approaches, and robust methods for assessing the returns generated by R&D spending. This funding opportunity is designed to support economic research into the impact and returns of R&D investment. Research projects should contribute to the development of new measurements or methodologies that can improve understanding of the economic effects of R&D spending.

The initiative particularly focuses on:

The total fund available is £2,460,000. Each project may request up to £308,000 for the full economic cost of the project. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will fund 80% of the full economic cost. Applicants should therefore develop a realistic project budget that reflects the costs required to deliver the proposed research. Projects can receive funding for 24 months. Successful projects should commence no later than 1 April 2027. Applicants should ensure that their proposed research plan, budget, and project timeline are suitable for the 24-month award period. The funding supports research focused on developing better ways to measure the returns generated by investments in R&D. Projects should seek to advance economic research by improving how the effects of R&D spending are measured and understood.

Potential areas of focus include:

The emphasis is on methodological development and robust measurement rather than simply examining R&D spending without advancing measurement approaches. Applicants must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding. The lead institution must be based in the United Kingdom. Eligible applicants should therefore ensure that their host research organisation meets UKRI’s funding eligibility requirements. Although the lead institution must be UK-based, collaborations with international researchers are strongly encouraged. International collaboration can provide opportunities to bring together different research expertise and perspectives when developing methods for measuring the returns on R&D investment. Researchers considering international collaboration should ensure that the proposed partnership supports the objectives and methodological focus of the project. A strong proposal should clearly explain the economic research problem and demonstrate how the project will improve the measurement of returns from R&D investment.

Applicants should clearly describe:

The proposed methodology should be appropriate for the research objectives and the project should be achievable within the 24-month award period. Understanding the returns generated by R&D investment is important for assessing the economic impact of research and innovation spending. Better measurement approaches can strengthen the evidence available to researchers and other stakeholders when examining the relationship between R&D investment and economic outcomes. By supporting methodological advancements, this funding opportunity aims to contribute to a stronger evidence base for economic research on R&D investment. It supports economic research projects that develop new measurements and methodological approaches for assessing the returns on investments in research and development. Each project may request up to £308,000 for the full economic cost. UKRI will fund 80% of the full economic cost of the project. The award duration is 24 months. Projects should commence no later than 1 April 2027. Yes. The lead institution must be a UK-based research organisation eligible for UKRI funding. Yes. Collaborations with international researchers are strongly encouraged. The funding supports projects that develop innovative and robust methods for measuring the returns and economic impacts of R&D investment. The Economic Research on the Returns to R&D Investment funding opportunity provides support for researchers developing new methods to measure the economic returns generated by R&D spending. With a total fund of £2.46 million and project requests of up to £308,000, the opportunity supports 24-month research projects led by eligible UK research organisations. UKRI will fund 80% of the full economic cost, while international research collaboration is strongly encouraged. The initiative offers an opportunity for economic researchers to advance measurement methodologies and strengthen the evidence base for understanding the economic impact of R&D investment. For more information, visit UKRI.