Submit Applications for DisCouRSE Network Flexible Fund Round 3 (UK)

The DisCouRSE Network’s Flexible Funding scheme—Round 3—supports community-led projects that develop leaders across Digital Research Technical Professional (dRTP) roles, with a focus on leadership training and dRTP career pathways. This third call opens on 21 September 2026 and closes at 16:00 GMT on 11 December 2026. Funding decisions are planned to be notified by 22 January 2027. Opportunity at a Glance

- Funding opportunity name: DisCouRSE Flexible Fund – Round 3

- Provider: DisCouRSE Network (Flexible Funding scheme)

- Opportunity type: Community-led pilot and growth project funding (discrete calls released approximately every 6 months)

- Geographic focus: Primarily UK-based leadership and community activity (with permitted international co-leads)

- Call opening date: 21 September 2026

- Submission deadline: 11 December 2026, 16:00 GMT

- Earliest project start date: 1 March 2027

- Latest project start date: 1 May 2027

- Latest project completion date: 30 September 2028

- Number of awards expected: Up to 4 pilot projects and at least 3 growth projects

- Pilot project budget limit: Up to £15,000 each at 100% full economic cost (fEC)

- Growth project budget limit: Up to £50,000 each at 100% fEC

About the Opportunity

The DisCouRSE Network+ project aims to encourage and support the development of leaders of all kinds across digital Research Technical Professional (dRTP) roles. It seeks an empowered and connected community able to shape the future of digital research, with a twin focus on: - Leadership training, and - dRTP career pathways, ensuring roles exist for the next generation of leaders to lead within. DisCouRSE Round 3 provides flexible funding for community-led projects aligned with these goals. Applicants are expected to enable local communities to trial approaches for enhancing skills and career opportunities, build connections through joint initiatives, and assess options for future investment and activity. Funding and Benefits Anticipated funding amounts

- Pilot projects: Up to 4 awards, each with a budget of up to £15k at 100% fEC

- Growth projects: At least 3 awards, each with a maximum budget of £50k at 100% fEC

Applicants are encouraged to request less than the maximum budget if it is sufficient to meet objectives, as budgets may be revised if costs are not well justified. Distributions of award funding (80/20 cost split)

- Except where noted below: applicants will be awarded 80% of the full cost, and the receiving institution is responsible for the remaining 20%.

- Invoices and statements: when invoices are submitted, they should be for 80% of the full cost, and a statement showing the full cost should also be submitted.

Project duration expectations

- Pilot projects: must be at most 1 year in duration

- Growth projects: can run until the end of September 2028

- Projects should start between 1 March 2027 and 1 May 2027 Sustainability planning (for longer activity and training delivery) Growth projects seeking to run for over 1 year, or projects developing or delivering leadership training, must include a long-term sustainability plan. The source explains that DisCouRSE funding for more than 1 year is intended on a tapering basis (full funding in the first year, with a plan to seek partial funding from other sources thereafter), to avoid a “cliff edge” after September 2028. The source also states that a guarantee of other funding is not required, but applicants must include a realistic plan for how funding will be sought within the proposal. Who Is Eligible? - Standard UKRI eligibility rules apply, except that: - Project leads and co-leads do not need to be academic members of staff. - Your application must be led by an employed member of staff in a UK-based organisation. - Eligible organisations include (but are not limited to): - UK higher education institutions - research council institutes - UKRI-approved independent research organisations - public sector research establishments - NHS bodies with research capacity dRTP-led requirement - Projects must be dRTP-led. - A non-exhaustive list of dRTP roles is referenced at: https://discourse-network.github.io/who - Projects that cross profession or discipline, or are led by an aspiring leader with a more experienced mentor, are particularly welcomed. Application limits - You may not submit more than one application to this call as project lead. International co-leads - Joint applicants based in non-UK organisations may be included as project co-leads (International). - They may not be project leads and are not eligible to take over leadership of the project. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas

DisCouRSE Round 3 has two strands:

- Pilot projects - In any area relevant to DisCouRSE’s aims - Focused on enabling and exploring new ideas - The source states it is especially seeking applications from organisations that have not yet received DisCouRSE funding - Growth projects - Building on previous DisCouRSE funding or existing community initiatives - Strongly encouraged areas (with priority stated for funding) include: - Implementing dRTP career pathways where they are limited or non-existent, and building an evidence bank for others to leverage (the source notes that linking to other DRI projects such as SCALE-UP or TSN could be beneficial) - Community building among leaders in under-represented professions within the DisCouRSE Network - Environmental dRTP leadership - Expanding the use and broader uptake of the DIRECT web app - Developing or delivering dRTP leadership training Training-specific mandatory requirements Any project proposing to create or deliver training must: - Include a sustainability plan - Align to DIRECT in respect of learning outcomes - Work with the dRTP Skills Landscape Coordination Group to ensure complementarity with existing initiatives - The source advises contacting Adrian Harwood before submission to discuss the project. Why This Opportunity Matters This call is designed for organisations and teams