Water4All Call for Sustainable Water Management (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 06-Apr-27

UKRI is inviting UK-based researchers to apply for funding to collaborate with international partners on innovative projects focused on sustainable water management under the Water4All 2026 Joint Transnational Call. The initiative supports collaborative research and innovation addressing challenges related to water resource management, resilience, monitoring, and infrastructure. UK funding is available for projects addressing three specific research topics under the call.

About the Water4All 2026 Call

The Water4All 2026 Joint Transnational Call is part of a European partnership focused on advancing sustainable water management through international research and innovation. The call brings together UK researchers and international partners to address pressing challenges in water management and develop solutions that can strengthen water resilience and infrastructure.

The broader research focus includes:

- Integrated water resource management. - River basin and groundwater management. - Water resilience. - Data monitoring and use. - Water-positive solutions. What Topics Does the Call Support? Projects must address at least one of the three eligible topics. Integrated Monitoring and Assessment for Sustainable Water Management This topic focuses on research and innovation that can improve the monitoring and assessment of water resources and support more sustainable water management. Nature-Based Approaches for Resilient Water Management This topic supports nature-based approaches designed to strengthen resilience and address challenges associated with sustainable water management. Smart, Secure, and Adaptive Water Infrastructures This topic focuses on developing water infrastructure that is smart, secure, and capable of adapting to changing water management needs. UK funding is available only for projects addressing these three topics. How Much Funding Is Available? The total requested budget from all UK partners on a project can be up to €312,500.

The funding details include:

- Up to €312,500 in total requested funding from UK partners per project. - UKRI will fund 80% of the full economic cost. - The total fund available is €1,875,000. - UK budget requests exceeding €312,500 require additional justification. - Project costs must be stated in euros. - The GBP amount and exchange rate must also be included in the application. Applicants should ensure that their budgets are clearly presented and appropriately justified. Project Duration The maximum duration for funded projects is 36 months. The latest start date for UK awards is 31 March 2028. Proposed projects should therefore be structured to remain within the maximum project duration and applicable start-date requirement. Who Can Apply? The call is open to eligible UK-based researchers working at UK research organisations that are eligible for UKRI funding. Applicants must participate in a qualifying transnational research consortium that meets the international collaboration requirements of the call. What Are the Consortium Requirements? Transnational research consortia must include teams from at least three countries financially participating in the call. The consortium must also include teams from at least: - Two different EU Member States, or - Two Horizon Europe associated countries. Applicants should ensure that their proposed consortium satisfies these requirements before submitting an application. Can International Researchers Be Project Co-Leads? International researchers cannot be included as UK project co-leads under the call. However, international researchers may participate as project partners. This allows UK researchers to collaborate with international research teams while maintaining the specific UK leadership and funding requirements. Budget and Cost Requirements Applicants must carefully follow the call’s budget requirements. The combined funding request from all UK partners on a project can be up to €312,500. Any UK budget request above this amount requires additional justification. All costs must be presented in euros, together with the equivalent GBP amount and the exchange rate used in the application. UKRI will provide funding equivalent to 80% of the full economic cost. Why the Water4All 2026 Call Matters Sustainable water management requires innovative approaches that can address resource pressures, environmental challenges, resilience, monitoring, and infrastructure needs. The Water4All 2026 call provides UK researchers with an opportunity to work with international partners on collaborative research and innovation addressing these challenges. The three eligible topics provide a specific focus on improved water monitoring and assessment, nature-based approaches, and smart and adaptive water infrastructure. Key Facts About the Water4All 2026 Call

- Programme: Water4All 2026 Joint Transnational Call

- Funder: UKRI for eligible UK participation

- Target applicants: UK-based researchers

- Research focus: Sustainable water management

- Maximum UK partner budget: €312,500 per project

- UKRI funding: 80% of full economic cost

- Total fund available: €1,875,000

- Maximum project duration: 36 months

- Latest UK award start date: 31 March 2028

- Eligible UK organisations: UK research organisations eligible for UKRI funding

- Consortium requirement: Teams from at least three financially participating countries

- European consortium requirement: At least two different EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries

- Eligible research topics: Three specified topics

- International researchers: May participate as project partners

- International UK project co-leads: Not eligible

- Budget currency: Euro

- Additional currency requirement: GBP amount and exchange rate must be included

- Requests above €312,500: Require additional justification

Frequently Asked Questions About the Water4All 2026 Call What is the Water4All 2026 Joint Transnational Call? It is a collaborative international research and i