Internal Research Funding
Research Development Fund (RDF) Open Call
The University Committee for Research and Innovation (UCRI) invites proposals to the Research Development Fund (RDF) Open Call, for ambitious and strategic research projects led by academic staff and aligning with the new University Research and Innovation Strategy.
The Call funds projects of up to a maximum of two financial years (01 August to 31 July), with a range of funding for each project between £10,000 and £50,000.
The call is open to researchers at all career stages. The purpose of the call is to support ambitious projects that have the potential to lead to larger projects and associated funding bids. The call is currently closed, information of when it will next be open for applications will be announced in due course.
Any questions may be sent to research-ego@reading.ac.uk.
Cyril Tyler Prize
The University has established the Cyril Tyler Prize to support research acceleration for early career researchers. Four £10,000 prizes will be awarded annually, one for each Research Theme. Prize funds can be used flexibly to enable research development over a maximum two-year period. The funds have been made available through a generous bequest to the University by Professor Cyril Tyler.
Who is eligible
The prize is intended to support academic staff within five years of their appointment at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. (The five-year duration excludes periods of career break, where the applicant has not had the opportunity to undertake research.) It is open to all Grade 7 academic staff who hold a permanent contract at the time of application (including probationary T&R, RI and TI staff who are already engaged in the formal process for transitioning to T&R, but excluding those employed on externally funded fellowships).
How to apply
To apply to the Cyril Tyler Prize, please complete and submit . The Prize is now closed for 2025, but will re-open in Spring 2026. Please note that your Head of School must also submit a separate by this deadline, and it is your responsibility to liaise with them to ensure that this is completed.
To support your preparation, please use this PDF of the full application form. This document is for preparation purposes only and all applications must be submitted online. You should also refer to the Costing Template in order to calculate the project budget.
In June 2026, applications will be considered by a panel comprising the Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellors for Research, senior researchers from each theme and a member of the Research, Engagement and Innovation Office. The winners will be announced shortly afterwards.
Please direct any queries about eligibility or cost calculations to Nicola Flynn (n.j.flynn@reading.ac.uk), and direct any queries about the content of your application to your Research Division Lead and/or Research Development Manager, as required.
Research Travel Grants
Grants are available to assist with the cost of presenting a paper or poster at external conferences and seminars. All academic staff below professorial level zone 2, and all other members of research staff and PhD students whose funding does not cover conference travel are eligible to apply. The application form and guidance for Research Travel Grants provides information on how to apply, (password protected).
NIRD Funding
The National Institute for Research into Dairying (NIRD) Trust Fund is providing approximately £2million per annum until 2024/25 to support research into agriculture and food. This funding will be disbursed as part of existing University funding competitions (e.g. RETF Open Call, Annual Research Infrastructure Fund call), where applications are within the NIRD Fund remit and are of sufficient quality. Alternatively, proposals that have the potential to confer significant strategic gains at national or global level may be submitted direct to the NIRD Trust Steering Group via the Head of School. Further details on applying for NIRD funding are available.
AHRC Impact Accelerator Account Funding
Impact Project Fund
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Impact Accelerator Account (IAA) funded by the AHRC aims to expand the impact of its research in the Arts and Hu