Grant Development College
AHRC and Leverhulme Trust Grant Development College (Heritage & Creativity Theme)
The Grant Development College is an internal review process to support the development of AHRC Standard Grants, AHRC Catalyst Awards and Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant (RPG) applications, with the aim of improving their chances of success. All grants led by Reading to be submitted to these schemes must go through the Grant Development College before submission.
Applicants should first submit a Stage 1 application, which is read by a reviewer outside the PI's discipline, someone within their department and the Digital Humanities academic champion, if required. Research Division Leads, alongside the Research Development Manager and the Research Dean will compile feedback for the applicant within 4-6 weeks of submission. Leverhulme RPG outline applications can then be submitted to the funder (see link below to the Leverhulme Trust's website for further guidance).
Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant
The Leverhulme Trust has announced that there will be changes to the closing dates for the Research Project Grant in 2026, including closure to new submissions, due to the introduction of a new Grants Management System. The full announcement is here. This page will be updated through 2026 as the project progresses.
Outline applications: The submission deadline is 27 February 2026 (REIO deadline: 20 February 2026). No Outline Applications can be accepted after this date. Outcomes will be notified by 10 April 2026. Outline Applications will be accepted into the new system from September 2026.
For AHRC standard grants and catalyst grants, the full application is reviewed in Stage 2. AHRC changed the format of their submissions in June 2023, and the stage 2 application now follows this format. Please complete the stage 2 proforma below, and see AHRC's website for further guidance ( under 'How to apply' in the link below)
AHRC responsive mode: standard research grant
AHRC responsive mode: catalyst award
If you wish to submit an application, please discuss with your Research Development Manager, then use the relevant template below and submit in time for an upcoming deadline. Please note that the proformas below have been updated (July 2025). Please use the new versions below:
Upcoming Deadlines: 6th October 2025,1st December 2025 and 2nd February 2026
2025 Leverhulme Stage 1 proforma
Prosperity and Resilience Grant Development College
The Grant Development College is an internal review process to support the development of UKRI Responsive Mode* Grant applications and Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant (RPG) applications, with the aim of improving their chances of success. All grants led by Reading to be submitted to these schemes must go through the Grant Development College before submission.
Applicants should first submit a Stage 1 application, which is read by a reviewer outside the PI's discipline and someone within their department. Leverhulme RPG outline applications can then be submitted to the funder. For UKRI Responsive mode grants, the Vision and Approach section is reviewed in Stage 2 of this process, and then the complete UKRI application form in Stage 3. Feedback will be provided within three weeks of submission for each stage.
If you wish to submit a Stage 1 application, please discuss with your Research Development Manager, then use the relevant template below and submit at any time.
* UKRI schemes where the choice of topic lies with the applicant (bottom-up funding) and there are usually no deadlines. Schemes include: AHRC Standard Research Grants; AHRC Catalyst Awards; AHRC Curiosity Awards; ESRC Research Grants; ESRC New Investigator Grants; ESRC Secondary Data Analysis Grants; EPSRC Research Grants