Research Culture Networks Grants 2026
Key Dates
Funders: MEDR and Learned Society of Wales
Maximum grant value: £3,000
Number of grants available: 13
Applications Open: 5 January 2026
Applications Close: 23 January 2026, 4pm
In the current Higher Education funding climate, institutional funding for Research Culture Networks is increasingly limited. As a result, many networks which were central to strengthening grassroots research cultures are now unsupported and at risk of closure. The Learned Society of Wales’ Research Culture Networks Grants aim to address this challenge by providing up to £3,000 to support existing or emerging networks of researchers in Wales to continue offering vital research culture collaboration activities. We are delighted to collaborate with Medr, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, in launching this new grant scheme.
What is a research culture network?
Research culture can be broadly understood as the collective values, behaviours, and structural supports within universities, public institutions, or third-sector research bodies that influence how research is conducted, experienced, and valued by individuals and communities. For the purposes of this grant, we define a Research Culture Network as a group of researchers who come together to address a specific challenge or deficit within the research landscape. Research Culture Networks can take many forms, examples include networks focused on challenges faced at a particular career stage, removing barriers for researchers with protected characteristics and communities organised around specific disciplines or cross-disciplinary research interests.
Research networks can operate within a single institution or across institutions. They may be based in a single academic discipline or be interdisciplinary.
Who can apply?
Applications can be submitted by researchers or groups of researchers working in Wales. Whilst not all members of the Network need to be working in Wales, lead applicants and those applying for a grant must:
- be a full or part-time academic employed by a Higher Education institution;
- a full or part-time research enabling staff in the public or third sector with a demonstrable commitment to research within said institution.
Lead applicants must have a contract, either temporary or permanent, at their employing institution, covering the full duration of the grant.
Proposals will be assessed by a panel appointed by the Learned Society of Wales, who will come to a consensus in deciding which proposals are successful. Applications will be assessed according to the criteria listed in the ‘What we are looking for’ section. Applicants may be asked for more information before a grant is confirmed as successful.
Please note that only one Learned Society of Wales Research Culture Network Grant may be held, or applied for, at any one time.
What we are looking for
We are looking to fund activities that bring researchers together to address a research culture challenge or deficit within the research landscape, whether cross-sectoral or within a specific discipline, career stage, or protected characteristic. Proposed activities should contribute to positive research culture change or demonstrate impact within and beyond academia, enriching our understanding of research culture across institutions from the perspective of grassroots researcher communities.
Funded activities will primarily focus on events and may include conferences, workshops, roundtables, writing retreats, and both formal and informal networking opportunities.
Applicants are encouraged to explore creative and visual outputs as a way of sharing the knowledge generated through their activities. These outputs might include a ‘lessons learned’ piece, blog series, magazine, infographics, digital posters, podcast episodes, or short videos. Outputs should ensure the insights produced are accessible to diverse and non-academic audiences.
Before submitting your application, make sure to read the following guidance documents carefully:
Applications must be submitted via our online form, which can be accessed through the link below. The deadline to submit an application is the 23rd January 2026 at 4pm. Applications received after this date will not be considered.
