Deadline: 16 October 2018

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is inviting outline applications for large collaborative grants on Innovation in Social Care.

This call aims to fund research and knowledge exchange activity on innovation in social care. All proposals must therefore address the core call focus on social science led research to understand how, why and where innovation happens in social care, and how innovations can be adopted more readily and scaled. They are interested in understanding the factors and processes that enable change to happen in the complex social care system, what the barriers are and how they might be overcome.

All applicants should also consider the following, and clearly state how these will be addressed in their case for support:

• Social care system: Proposals should be clear about how the proposed research fits with the wider system of care, including touch points with other ‘systems’, services and organisations not usually associated with care.
• Theoretical and methodological approach: It is important that proposals articulate the proposed underpinning theory/ies and planned methods clearly, and explain how this will advance social science theory and methodology.
• Impact of inequality: this might include diversity in access to services; how impacts of innovation differ across social groups; or approaches to scaling innovations that are sensitive to varying circumstances between groups.
• Place: Research might usefully be embedded in local contexts but where this is the case should explicitly consider scaleability and applicability across different geographical areas; linking local and regional practise to national priorities and context. The focus can be anywhere in the UK and research looking across UK countries is welcome, as are broader cross national comparisons.
• Outcomes: Proposals should be clear about expected outcomes from innovation, reflecting lived experience of social care grounded in the reality of people’s lives and the provision of services. Proposals should think beyond cost saving and describe how the proposed research will support the spread and scaling of innovation in social care, considering outcomes such as wellbeing, workforce issues and wider economic impacts.

Funding Information

This call is for collaborative grants between £1 million and £2 million (at 100% full economic cost), with a duration of up to 60 months.

Eligibility Criteria

Principal investigators (PIs) must be based at a UK institution eligible for research council funding, however UK co-investigators can be from business, the third sector, or government organisations, and academic co-investigators can be based anywhere in the world.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply online via given website.

For more information, please visit ESRC.