ESRC is looking for proposals that deliver interdisciplinary research on place-based approaches for an environmentally sustainable future, which will enable enhanced evidence-based decision making. This might include consideration of:
- the circular economy, resource efficiency, and material, energy and environmental conservation linked to specific locales
- the role and interaction of diverse factors that combine in a place and their influence on sustainability, for example:
- behaviour
- education
- employment
- housing
- transport
- lifestyles
- local environments
- trade-offs
- access to, and role of, digital technology or locally produced essentials
- the impact, effect and longevity of common, multilevel and experimental governance on a place (for example, levelling up initiatives) and how local and place-based bottom-up approaches interact with national and policy-driven top-down approaches
Proposals should:
- shape policy and practice at a local level
- outline their approach to spatial and temporal transferability and scalability
- address the ‘just transition’ and consider how place-based approaches can address multiple and systemic inequalities
- maximise the governance relationships between civil society bodies, local authorities, central and devolved administrations
The opportunity allows for proposals covering a wide range of areas, scales and themes surrounding place-based approaches. At least 50% of the proposed programme of research must fall within ESRC’s remit.
Proposals submitted to this opportunity will need to meet the following requirements to be eligible:
- an interdisciplinary, innovative approach to addressing place-based challenges, which delivers impactful systems-based solutions
- a co-produced approach to place-based issues, which identifies mechanisms for wider impact through community engagement and provision for building capacity and capability in communities and with networks at different scales.
- potential to deliver transformative change through theoretical or practical solutions to address issues at a local level and potential to scale up
- be able to provide actionable knowledge throughout and beyond the lifetime of the grant
- smart use of data, recontextualising existing data and new research, where appropriate
- include interventions that consider wider impact, for example intersectionality, spill-over effects, co-benefits and potential impacts for people, nature and environments
ESRC expects to support several strategic large research grants, running for 5 years from a start date of 1 April 2024. The full economic cost of each project can be up to £2,000,000. ESRC will fund 80% of the full economic cost.
This opportunity is due to open in April 2023 and information may change.
