ESRC funding will be provided to test and rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at spreading opportunities and reducing disparities in economic, health and social outcomes for people and places across the UK. This fund will support projects lasting between 13 and 48 months. The full economic cost of projects can be between £1 and £2.5 million. ESRC will fund 80% of the full economic cost.
The aim is to:
– generate causal evidence on what works to spread opportunities and reduce spatial disparities in outcomes for people and places across the UK under one or more of the thematic areas of: (a) sustainable economic growth and innovation, (b) health inequalities, and (c) community connectedness.
– accelerate the development of innovative and ethical methods for robustly testing and evaluating the impact of interventions related to the thematic areas above
– build the capacity of the research and innovation system to forge interdisciplinary collaborations and lasting partnerships with local communities (including those with lived experience) in designing and delivering robust research trials and related evaluation activity
– provide actionable evidence that responds to the needs of decision makers and informs policy or practice at a local, regional, national or international scale.
More information on ESRC website.