Recent and planned cuts to research funding are having a significant impact on the global research landscape.  With some funders tightening their belts, it’s more important than ever for researchers to know where to look for funding, and how to succeed with their applications. Below we explore how researchers can find funding by subject area, and we highlight some resources for securing funding.

Exploring Sources of Research Funding by Subject and Region

The European Commission

The European Commission, run by political representatives from 28 EU member countries, is responsible for managing research funding for a wide range of EU projects. This research funding is allocated and awarded through their tender opportunity portal, which has a really useful search function for narrowing down the funding opportunities by keyword. Researchers can enter search terms based on a particular subject area or specialty, to ensure the funding they apply for is suitable for the research they intend to carry out. To narrow opportunities down even further, there are optional filters based on programs and tenders as well as whether a fund is current, past or forthcoming.

UK Research and Innovation

In the UK, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has a combined budget of over £7 billion, and is the umbrella organization for the seven research councils, Innovate UK, and Research England. Researchers can identify the councils most relevant to their subject areas, and explore funding opportunities directly on their website:

• Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
• Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

In addition to separate research council funding pages, UKRI regularly updates its opportunities list to highlight a selection of the key current funding opportunities across all seven research councils.

Federal Research Funding

In the US, federal research funding is highly sought after. National institutes and agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, have their own grants pages which detail current opportunities. There is also a search portal, Grants.gov, which brings together opportunities from across the main 26 US agencies and institutions, allowing researchers to easily narrow down their funding opportunities. The search tool is comprehensive and combines a handy keyword search with filters for subject areas and funders. 

Research Funding in China

China is predicted to overtake the US as the world’s largest investor in research and development by 2022. The China Innovation Funding Project, supported by EU funding, has launched an online database of funding opportunities split into three separate programs:

• Chinese national funding
• Chinese local funding
• EU-China co-funding

Opportunities can be narrowed down using a keyword search, and then filtered by program, subject sector, and the target audience.

Charity Research Funding

Researchers affiliated with an institution can discuss charitable funding opportunities with their University/School Research Administrators, who specialize in finding subject specific funding. Big charity funders such as the Rockerfeller Foundation or Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation often offer significant funding over several years, although Research Administrators may have knowledge of less well known, smaller funders that are less competitive.

You can also create a numbered listicle if that suits your content. See example here.

How can researchers secure research funding?

Finding the right funding opportunity to apply for is certainly the first challenge in the funding process. The resources we’ve explored will help you to narrow down your choices within your field of study. Once a funding opportunity has been identified, it is equally vital to be prepared for the bidding stage. At Wiley, we offer a range of handy guides and training on successful research proposal bidding:

• Wiley Researcher Academy Inspire Video – In this Wiley Researcher Academy video, editors, researchers and publishers discuss the pressures on funders and offer tips for grant applications. 
• Winning Grants Step by Step – Co-authored by Tori O'Neal-McElrath, Lynn Kanter and Lynn Jenkins English, this 5^th edition is the go-to resource for a clear approach to tackling the grant-writing process and winning funds.
• Grant application infographic - This infographic offers helpful advice on getting a funding proposal to stand out from the crowd.