AHRC Evolves Follow-on Funding Scheme to Boost Economic Impact
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is evolving its Follow-on Funding (FoF) scheme, with a refreshed version launching in early 2026. This decision follows an independent evaluation commissioned in 2025, which confirmed the scheme's effectiveness in leveraging £193 million in further funding between 2015 and 2024 but highlighted untapped potential in driving economic impact and commercialisation. The updated scheme aims to sharpen focus on transformational projects that deliver measurable real-world benefits, aligning with UK Research and Innovation’s strategic priorities for sustainable economic growth. Key changes include broadening assessment panels to include non-academic expertise, introducing partial randomisation to reduce administrative burdens, and expanding eligibility to include projects from AHRC Impact Acceleration Accounts. Additionally, the AHRC will launch an Impact Toolkit to support commercialisation efforts and embrace a broader definition of economic impact, including social enterprise and community resilience. These reforms seek to enhance the translation of arts and humanities research into tangible societal and economic outcomes while maintaining support for diverse impact activities such as policy influence and skills development.
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AHRC Evolves Follow-on Funding Scheme to Boost Economic Impact
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is evolving its Follow-on Funding (FoF) scheme, with a refreshed version launching in early 2026. This decision follows an independent evaluation commissioned in 2025, which confirmed the scheme's effectiveness in leveraging £193 million in further funding between 2015 and 2024 but highlighted untapped potential in driving economic impact and commercialisation. The updated scheme aims to sharpen focus on transformational projects that deliver measurable real-world benefits, aligning with UK Research and Innovation’s strategic priorities for sustainable economic growth. Key changes include broadening assessment panels to include non-academic expertise, introducing partial randomisation to reduce administrative burdens, and expanding eligibility to include projects from AHRC Impact Acceleration Accounts. Additionally, the AHRC will launch an Impact Toolkit to support commercialisation efforts and embrace a broader definition of economic impact, including social enterprise and community resilience. These reforms seek to enhance the translation of arts and humanities research into tangible societal and economic outcomes while maintaining support for diverse impact activities such as policy influence and skills development.
UKRI