Opening up the Environment 2026

This funding opportunity supports invited applicants from successful Opening up the Environment 2025 projects to deliver activities aimed at increasing the diversity of the UK environmental science community. The programme funds partnerships to deliver purposeful initiatives that increase diversity in the NERC research community, showcase a broad range of people and skill sets, provide leadership in developing aspirational partnerships, and share lessons learned from collaborative working. Projects must work to create equitable partnerships with appropriate individuals, departments and organisations, establish leadership teams with representatives holding lived experience of under-representation, and include professional enabling staff. The programme aims to contribute to national influence and collaboration in the wider environmental science sector while generating and sharing relevant lessons suitable for the broader research and innovation community.