How to Apply

We operate a two-stage application process – our intention is that this allows you to test your ideas with us before committing to writing a full application. Please note that it takes up to six months from first application to funding being awarded to successful applicants.

As part of the 2024-2027 grants programme, we are introducing a more conversation-based approach to the first stage of applications – our hope is that this will reduce the workload for applicants, by taking on more of the early-stage work ourselves. It will also allow us to give you faster feedback if we feel an application is not going to be a good fit. You can read more about this and what to expect here.

The process will work as follows:

• Use our eligibility quiz to check that your work is a fit
• Note your interest using our say hello function to tell us about your work
• If your work is relevant to our agenda we will get in touch with you (If not we will offer an explanation at this point)
• We’ll invite you to an application meeting to discuss what you want to tell us. You can find out more about what this meeting would look like here
• Please let us know about any accessibility needs or accommodations we can offer at this meeting – e.g. BSL interpretation
• We will generate a stage 1 application for you based on this discussion
• We will check you are happy with the written application we create
• We will submit this application for review by an advisory panel, alongside other applications
• We will then invite you to submit a full stage two application which you will create (or give you feedback on why your work was not taken forward)
• We will hold a more detailed conversation with you about your work
• Trustees will make a final decision on your proposal at their next quarterly meeting
• The process will take around 6 months in total.

Application cut off dates

This is a rolling programme that will be open until September 2027. Three times a year we will gather all the completed applications that we have in our system (i.e. applicants that have booked and held their application meeting with us and agreed the final output), and group these together for presentation to our Programme Advisory Group/staff decision-making panels.

The dates below are our planned cut-off dates for 2025/26. However, if demand is very high, we may cap the numbers going forward to a meeting and push some applications back to the next meeting. We will try to avoid doing this and will communicate this clearly and as early as possible with any applicants who are in the pipeline.

Cut off dates for Financial Systems and New Economy Infrastructure Applications 2025/26

• 6^th May 2025
• 5^th August 2025
• 12^th January 2026
• 4^th May 2026
• 3^rd August 2026