The Unlocking Advanced Capabilities in Conservation and Heritage Science call is the next phase of the RICHeS programme, building on the establishment of national infrastructure through Tranche 1.
This investment will strengthen the UK’s conservation and heritage science ecosystem by supporting:
- Strategic capital investment in equipment, facilities and nationally significant capability platforms
- Collaborative innovation projects that connect researchers with industry, including SMEs
- Sustainable access models that expand the use of nationally important facilities
- New approaches and technologies that address unmet demand across the sector
The call will enhance collaboration between research organisations, heritage organisations and industry, supporting knowledge exchange, technology development and pathways towards future innovation and commercialisation.
Funding available
A total of £6.2 million is available through this call.
Applicants can apply for projects with a Full Economic Cost (FEC) value of between £500,000 and £1.5 million.
Funding must include two complementary components:
- Capital investment up to £1.2 million: To develop, upgrade or equip nationally significant facilities and capability platforms that strengthen the UK’s conservation and heritage science infrastructure.
- Cascading funding for innovation up to £300,000: To support collaborative innovation activities with industry partners, including SMEs, enabling knowledge exchange, co-development and new applications of heritage science capability.
Who can apply?
We are looking for consortium applications that demonstrate:
- Strong partnerships and collaboration: Evidence of collaboration across a coherent network of partners, including meaningful engagement with private-sector SMEs to increase knowledge exchange and innovation.
- Clear sector need and future impact: A strong case for unmet demand, demonstrating how investment will respond to current and future needs across conservation and heritage science.
- Strategic contribution to national capability: Projects that strengthen and extend the existing RICHeS distributed infrastructure network, avoiding unnecessary duplication of established facilities, capabilities or techniques.
Lead applicants must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.
All funded activity must be undertaken in the UK.
Timeline
- Call opens: Monday 7 September 2026, 09:00
- Call closes: Wednesday 25 November 2026, 16:00
Projects must start by 1 April 2027 and can run for up to 24 months, ending by 31 March 2029.
Successful projects will also be eligible for a further annual award (1 April 2029 to 31 March 2031), subject to successful assurance review. This additional support will help sustain staff capacity, enable continued access and support the long-term sustainability of funded capabilities.
Applicant webinar
Join our webinar on Wednesday 30 September 2026, 13:00 to 14:00. The session will provide further information about the opportunity, including:
- Scope and objectives of the call
- Application expectations
- Assessment
- An opportunity to ask questions
Register for the Unlocking Advanced Capabilities in Conservation and Heritage Science: Applicant Webinar
Further information
Detailed guidance on the application process will be made available soon.
How to apply
Full details of eligibility, scope, assessment criteria and how to apply are available on the UKRI Funding Finder page for this opportunity.