Key Features
Organisations can apply for a share of up to £2 million, inclusive of VAT, to develop innovative interventions, technologies, and frameworks that boost fathers’ engagement to improve children’s learning and development outcomes.
Programme: UKRI
Award: Share of up to £2 million
Opens: 5th May 2026
Closes: 10th Jun 2026
UKRI are investing up to £2 million from the UKRI Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity Mission in this Contracts for Innovation competition.
The aim of this competition is to support organisations to develop, adapt, or further validate innovative approaches that strengthen fathers’ engagement in their children’s development across all ages.
Phase 1 of this Contracts for Innovation competition focuses on prototype development and evaluation.
To be eligible for this competition, projects must have a total cost of between £200,000 and £500,000 (inclusive of VAT) with projects lasting no more than 12 months. Projects must start on 1st August 2026 and end by 31st July 2027.
Applicant: To lead a project, you can be an organisation of any size based in the EU, EEA or internationally. Working alone or with the subcontracted skills and experience of others from business, research organisations, research and technology organisations, charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations.
UKRI will not fund the following projects:
UKRI will invest up to £2 million to fund innovation projects in this phase 1 competition. Contracts will be between £200,000 and £500,000 (inclusive of VAT) for each 12 month projects. UKRI expect to fund up to 10 projects.
Value Added Tax
You must select whether you are VAT registered before entering your eligible project costs.
VAT registered
If you select you are VAT registered, eligible project costs exclusive of VAT must be entered as part of the application process. VAT will be automatically calculated and added to your project cost total. Your total eligible project costs inclusive of VAT must not exceed £500,000.
Not VAT registered
If you select you are not VAT registered, you must enter your eligible project costs exclusive of VAT and no VAT will be added. It is not possible to increase total project costs to cover VAT later should you become VAT registered. Your total project costs must not exceed £500,000.
Research and development
Your application must have at least 50% of the contract value attributed directly and exclusively to R&D services, including solution exploration and design. R&D can also include prototyping and field testing the product or service. This lets you incorporate the results of your exploration and design and demonstrate that you can produce in quantity to acceptable quality standards.
R&D does not include:
Book an appointment to speak to one of our advisors to discuss your eligibility to apply for this Grant Funding opportunity.
Call 
Back
