Glasgow Changing Futures

Purpose of GCF Collaborative Seed Fund

Glasgow Changing Futures (GCF) is a University of Glasgow strategic programme of collaborative research, education, innovation, knowledge exchange and partnership activities. Its aim is to nurture and advance a creative, collaborative environment within and beyond the University to address the complex societal challenges that will shape the future. 

The GCF Collaborative Seed Fund supports the formation of new teams at the University of Glasgow who combine diverse fields to co-design and co-produce solutions that take a systems, future-orientated perspective to local, national, and global challenges. 

Projects must clearly align to one of the GCF challenge Areas: 

In this call GCF is creating an additional opportunity for challenge-led collaborative activities beyond the GCF Challenge Areas above; these applications should be made under the GCF Area: 

The fund is intended to extend and strengthen internal connections, bring different forms of expertise together in new teams, often across Colleges, and support collaborative activity with clear potential for progression. The fund will primarily support research-focused activity, however, we will consider non-research proposals where there is a strong case for their impact on the University’s capability to address challenges. 

Seed funding is a focused and strategic approach to investing in collaboration, creating opportunities and fostering change. It helps colleagues develop strong challenge-led ideas, build effective cross University teams and generate the early evidence, partnerships and momentum needed to enable further development and impact. 

In this way, GCF seed funding supports immediate innovation while also strengthening the University’s longer-term capacity, impact and reputation. 

A mural depicting a booted foot and a hand picking up a mushroom

Closes for applications on 3rd June midday

Key information

Call Opens: Thursday 30 April 2026 

Application Deadline: Wednesday 3 June 2026, at 12:00 midday 

Review Period: June 2026 

Decisions Communicated: By end of July 2026 

Project Start Date: 1 October 2026 

Project End Date: 31 July 2027 

Project Funding: funded activity should be delivered within Academic Year 2026-27 and unspent funds will be returned to GCF after 31 July 2027. There is no possibility of project extension.

How to apply

Applications are submitted through the application link, with a completed Project Proposal Form and Costing Template attached as part of the submission. The deadline for submission is 12:00 midday on Wednesday 3 June 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Link to the application form and additional documents

Award sizes and indicative number of awards: 

  • Sustainable Futures: £5,000 awards, with approximately 6 awards expected 
  • Healthy and Equitable Futures: £5,000 and £15,000 awards, with approximately 4 to 10 awards expected 
  • Collaborative Futures: £5,000 and £15,000 awards, with approximately 4 to 10 awards expected 

Support available

  • Discover Glasgow Changing Futures (GCF) and the upcoming GCF Collaborative Seed Fund (webinar) – Tuesday 28 Apr 2026, 12:30 - 2pm. 
  • Application Process Briefing (webinar) – Wednesday 29 April 2026, 12:30 – 1:30pm 
  • In-Person Application Clinic for the GCF Collaborative Seed Funding Call - Tuesday 19 May 2026, 11am – 4pm (ARC 224) 
  • FAQs populated on website throughout application window 

More information about applicant support and booking links

Core criteria

Challenge-led, solutions-focused and future thinking 

Projects should respond to a clearly defined challenge with a novel approach and set out a credible route towards insight that leads to intervention and solution development. Proposals should also show awareness of trends shaping future contexts they are contributing to, including longer-term needs and opportunities. 

Collaboration across boundaries 

Projects should demonstrate meaningful and equitable collaboration and co-production across organisational and disciplinary boundaries, often across Colleges, with a clear rationale for why the proposed combination of expertise and perspectives is needed to address this challenge. 

Quality, credibility and strategic fit 

Projects should demonstrate a high-quality and well-considered idea that aligns strongly with the aims of the GCF Collaborative Seed Fund and the relevant area. They should set out a credible and well-structured plan, with clear objectives, realistic milestones and a practical approach to delivery. Assessment will consider the overall strength of the proposal, including its clarity, coherence, feasibility and strategic alignment to the ambitions of the GCF programme. 

Potential for progression and follow-on funding 

Projects should show realistic potential to build beyond the initial seed award through stronger collaboration, further development or future external funding applications. 

These core criteria should be reflected throughout the application, including the rationale for the project, the collaborative model, the proposed activity, the use of funding and the explanation of what the project could lead to next. 

We welcome projects that include existing external partnerships or create new ones where this adds value to the proposed activity. However, the inclusion of external collaborators is not a requirement. Applications considering community involvement, particularly within Healthy & Equitable Futures, may wish to explore the University of Glasgow’s Byres Community Hub Research Involvement support. This can help you think about how to involve community voices in shaping research questions, proposal development, and project activity. 

GCF Areas 

Applicants must select one GCF Area and explain clearly how the proposed activity aligns. Where a proposal has relevance to more than one GCF Area, applicants should identify the main area of alignment and explain any secondary links in question 1c of the Project Proposal Form.   

Healthy and Equitable Futures 

A future in which all people have equitable opportunities to live long, healthy and fulfilling lives - physically, mentally and socially - within a healthy natural environment and with explicit regard for future generations. 

We build a fairer, healthier future for everyone, including generations to come.  

With partners and communities, we work to transform systems to support long, healthy lives for all. 

From teaching the next generation of thinkers and doers to driving advances in solutions-focused research, we create change at every level. 

Sustainable Futures 

Meeting the social foundations of current and future generations while living responsibly within a healthy, natural environment. 

We contribute to the health and wellbeing of all people and the planet by deepening existing and fostering new collaborations. 

We identify opportunities for action that will deliver future readiness, co-produce solutions, and strengthen connections locally and globally. 

We support future leaders and change-makers to drive systemic change that leads to a sustainable future. 

Collaborative Futures 

Securing a strong future for challenge-led collaboration aligned to our distinctive strengths.

We reimagine how universities can create spaces where diverse perspectives and expertise come together and collaborate. 

We explore how to adapt structures and cultures to foster, recognise, celebrate and credit collaboration across differences. 

We share good practice, and learn with and from partners who also aspire to secure a strong future for collaboration. 

Selection process

We aim to manage the Collaborative Seed Fund through a robust, fair and transparent assessment process. We will take steps to build review panels that draw on a diverse range of perspectives, expertise and backgrounds, including appropriate disciplinary and professional services representation, while giving due regard to equality, diversity and inclusion. This is intended to strengthen fairness, balance and consistency in decision-making. 

Reviewers will consider: 

  • the strength of the collaborative rationale 
  • the strength of the proposal against the core criteria 
  • alignment to the selected GCF Area 
  • the quality and credibility of the proposed activity 

The fund is expected to be competitive. Meeting the eligibility requirements and core criteria does not guarantee funding. 

All applications will be assessed by human reviewers and panel members. AI will not be used to assess, score, rank or determine funding decisions. This will be communicated clearly and appropriately to reviewers and panels as part of the process guidance. 

Funding decisions are final. The final panel reserves the right to award the full amount requested, award a reduced amount, or make an offer subject to conditions. This may include seeking clarification on the proposal, budget or project scope before funding is confirmed. Where appropriate, successful applicants may be asked to work with the GCF team to refine elements of the project in line with the aims of the fund and the funding available. 

As this is the first GCF Collaborative seed fund call, the level of demand is still to be determined. We reserve the right to make proportionate adjustments to the selection process if needed, while still maintaining fairness, transparency and consistency in decision-making.

Lead applicant eligibility

This call is open to University of Glasgow staff who are eligible to lead a funded internal project and who have the support required to deliver the proposed work. 

Applications should identify a lead applicant and are expected to include co-leads and/or co-applicants to support the collaborative nature of the project. 

The lead applicant must: 

  • be a member of University of Glasgow staff 
  • be able to take responsibility for project delivery and award management 
  • have salary support in place for the period needed to oversee the project 
  • be able to work with relevant local support teams on approvals, finance, recruitment, procurement and reporting 

Project team members eligibility

Applications are encouraged to involve colleagues at different career stages from different Colleges and Professional Services areas. 

The fund is primarily intended to support internal collaboration across the University. Applicants should therefore show that the collaboration is genuine, purposeful, equitable and adds clear value to the proposed project.  

We encourage teams to involve emerging talent where this adds value to the project and supports development opportunities. Any proposed involvement should be proportionate, feasible and appropriately supported, with due regard to the individual’s substantive post, existing workload, and any line management or local approval requirements. 

Expected outputs

For a £5k seed fund proposal 

Purpose: Early exploration, relationship-building, or testing feasibility 

Typical project types: scoping studies; landscape mapping, stakeholder analysis; initial collaboration building; workshops, sandpits, interdisciplinary meetings; pilot data collection; small datasets, feasibility experiments; refining solutions.  

Typical expenses: workshops & engagement; venue, facilitation, participant costs; small-scale data collection; surveys, interviews; partner meetings, field visits; consumables; minor lab or project materials; staff time (light-touch)

Typical outputs: new interdisciplinary partnerships; refined solutions; early insights or indicative findings; external network development; basis for a larger funding application  

For a £15k seed fund proposal 

Purpose: Strong positioning and proof-of-concept for next steps, including external funding 

Typical project types: pilot/proof-of-concept studies; generating robust preliminary data; prototype or demonstrator co-development; early-stage tools, models, or interventions; applied, solutions-focused research co-created with partners from across the university; co-created solutions with industry, policy, or communities; method development or testing; trialling new interdisciplinary approaches.   

Typical expenses: co-design workshops; specialist equipment or software; fieldwork / trials; more extensive data collection or testing; policy briefs, design work, prototype iteration; staff time.   

Typical outputs: credible preliminary data; demonstrator / prototype / tested method; strengthened partnerships with defined roles; draft or submitted external funding bid (e.g., UKRI, NIHR)  

Alongside any academic or professional outputs relevant to your proposal, Glasgow Changing Futures seed funding award holders will be expected to: 

  • Stay in touch with the GCF team over the course of the project and share updates on progress, emerging learning, partnership development and any follow-on activity arising from the award. 
  • Provide a short mid project update and a final end of project summary, setting out what was delivered, what was learned, and what potential the project has created for future collaboration, co-production, external engagement or onward funding. 
  • Provide a short accessible project summary and a suitable image at the outset of the project for communications and profile-raising purposes. 
  • Be willing to contribute to GCF learning, evaluation and reporting activity, including sharing examples of collaboration, challenge-led working and project outcomes where appropriate. 
  • Acknowledge Glasgow Changing Futures seed funding support in any outputs, presentations or communications arising from the project where relevant. 

Full reporting requirements and timelines will be confirmed at award stage. 

Eligible and ineligible spend

Applicants should ensure that all costs are necessary, appropriate, clearly justified and directly related to delivery of the proposed project. 

Activity/Cost 

Eligibility 

Project specific consumables or materials   

Eligible 

Event, workshop or engagement costs   

Eligible   

UK travel and subsistence where clearly justified and in line with our sustainable travel guidance 

Eligible   

Project specific services or support costs where necessary for delivery   

Eligible   

Staff Costs such as buyout of existing staff time may be supported where they are essential to the delivery and appropriately justified. Only applicable to staff on fixed-term contracts. Note that reimbursement for UofG staff with open-ended contracts is not permitted as GCF aligned activities are assumed to fall within existing remits. All requested funding for staff costs should be justified in the Costing Form.

Eligible   

Recruitment Costs through Direct Appointments (DA) may be supported where they are essential to the delivery and appropriately justified. (contact your College Local Resourcing Coordinator for more information on the DA recruitment process).  

Eligible 

Student Internships through the Student Opportunities Hub 

Eligible 

External partners cannot receive funding directly through the award. However, where justified, applicants may include reasonable costs to support external partner participation, such as travel, subsistence, or other contribution costs, where these are necessary to enable meaningful involvement from community organisations, charities, or other external collaborators. 

Eligible 

Cost related to reducing the carbon footprint of the proposal or other impacts on the environment 

Eligible 

International travel   

Ineligible 

Any cost (travel, subsistence, registration) associated with attendance at academic conferences   

Ineligible   

External consultancy fees – except for where these relate to enabling influential contributions from external partners e.g. small charity partners, where they cannot reasonably engage unless funded, or, where a very strong case can be made for specialised workshop facilitation or support 

Ineligible   

Costs not directly related to delivery of the project   

Ineligible 

Unsupported or unexplained contingency   

Ineligible   

Costs incurred outside the approved project period   

Ineligible   

Costs that duplicate existing funded activity   

Ineligible   

Per diems, sitting allowances or stipend payments   

Ineligible   

Computers, laptops, printers, standard software, mobile phone cards, basic computing accessories (access to high-performance computers or other applications that are justified by the project are allowed)   

Ineligible   

Student scholarships   

Ineligible   

Funding for creation of apps or web platforms etc without proof of agreement with IT services   

Ineligible   

Any other costs ruled ineligible through University or fund requirements   

Ineligible   

If a proposal includes recruitment costs, applicants should discuss this at an early stage with the relevant local support team so that the proposed route, approvals and timescales are realistic. 

A note on sustainability: You must abide by our institution’s policy on sustainability, for example any relevant sustainable travel or catering policy. In keeping with the ethos of the fund, we welcome applications which go beyond local policies where appropriate. 

You may also want to utilise the Scotland Beyond Net Zero Toolkit which is intended to help academics and research professionals explain and enhance the contribution their research makes to knowledge and innovation in environmental sustainability and climate change. 

Compliance, approvals and reporting

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that proposed activity is compliant with relevant University requirements. 

It is the responsibility of the applicants to ensure that all proposed activities are in accordance with the University’s ethical guidance , Inclusive Research Practice and Code of Good Practice for Research, that they follow purchasing and procurement guidelines, and to ensure appropriate project risk assessments have been completed before beginning any funded activity.  

Depending on the nature of the project, this may include: 

Where any of these are likely to apply, applicants should factor this into project planning and timelines. 

Submission of an application does not remove the need for any required approvals before activity begins.