Alternatives to Invitation to Tender - Communities of Practice Development

Apply for funding to pursue an adventurous, ambitious, curiosity-driven project in environmental research. You must be: • based at a UK research organisation eligible for Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funding • in a role that meets the individual eligibility requirements There is no limit on the value of the grant, the value specified within the summary page is an example.

Society’s most important advances have stemmed from those willing to think differently about what might be possible. ARIA is an R&D funding agency built to unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone. Created by an Act of Parliament, and sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, ARIA funds breakthrough R&D in under explored areas to catalyse new paths to prosperity for the UK and the world.

The Trust, on behalf of the Forever Lough Neagh Collaborators, is seeking proposals from suitably experienced facilitators, organisations, or partnerships to design and deliver an independent Quality Assurance (QA) process to support the development of Lough Neagh: A Roadmap to Recovery. Running alongside a multidisciplinary consultancy commissioned to develop the Roadmap, the QA process will provide robust scrutiny through structured peer review and public review panels. The successful contractor will establish and facilitate a framework to assess and challenge emerging recommendations, ensuring they are evidence-based, technically sound, inclusive, transparent, and informed by community perspectives. The contract is expected to commence in September/October 2026 and run for 12 months, subject to funding availability. Tenderers should note that costs submitted must remain valid for up to six months should commencement be delayed to allow for fundraising. This QA process is a key element in ensuring the integrity, credibility, and long-term legitimacy of the Roadmap to Recovery for Lough Neagh. 14/08/26 - Clarification Window Closes 28/08/26 - Return of RFP 15/09/26 - Anticipated Contract Start Date The tender is being conducted via the Proactis Plaza portal. http://www.proactisplaza.com/ Search for The National Trust in the opportunities section and follow the instructions

Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington (ECW), working alongside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the North West Net Zero Hub (NWNZH) is seeking to appoint an individual consultant or small group of consultants to oversee the implementation of the Clean Energy Skills Regional Action Plan (CESRAP), and in partnership with relevant neighbouring regions. The CESRAP brings together evidence from extensive stakeholder consultation, employer engagement, provider input, and regional modelling to identify where demand for clean energy skills is growing most quickly and where the provision is already strong. It identifies an urgent need to intervene in the skills ecosystem so that local people, employers, and their supply chains can develop the skills needed to benefit from the transition to clean energy to meet a significant increase in demand in 2030 and beyond. It sets out recommendations for local leaders and policymakers, proposals for a near-term programme of skills interventions, and a framework for long-term collaboration to enable joined-up local delivery of the Government's Clean Energy Jobs Plan . It is intended to be a practical, living framework that can guide immediate implementation, support regional collaboration, and adapt as policy, investment pipelines, and labour market conditions evolve. ECW is seeking consultancy support to implement the plan in the period up to March 31st, 2027. The work is funded by The North West Net Zero Hub. The consultant/s will need to identify one to two people who will be available to act as the Regional Lead for an agreed number of days per week, for the length of the project.

CONTEXT The Future Parks Accelerator (FPA) programme ran from 2019 to 2022 working intensively with 8 Local Authorities to help identify and develop new ways to care for the urban natural environment, create a step change in how people engaged with parks and greenspaces in the participant cities; and identify new ways to fund parks and greenspaces for the long term, putting the management and funding of green space on a more sustainable footing. 7 of the FPA Cohort remained closely involved with the project partners following the completion of the programme and helped to co-design the follow-on ten-year programme. Nature Towns and Cities, launched in 2025, was designed to support transformative change in up to 100 towns and cities. These 7 places form the Nature Towns and Cities pioneer cohort continue to receive support from the programme while also supporting and mentoring new participants. Although evaluated throughout the programme, it was anticipated that on-the ground impacts would lag behind the implementation of these changes. THIS COMMISSION This commission seeks to understand and evidence the change that has taken place in each of the 7 places that have remained involved. We are seeking a consultant to undertake a follow-up study of the 7 places still participating in the Nature Towns and Cities Pioneer Cohort to understand what has happened since 2019 (and especially since 2022), and to generate robust, independent evidence of longer-term impact, including write up stories of whole place change, evidence the benefit to places and communities of investing in capacity-building and systems-change approaches and support Nature Towns and Cities & Pioneer Cohort to understand and articulate the causal link between the interventions and their longer-term impacts. INFORMATION TO BE RETURNED Submissions should include the following information: · Outline of your proposed approach to the project, including project plan and high-level risk log · Description of your relevant experience and abridged CVs of the proposed project team. · Proposed budget breakdown. · Details of any matters or concerns not covered by this brief · Answers to the mandatory questions and company information included in the Annex (not included in page count). Submissions should be no more than 6 pages in length. Abridged CVs can be included as appendices. These should be returned to anne.mackinnon@nationaltrust.org.uk by the deadline of 9am Monday 14th September 2026. The budget available for this work is £20-25k incl. VAT. Please see the full attached ITT document for further details.

Apply for Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) standard research grant funding to support well-defined collaborative projects across the arts and humanities, in areas covered by our remit. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding. There is no limit on the value of the grant, the value specified within the summary page is an example.

Apply for funding for a research grant in any area within the remit of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding. There is no limit on the value of the grant, the value specified within the summary page is an example.

Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding. There is no limit on the value of the grant, the value specified within the summary page is an example.

Apply for funding for a research grant in any area within the remit of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding. There is no limit on the value of the grant, the value specified within the summary page is an example.

Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in Luxembourg. Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR). You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding. There is no limit on the value of the grant, the value specified within the summary page is an example.

Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in the Unites States (US). Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of AHRC and US National Science Foundation, Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences Directorate (NSF-SBE). You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding. There is no limit on the value of the grant, the value specified within the summary page is an example.

AHRC awards to support researchers without prior experience of leading a significant research project to accelerate their trajectory as independent researchers, to unlock their potential and build leadership and convenor experience. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding. There is no limit on the value of the grant, the value specified within the summary page is an example.