# Reimagining Circularity NetworkPlus

**Funder:** EPSRC
**Budget:** Up to £5.41M (100% FEC); EPSRC funds 80% FEC, up to £4.328M
**Duration:** Up to 36 months; fixed start date 1 October 2027
**Consortium:** Required — NetworkPlus consortium including project lead, co-leads, project partners and flexible fund awardees at EPSRC-eligible organisations
**Application:** Full application stage (following outline stage)
**Frequency:** One-off
**Eligible countries:** GB
**Official call:** https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/epsrc-defra-reimagining-circularity-full-stage/
**Last updated:** 9 Sept 2026

## Eligibility & scope

EPSRC-Defra funded NetworkPlus for circular economy research, requiring interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary approach, EDI plan, and allocation of at least 60% of funds to an open-competition flexible fund. Applicants must be at EPSRC-eligible UK research organisations; sole focus on recycling or plastic packaging is excluded.

## Summary

The Reimagining Circularity NetworkPlus is an EPSRC-Defra call funding up to £5.41M (100% FEC, with EPSRC covering 80%) for a UK research consortium working on circular economy challenges over up to 36 months. It requires an interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary consortium, project lead, co-leads, partners and flexible fund awardees, at EPSRC-eligible organisations, with at least 60% of the budget ring-fenced for an open-competition flexible fund. Proposals focused solely on recycling or plastic packaging are explicitly excluded, and the project has a fixed start date of 1 October 2027.

## Who should apply

- Consortia led by a project lead with named co-leads and partners
- Teams based at EPSRC-eligible UK research organisations
- Interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary circular economy research groups
- Applicants able to design and administer an open-competition flexible fund
- Projects addressing circularity beyond recycling or plastic packaging alone

## Key dates

- Full application stage follows a prior outline stage
- Fixed project start date of 1 October 2027
- Up to 36-month project duration
- One-off call, no recurring rounds announced

## Tips for applicants

- Design the flexible fund mechanism early, it must absorb at least 60% of the total budget and run as a genuine open competition, not a token sub-award.
- Since this follows an outline stage, use the full application to sharpen consortium roles (lead, co-leads, partners) rather than re-pitch the core idea.
- Explicitly rule out a recycling- or plastic-packaging-only framing in the scope section; reviewers are told to screen this out.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much funding does the Reimagining Circularity NetworkPlus provide?

Up to £5.41M at 100% full economic cost, with EPSRC funding 80% FEC (up to £4.328M).

### How long does the Reimagining Circularity NetworkPlus run?

Up to 36 months, with a fixed start date of 1 October 2027.

### Who can apply to the Reimagining Circularity NetworkPlus?

A consortium of a project lead, co-leads, project partners and flexible fund awardees, all based at EPSRC-eligible UK research organisations.

### Does the flexible fund have to be a set percentage?

Yes, at least 60% of the total funds must be allocated to an open-competition flexible fund.

### Can a project focused only on recycling apply?

No, proposals with a sole focus on recycling or plastic packaging are excluded from this call.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/epsrc-reimagining-circularity-networkplus-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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