We are delighted to highlight that the 2025 grant schemes and awards are now open for applications. RSA members at a range of different career stages are eligible to apply. Find the details below for more information about all this year’s grants and awards.
RSA Awards
If you have, or know of someone who has, made an original or outstanding contribution to regional research, we encourage you to apply for an RSA award. Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are accepted for each of the awards:
- Nathaniel Lichfield recent Master’s Award – for a recent Master’s student who has graduated within the previous year;
- Paul Benneworth PhD Student Award– for registered PhD students who have not yet received their certificate;
- RSA Routledge Early Career Award– for early career researchers (defined as being within five years of the date on their PhD certificate or equivalent).
Value: £500 (c. $600; c. €570) and a certificate
Application deadline: 15 May 2025
Find out more details about the awards here.
Early Career Research Grant Scheme
The RSA Early Career Research Grant (EC) is provided to support a discrete piece of regional studies and/or regional science research and is open to applicants in their early career (a maximum of five years between the date shown on the PhD certificate and the application deadline). To apply for this grant, you need to be a current Early Career member of the RSA. Find more details about the Early Career grant here.
Value: up to £10,000 (c. $13,300; c. €11,800)
Application deadlines (Expression of Interest): 12 May 2025
Membership Research Grant Scheme (MeRSA)
The RSA Membership Research Grant aims to reward excellence and support outstanding individual researchers on a topic related to regional studies and regional science. This research funding scheme is intended primarily to provide opportunities for mid-career scholars who have already published in the field of regional studies and who are Individual Members of the RSA. Find out more details about the MeRSA Grant here.
Value: up to £5,000 (c. $6,600; c. €5,900)
Application deadline (Expression of Interest): 12 May 2025
Fellowship Research Grant Scheme (FeRSA)
This award is open to Fellows of the RSA only. RSA Fellows are members who have been continuous members for a minimum of 5 years and who have also been defined as “active members”. This means that they have contributed to the life of the Association through serving on the Board or committees, speaking at conferences, had roles as editors or reviewers etc. Find out more details about the MeRSA Grant here.
Value: up to £7,500 (c. $10,000; c. €8,900)
Application deadline (Expression of Interest): 12 May 2025
Travel Grants
Apply for funding towards your travel costs (transport only) to attend an RSA or non-RSA event. This grant is a fantastic opportunity to help you towards your travel costs to present your work, network and participate in international RSA or non-RSA events within the relevant field. Recipients of the Travel Grant must be members of the Association at the time of application, travel and claim. Find out more here.
Value: up to £500 (c. $600; c. €570)
2025 Application deadlines: 16 May and 19 September
Research Network Grant Scheme
RSA Research Networks are made up of individuals from different countries,(from any membership category) interested in collaborating to examine an issue that is of interest and concern to members of the Association as well as non-members. The issue needs not necessarily to have a direct policy focus, but the examination would normally lead to policy-related conclusions. Find out more about the RSA Research Network Grant here.
Value: up to £10,000 (c. $12,000; c. €11800)
Application deadline: 24 October 2025
Policy Expo Grant Scheme
The Association seeks a leading and impactful role for its community, to inform and influence policy and practice in creative and ambitious ways. The aim is to support Expos addressing issues that are important, current and having an impact on society. These Expos will investigate how the communities of regional studies, regional science, urban studies and related fields can respond to new societal challenges and opportunities. Find out more about the Policy Expo grant here.
Application deadline: 14th November 2025
Application writing tips
On-demand tips for grant application writing are available for members (see here).
Grants are available for RSA members. We encourage non-members to apply for a grant and join the RSA at the same time. The full list of membership benefits ranging from publications, research funding, discounts, professional development resources, excellence awards, career development and networking opportunities and the different membership categories the RSA offers can be found here.