Apply for funding

Find out about our current and upcoming opportunities.

We fund the development and evaluation of high-potential teaching and learning approaches, to help build the evidence-base of ​‘what works’ for schools, colleges, and early years settings in England. Everything we fund aims to raise the attainment of children and young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Funding opportunities

The EEF does not currently have any open funding rounds. We generally launch two funding rounds per year in Spring and Autumn, which typically open for applications at the end of January and September, respectively. To be informed of future funding rounds, please sign up to our newsletters.

Programmes Evaluation pipeline v 2 0 0

The EEF funds thematically to target areas most likely to improve outcomes for children and young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. For examples of our past themes, see this page: Our Research Agenda themes and priority areas.

How we work independently

The EEF is an independent charity established in 2011 with an initial £125 million endowment from the Department for Education (DfE). The EEF was re-endowed in 2022 with £137 million. A further £40 million was granted in 2024 to continue our work and expand our remit to support young people in the 16 – 19 sector. This public funding underpins our mission to improve outcomes for children and young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.


The EEF’s endowment is designed to support our independence and long-term stability as a research organisation. Our contract with the DfE explicitly states that the EEF is independent from the department. We have autonomy over how we set our priorities, commission research, and publish findings. Our decisions are led by the best available evidence, and we are committed to publishing results transparently, including where findings are mixed or show no impact.

Alongside our core endowment, we work with philanthropic organisations and other partners to support activities that align with our mission and strategic priorities. In some cases, we have also received funding from the DfE to undertake discrete research projects relevant to the wider education sector and policy community. These partnerships enable us to extend the impact of our endowment, broaden the scope of activity we can deliver, and contribute to collaboration across the education ecosystem. We only undertake externally funded activity where it is consistent with our charitable objectives and strategic priorities, and where our independence in decision-making and delivery is maintained.

Explore our FAQ

Answers to common questions about applying for EEF funding.