Design Generators fund collaborative, design-led research projects that use arts and humanities approaches to tackle real-world sustainability challenges. The scheme supports partnerships between researchers, communities, and non-academic organisations to co-develop creative interventions within existing systems – such as healthcare, food networks, governance or finance – that promote equitable, sustainable and regenerative practices.
Please note that you must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding. Learn more about the eligibility of your organisation.
The first round of Design generators will focus on creating interventions within existing systems. These systems may include, but are not limited to, healthcare, food networks, governance structures, financial infrastructures, and other societal frameworks. We are particularly interested in projects that approach these systems from a community perspective and use design thinking and creative methodologies to identify leverage points for positive change.
Applicants should propose research that is collaborative, community-engaged, and scalable. Projects must be grounded in arts and humanities disciplines, drawing on methodologies including, but not limited to, design research, ethnography, and visual arts. We encourage researchers to work closely with communities, stakeholders and system actors to co-develop interventions that are contextually sensitive and have the potential to be scaled up. These interventions could be scaled up to benefit larger populations, influence policy, or be applied to parallel systems. The aim is to generate new knowledge and prototypes that not only respond to systemic challenges but also reimagine how systems could function more equitably, sustainably, and creatively.
Design Accelerators may focus on supporting any engagement activity with local stakeholders that will support progress towards green transition goals, including but not limited to:
design research and innovation that prototypes and explores products, services, and systems with users
creation of multidisciplinary design research capabilities that respond to net zero challenges
exploration of circular, cyclical, or regenerative business models
strengthening resilience in third sector and community organisations
supporting skills transition across sectors and disciplines
developing policymaking strategies for a green and regenerative economy
providing training and development opportunities
facilitating public participation in the research process
conducting outreach to involve individuals or organisations outside academia in shaping ideas and research
Please note that applications should be specific about the details of the proposed activities, be these coordinated programme activities or a standalone activity.
Projects should demonstrate clear pathways to measurable outcomes of benefit to stakeholders both within the project lifetime and beyond.
| DISCIPLINE | single discipline, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary |
|---|---|
| ELIGIBILITY | based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding |
Design is a discipline that applies user, customer, citizen or community-centred approaches to creativity and invention to ensure more successful outcomes. These may include the built environment, physical products, digital or other services and systems that underpin how we live. Success in this context may mean economic, social, environmental, or a combination of all three.
The Design Generators aim to fund innovative, design-led research projects that contribute to the green transition. They seek to generate new arts and humanities-based approaches and methodologies that harness design to address environmental sustainability, decarbonisation, circular economies, policy design and regenerative practices. Funding will be provided to:
co-develop interventions with a non-academic partner to assist sustained impact beyond the life of the grant
engage collaboratively with communities or stakeholders, ensuring relevance and responsiveness to lived experience
promote green transition-supportive behaviour change, either through deliberative policymaking and (de)regulation or through ‘nudging’
highlight the value of academic design research in addressing real-world, locally relevant challenges arising along the journey to net zero and a green economy
The duration of these awards can be between nine to twelve months.
Projects must start by 1 June 2026.
