Evaluation Accelerator Fund
The Evaluation Accelerator Fund (EAF) supports evaluation across government to transform our understanding of the impact of activity in priority policy areas.
Documents
Details
Phase 5 (2026) applications open
The Evaluation Task Force (ETF) is pleased to announce Phase 5 of its Evaluation Accelerator Fund (EAF). The EAF is a competitive grant fund and supports research and evaluation projects that:
- create actionable evidence in HM Government priority areas that informs public spending or policy decisions;
- tackle evidence gaps in HM Government priority areas; or
- provide robust evidence of financial or efficiency savings from new policies, interventions, or innovative approaches to service delivery
EAF is open to receive proposals from:
- Central government (e.g. UK Government departments, arms length bodies, and non-departmental public bodies)
- Local government (e.g. Local authorities, regional authorities, MCAs, etc)
- What Works Centres (WWCs)
- Charities or organisations whose activities are charitable, benevolent or philanthropic in nature (e.g. universities, non-profits, community interest companies)
Funding is available for one-year projects which start in July 2026 and conclude by March 2027. All projects, with only a handful of exceptions, will be expected to produce findings that are shareable with the ETF and government partners by March 2027. It is acceptable if publication of findings follows soon after March 2027.
Phase 5 of EAF has an overall value of up to £3.5 million for FY26-27. This is split into two distinct strands:
- A minimum of £1 million available for projects designed to improve the evidence base around Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
- A maximum of £2.5 million available for projects related to artificial intelligence, local government and other government priorities.
It is important to note that each strand has separate application guidance and forms, linked above.
EAF 5 Violence Against Women and Girls - open competition
The aim of the VAWG-specific fund is to create actionable evidence or build evidence and evaluation capability to support HM Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy and mission to half VAWG by 2030.
We are open to proposals that align with priorities outlined in the HM Government VAWG Strategy with a preference for proposals focussed on:
- Online harms;
- Early intervention / children and young people;
- Prevention; and
- Tackling sexual violence.
We are particularly interested in funding the following types of proposals, which will be favourably scored:
- Partnerships between organisations to build a stronger evidence and evaluation infrastructure or evaluation capability across the VAWG sector.
- Partnerships between charities/frontline services and universities/research organisations.
- Research or evaluations that will directly support HM Government’s commitment to halving VAWG.
In general, we are open to proposals to deliver impact evaluations, and we have a preference for funding experimental or quasi-experimental evaluations. However, given the short funding window, we are also open to bids for other types of research and evaluation such as:
- feasibility studies;
- systematic evidence reviews;
- developing outcomes frameworks; and
- capability building on evidence generation and/or use within organisations.
We will consider funding proposals for longer-term pieces of work that do not produce findings by March 2027 as long as there is confirmed matched funding that can fund proposed activities beyond FY26-27. These proposals must demonstrate evidence of this matched funding commitment.
Please see the document “EAF Phase 5 - VAWG open competition - guidance for bidders” for more detail on the criteria for this funding.
EAF 5 General strand - open competition
The second strand of the EAF fund aims to strengthen the evidence base for wider government priorities, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence and local government.
We are interested in funding proposals in the following areas:
- Technology: Proposals that aim to improve the ability of the public sector to use or generate robust evidence about Artificial Intelligence and digital innovation, including evaluation of AI and digital policies/programmes.
- Local government: Proposals that aim to improve the ability of local government, including Mayoral Strategic Authorities, to use or generate robust evidence and evaluation.
- Other government priorities: Proposals that aim to improve the evidence-base in relation to other government priorities, including:
- Kickstart economic growth
- Build an NHS fit for the future
- Safer streets
- Break down the barriers to opportunity
- Make Britain a clean energy superpower
We are open to funding different types of projects within these areas, including impact evaluations, feasibility studies, evidence reviews, development of outcomes frameworks, value-for-money assessments, development of data infrastructure, and implementation research.
Please see the document EAF Phase 5 - General competition - guidance for bidders for more detail on the criteria for this funding.
To learn more
The ETF will hold drop-in information sessions for prospective applicants. These sessions will give attendees the opportunity to ask questions about the fund and their project’s potential eligibility. The EAF information sessions will take place on:
- 3 June, 12:00 - 13:00
- 4 June 16:00 - 17:00
- 10 June 15:00 - 16:00
- 11 June 15:00 - 16:00
Book your place on an information session via Eventbrite.
How to bid
Proposals must be submitted to to eaf@cabinetoffice.gov.uk by 28 June (6:00 pm). Your submission must consist of a proposal template (Word document) and financial case template (Excel document). Please ensure that you use the correct templates for the strand of funding you are applying for (i.e. VAWG or general). These templates are provided in the documents linked above.
For the general strand of funding, please also include any relevant endorsements or letters of support from local partners or frontline decision makers – these are optional but welcome.
Please refer to the EAF Phase 5 Guidance documents for additional information.
Previous phases of the Evaluation Accelerator Fund
The Evaluation Accelerator Fund provided a total of £19 million of funding between 2022/23 and 2025/26 to improve our understanding of “what works”. Details about selected projects, including the cost of each bid, matched funding contributions, and intended outputs are available in the linked documents above.
Further updates on the funded projects will be made available on this page.
Updates to this page
-
Updated the entire page and added the following documents: Evaluation Accelerator Fund Phase 5 - VAWG open competition - Guidance for bidders Evaluation Accelerator Fund Phase 5 – GENERAL Competition – Guidance EAF Phase 5 - VAWG open competition - proposal template EAF Phase 5 - GENERAL competition - proposal template EAF Phase 5 - Financial case template - both strands EAF Phase 4 Selected Projects
-
Information about applying for EAF Phase 4 funding has been added.
-
We removed information on applying for Phase 3 funding as the deadline is over.
-
Updating that the applications are now closed
-
The deadline for EAF phase 3 has been extended to the 18th August 2023, 6pm.
-
Evaluation Accelerator Fund Phase 2 selected projects have been added to the page. Phase 3 funding application is now open.
-
Information about applying for EAF Phase 2 funding has been added.
-
All the partners for the "Healthy and sustainable diets programme" have been listed
-
Updated with information on the successful bids receiving funding from the Evaluation Accelerator Fund.
-
First published.