Funding institutions

The funding process begins each year when the Government sends us a grant letter which tells us how much money we will have to share out.

‘Recurrent’ and ‘non-recurrent’ funds

We allocate this money to universities and colleges in broadly two ways: as annual block grant (or ‘recurrent funding’), and as money for special purposes outside the mainstream block grant (or ‘non–recurrent funding’).

The block grant accounts for most of our funding activity and comprises money for learning and teaching (including funds to widen participation in HE), research, and the work between HE, business and the community. We calculate each institution’s share of this money by formula, and the institutions are free to spend it how they wish.

The non-mainstream funds comprise grants for capital projects, other development initiatives, such as the matched funding scheme for voluntary giving, and support for national facilities.