Engineering X Skills for Safety 2026
By Royal Academy of Engineering
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Quick Answer
Grants of £25,000-50,000 (about ₹30-60 lakh) for organisations in India and other eligible countries that scale engineering skills and safety projects. The 2026 call is closed.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Royal Academy of Engineering
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- International
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 14 September 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by Royal Academy of Engineering. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this grant
The third open grant call of Engineering X Skills for Safety is closed: applications shut on 14 September 2026 at 11:00 AM BST (3:30 PM IST). The guidance notes announce no later call, so use this page to prepare for the next one. India is on the list of eligible countries, so Indian organisations can lead projects.
Engineering X is a collaboration founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd's Register Foundation. Its Skills for Safety programme funds skills and safety projects in low- and middle-income countries, with about £500,000 on offer in this call, in grants of £25,000 (about ₹30 lakh) or £50,000 (about ₹60 lakh). All steps are online; the page mentions no in-person assessment.
What the program offers
£25,000 projects are for a single organisation scaling a skills and safety initiative or collaboration; matched funding is encouraged but optional. £50,000 projects are for consortia, with a co-applicant from a different organisation, an engineering industry partner and matched funding of up to 20% of the project budget. For example, a £60,000 project needs £10,000 of matched funding to attract £50,000. Projects last up to 15 months, from December 2026 to 28 February 2028, with no extension.
Money can pay for events, communications, staff costs, small stipends (usually up to 5% of the grant), travel, small equipment and software, and up to 5% for administration. It cannot pay for loans, further grants, general overheads such as rent and utilities, or equipment over 10% of the grant. Unspent funds go back to the Academy. Payments are made in instalments, with the final 10% on acceptance of the final report.
Who can apply
The lead applicant must be an organisation based in an eligible country; India is one of 49 listed. Lead applicants can be engineering industry, professional engineering institutions, universities or training providers, standards bodies, regulators or others. A consortium must include industry, as the lead, a co-applicant or a collaborator. Government ministries and departments cannot be funded and can only join as collaborators.
Projects must scale proven skills and safety initiatives, for example embedding safety training in curricula, standards or professional development, or scale collaboration between academics, professional bodies, government and industry. This suits an Indian training provider, university or industry body with a tested programme. It is a poor fit for a brand-new idea with no track record or for individuals.
How to apply
- Read the Applicant Guidance Notes.
- Optionally join a grant information and matchmaking session to find partners (held in August and September 2026).
- Register on the Royal Academy of Engineering Grant Management System; the lead applicant submits the form.
- Prepare CVs (maximum four pages each, PDF) for the lead and co-applicants, plus institutional letters of support on headed paper (maximum two pages each).
- Name a senior signatory at the host organisation who is not the project lead.
- Declare any use of generative AI in drafting.
A practical tip: write for a non-specialist, because one of the two reviewers may not be an expert in your area.
How applications are judged and what happens next
Applications get eligibility and security checks, then at least two reviewers score them on project quality and feasibility, impact and sustainability, value for money, alignment with grant objectives and diversity and inclusion. A convened board decides. The tentative timeline put decisions in late October 2026 and notification in early November, followed by offer letters and due-diligence forms, with the initial payment in early December 2026, and a report in May 2027.
About Engineering X
Engineering X works on five programmes across the energy transition, waste management and skills. The Royal Academy of Engineering is the UK's national academy for engineering, and Lloyd's Register Foundation is an independent global charity for safety research and education. Since 2019, Skills for Safety has awarded more than £2 million across twenty countries.
Things to check before you apply
- Matched funding of up to 20% is required for £50,000 projects.
- Grants are in pounds sterling, so exchange rates affect the rupee value.
- Awardees must credit Engineering X in project materials and file an impact report after the project.
- Check the national security policy and Indian regulations on receiving foreign funds with an adviser before applying.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
The Royal Academy of Engineering's Enterprise Hub supports engineering and technology entrepreneurs across the UK with funding, training, networking and mentoring. The Academy is a registered charity based at Prince Philip House in London, and the Hub works through regional hubs…
Learn moreBenefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
Single organisations can get up to £25,000 (about ₹30 lakh) and consortia up to £50,000 (about ₹60 lakh) for projects of up to 15 months. Eligible costs include events, communications, staff time, small stipends, travel, consumables and small equipment, and up to 5% for administration. Payments are made in stages against reports, with the last 10% paid when the final report is accepted.
- Disbursement
- Milestone Based
- Duration
- 15 months
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Applications pass an eligibility and security check, then each is reviewed by at least two reviewers, one of whom may be a non-expert. A specially convened Skills for Safety panel decides awards from the scores and recommendations, and successful applicants receive grant offer letters and due-diligence forms.
Application Process
- 1
Apply on GMS
Submit the application form on the Grant Management System.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Engineering X Skills for Safety call still open?
No. The third open grant call closed on 14 September 2026 at 11:00 AM BST (3:30 PM IST). The guidance notes do not announce a later call.
Can an Indian organisation lead a Skills for Safety project?
Yes. India is on the list of eligible countries, and the lead applicant must be an organisation based in one of them.
Can a company or startup apply?
Engineering industry organisations are among the listed lead applicant types. The grant is for scaling proven skills and safety work, so an early idea with no track record is a weak fit.
How much funding is available?
About £500,000 in total, in projects of £25,000 (about ₹30 lakh) or £50,000 (about ₹60 lakh). The larger size is for consortia.
Is matched funding needed?
For £50,000 consortium projects, matched funding of up to 20% of the total budget is required. For £25,000 projects it is encouraged but not mandatory.
How is the grant paid?
In instalments according to the contract plan: an initial payment, a second payment after a mid-project report, and a final 10% on acceptance of the final report. The timeline in the notes was tentative.
What documents do I need?
CVs of up to four pages for the lead and co-applicants, and institutional letters of support of up to two pages on headed paper. You also need a named senior signatory at your organisation.
Can government departments receive money?
No. Ministries and departments can take part only as collaborators and cannot be funded.
Do I have to travel?
The notes require no travel. Travel is an eligible cost, and the team welcomes online and in-person events where appropriate.
When are results announced?
The tentative timeline put the award decision in the week of 26 October 2026 and notification in the week of 2 November 2026. It was tentative, so check with the programme team.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
