The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) is a five year, £1.5bn resource funding stream, announced as part of the 2015 spending review, to ensure that UK research takes a leading role in addressing the problems faced by developing countries. In addition to a Collective Fund for interdisciplinary research, the Research Councils have each received directly allocated portions of the GCRF. GCRF forms part of the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment, which is monitored by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
ODA-funded activity focuses on outcomes that promote the long-term sustainable growth of countries on the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list. STFC has a GCRF allocation of £3.5m.