Important points
Proposals are accepted and research grants awarded on the understanding that research organisations and grant holders agree to observe the terms and conditions set out in the offer letter.
See UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) terms and conditions for funding.
The same proposal should not be submitted for consideration by more than one research council. You should ensure you submit your proposal to the most appropriate research council only. If a proposal crosses the remit of two or more research councils you should contact the research council which you consider the most relevant for advice. You should not submit identical or substantially similar proposals to different STFC funding opportunities.
Under no circumstances should you receive duplicate funding for the same or similar proposal from more than one funding agency. We cannot prohibit the submission of the same or similar proposals to other funding agencies (outside of UKRI), but you must add details of similar proposals that have been submitted to other funding organisations to the ‘other support’ section of the STFC application and advise STFC if a successful funding decision is made by the other funding agency.
A condition of every research grant is that the research councils accept no liability for the manner in which the work in connection with the research grant is undertaken, and the research organisation and grant holder will be responsible in all respects for the work and the consequences of it.
The research organisation must ensure that any part of the full economic cost of the project not funded by the research council is committed to the project before it starts.
The research councils’ Code of Conduct and Policy on the Governance of Good Research Conduct outlines the expectation that applicants for research council funding are expected to observe the highest standards of integrity, honesty and professionalism and to embed good practice in every aspect of their work. As part of this, any private, personal or commercial interests relating to an application for funding to the research councils must be declared in a covering letter included as an application attachment.
Read guidance on providing declarations of interest.
You must ensure that you have obtained the permission of any other person named on the proposal form (for example any co-investigators or project partners) for the provision of their personal information to UKRI and the processing of their data by UKRI for the purpose of assessing the application and management of any funding awarded.
Accountability for research grant funds
Research organisations in receipt of research grant funds from STFC are expected to ensure that there are reliable systems and processes in place for controlling the receipt and disbursement of those funds in accordance with established guidelines for the care of public funds.
The joint research councils funding assurance programme provides an annual programme of visits to award holding bodies (mainly universities) to assess the process, procedures and controls in place around the administration of research funds.
Research organisations are expected to ensure that their grant expenditure records will allow a reasonably convenient inspection of the direct charges to grants during the course of a funding assurance programme visit.
Involving animals in research
Although the research funded by STFC is very unlikely to involve the use of animals there are occasions where this may be the case and, as such, we are signed up to the UKRI position statement on the use of animals in research.
As a public funder of research and innovation, UKRI has a responsibility to ensure that our activities and those we fund are aligned with UK legislation and other guiding principles
Find out more about UKRI’s position statement on involving animals in research.
Communication and media activity
STFC should have an overview of all communications activity relating to STFC grants, including:
- grants
- announcements
- research publications
- interviews and third party media
- social media campaigns
- case studies
Please email the STFC communications team (pressoffice@stfc.ac.uk) to notify us of any activity.
STFC encourages communications and does not wish to jeopardise any such activity. Please notify us of your plans in advance so that we can offer support.
Terms and conditions for research grants
Read the terms and conditions for research grants.
Last updated: 28 July 2023