Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: BBSRC Follow-on Fund and super Follow-on Fund: round two

Opportunity status:
Closed
Funders:
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Funding type:
Grant
Total fund:
£2,250,000
Publication date:
11 August 2022
Opening date:
Closing date:

Apply for Follow-on Funding (FoF) to help bridge gaps between early stage bioscience research and innovation with achieving wider commercial, economic and societal benefit.

Both awards aim to take ideas through to a stage where the route to application is clear:

  • standard FoF awards: minimum £76,000, maximum £250,000 full economic cost for up to two years’ work. Applications are assessed by an independent panel
  • super FoF awards: minimum £251,000, maximum £800,000 full economic cost for up to two years’ work. Applications are reviewed by independent experts (some may be peers) prior to panel.

Applications can involve more than one eligible organisation but must be led by the principal investigator’s organisation.

Who can apply

The principal investigator should be the individual who takes responsibility for the intellectual leadership of the translation project and its project management. They will be the council’s main contact for the proposal and must be from and based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding. That organisation will be responsible for submitting the grant application to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

You can apply if you are a resident in the UK for at least 183 days in a tax year and hold a lecturer or lecturer-equivalent position at a:

  • UK higher education institution
  • research council institute
  • UKRI-approved independent research organisation.

Principal investigators must be employed at the submitting research organisation at lecturer level, or equivalent, or due to move to the organisation before the start date of the grant.

If not employed, applicants must have an agreement that the research will be conducted at the submitting research organisation, as if they were an employee at lecturer level, or equivalent.

Co-applicants must be employed at an eligible organisation and meet the same employment criteria.

See the eligibility section in our research grants guide.

If you anticipate researchers from your organisation applying for this opportunity, but have not already received an invitation to open an account, email support@funding-service.ukri.org

What we're looking for

One of the ways BBSRC ensures its research investments deliver impact is by supporting knowledge exchange and commercialisation.

BBSRC has a responsibility to ensure the widest benefit to society and the economy through the effective application of the excellent research and capabilities in which it invests. This may lead to direct financial impact through commercialisation or the progression of research outcomes that deliver benefits across a range of different areas of society and the economy. In either case, the process we follow to achieve success is known as Follow-on Funding (FoF).

Webinar

To find out more about BBSRC’s Follow-on Fund, you can watch the webinar and question and answer session we ran on 7 September 2022 at 13:00.

Follow-on Funding (FoF)

The aim of FoF is to help researchers maximise the commercial, societal and economic benefits of their research. FoF is a research translation programme that supports bioscience innovation by providing the necessary funding for further work to take an idea through to a stage where the route to application is clear. For example:

  • a spin-out
  • licensing opportunity
  • the creation of a social enterprise.

The programme enables researchers to conduct activities essential to preparing a robust business plan and to secure, where appropriate, further funding and support to progress the innovation.

FoF aims to bridge the funding gap between fundamental research and wider non-BBSRC funding opportunities to deliver impact. It is designed to encourage applicants to take an innovative approach to accelerating the uptake of research by users through translational, knowledge exchange and commercialisation activities.

By supporting early-stage projects, it also seeks to reduce the risk for future investors. FoF should not duplicate other sources of public and private funding.

BBSRC currently supports two types of award through the FoF programme:

  • standard FoF awards: these enable researchers, with a sound understanding of the market opportunity of their intellectual assets, to execute a defined programme of work for up to two years in length that has clearly defined objectives. Applications for standard FoFs are assessed by an independent panel
  • super FoF awards: these are similar to standard awards but seek a higher level of funding. Sufficient and appropriate reviewers will be sourced to fairly assess each application.

Applicants for super FoFs will not be asked to nominate reviewers.

Aims

BBSRC FoF and super FoFs specifically aim to:

  • increase and accelerate the uptake and practical application of past bioscience research outputs to deliver benefit and impact
  • enable researchers to further develop their understanding of potential routes to impact, including identifying opportunities and markets, and engaging directly with key stakeholders, customers, enablers and users
  • support translation activities, including collaborative projects with industry, the third sector and other users
  • enable researchers to develop their enterprise and entrepreneurial skills and capabilities.

Eligibility and scope

All applicants must fulfil the standard BBSRC eligibility criteria, as outlined in the BBSRC research grants guide.

Projects considered through this programme must:

  • draw substantially on current or previous expert-reviewed (or both) BBSRC supported research (or other types of BBSRC research investment)
  • enable research outputs to be further developed into practical application to deliver benefit and impact.

FoF grant applications must demonstrate that the proposed work programme:

  • is based on a sound understanding of the market need and opportunity that its product, service or technology aims to satisfy
  • is robust and designed to optimise the commercial and societal benefit derived from the grant
  • has a substantial link to previous BBSRC research funding.

Applications to either FoF should have a primary focus on the translation of research or knowledge, or both, thus making the following ineligible:

  • projects focused solely on delivering training
  • projects which do not involve users or industry, or both
  • new research or extending the existing research grant
  • applied or contract research conducted on behalf of commercial organisations.

FoF projects should seek to deliver demonstrable benefit to the UK. However, it is recognised that the outcomes of some projects may also provide benefits to, or operate within, international markets.

Projects previously funded through the Global Challenge Research Fund and Newton Fund would be considered eligible for either FoF. However, they must ensure they clearly articulate how they will deliver social and economic impact within the UK, as this is the primary aim of the FoF.

Applications to the FoF must be within BBSRC’s remit. Please contact the BBSRC office if you are unsure.

Working with industry and other users

Applications that are collaborations with industry and other users are welcomed, particularly where support is leveraged, as cash or in-kind. For further details on working with industry and the information that’s required on the collaboration (section 2.13), see BBSRC research grants guide.

If an application is funded, collaborative agreements between all partners must be put in place before research commences. Agreements should be written in line with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) research grant terms and conditions to clearly define each partner’s role on the grant and clarify the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) position. BBSRC reserves the right to request to review collaboration agreements.

You are advised to carefully consider these arrangements and discuss and agree them where necessary with project partners in developing the grant proposal. Research organisation and industry collaboration support tools, including the Lambert toolkit, can be accessed via the Intellectual Property Office.

You are also strongly advised to contact the appropriate team within their research organisation for advice and support, which may be their research office or technology transfer office (or equivalent).

BBSRC will make awards on the understanding that listed project partners will commit the resources to the project, which you should describe in the ‘project partner’ section. Where such commitment cannot be fulfilled, BBSRC expects that equivalent support and resources will be found in the duration of the project. Where it will not be possible to complete the project as detailed within the application, grant holders must contact BBSRC immediately.

At the time of application, BBSRC would not expect any supporting organisations having any broadly defined rights (for example, a pre-agreed exclusive license) to any intellectual asset arising from the project.

Confidentiality and disclosure

BBSRC takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the contents of applications for FoF are treated confidentially. BBSRC would like to make applicants aware that project summaries and personal data from the first page of successful applications will be transferred to publicly available databases. You should therefore word the title and summary of the proposed project in a way which protects commercially confidential or sensitive areas.

The following details will be transferred for all funded projects:

  • title and project summary
  • institution
  • name of applicant
  • name of any project partners
  • the value of the award
  • start and end dates and duration of the award.

If you do not wish for personal data or information that could affect IPR to be transferred to these databases, or there is data about you, BBSRC must be notified in writing at this stage. Please refer to the section ‘Sensitive information relating to you as an applicant’ in the application and described under ‘How to apply’.

You must abide by the principles of good scientific practice.

Conditions of award

Unless superseded by the funding opportunity conditions, grants will be awarded under standard UKRI terms and conditions.

The independent committee of experts who will be assessing FoF grant applications must firstly satisfy themselves that:

  • activities contained within the application are based on a sound understanding of the market or society needs and opportunity
  • the proposed programme of works is robust and designed to optimise the commercial, policy, economic or societal benefit derived from the grant.

In respect of awarding grants, we will be looking for excellence.

In this context, ‘excellence’ is attributable to the potential impact of the proposed translational and commercialisation activities.

Assessment will be based upon consideration of the following factors:

  • anticipated outcomes (not just outputs) and benefits
  • strength and appropriateness of user involvement
  • strength and appropriateness of host institution support
  • mechanisms for delivery of outcomes and potential impacts.

Translation or commercialisation activities with one, or multiple users, are encouraged. Unless clear justification can be provided for the involvement of only a single user (particularly where multiple users would benefit), there is a risk that the proposal may be considered as contract or consultancy work, rather than translation and knowledge exchange.

A specific set of questions and guidance has been created for applicants on the new UKRI Funding Service, each of which is repeated in the ‘How to apply’ section.

How to apply

These Follow-on Fund (FoF) opportunities are being run as a single pilot application on the new UKRI Funding Service.

Information for research office professionals

If an application is created by a member of an organisation where we do not currently have contact details with their research office, we will contact them to enable administrator access. This provides:

  • oversight of every funding service application opened on behalf of your organisation
  • the ability to review and submit applications, which must be received by 5 October 2022 16:00 UK time.

If you anticipate researchers from your organisation applying for this opportunity, but have not already received an invitation to open an account, email support@funding-service.ukri.org

As an administrator, you will be responsible for the final submission of the application to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and ensuring internal deadlines are made clear to applicants from your organisation. To hear more about the role of administrators, and the current functionality of the new funding service and how it will further develop, please see a recording of the most recent research office webinar.

For applicants

What follows is the essence of the sections and questions you will need to complete and answer on the UKRI Funding Service. You cannot apply for this funding opportunity on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

Submitting your application

We recommend you start your application early.

Applications should be prepared and submitted by the lead research organisation but should be co-created with input from all investigators, and project partners, and should represent the proposed work of the entire consortia.

You will need to take the following steps to apply:

  1. Select the ‘Start application’ button at the start of this page.
  2. This will open the ‘Sign in’ page of UKRI’s Funding Service. If you do not already have an account, you’ll be able to create one. This is a two-minute process requiring you to verify your email address and set a password.
  3. Start answering the questions detailed in this section of ‘How to apply’. You can save your work and come back to it later. You can also work ‘offline’, copying and pasting into the text boxes provided for your answers.
  4. Once complete, use the service to send your application to your research office for review. They’ll check it and return it to you if it needs editing.
  5. Once happy, your research office will submit it to UKRI for assessment. Only they can do this.

As citations can be integral to a case for support, you should balance their inclusion and the benefit they provide against the inclusion of other parts of your answer to each question. Bear in mind that citations, associated reference lists or bibliographies, or both, contribute to, and are included in, the word count of the relevant section.

Deadline

BBSRC must receive your application by 5 October at 16:00.

You will not be able to apply after this time.

You should ensure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines that may be in place.

Details and summary

Summary

In plain English, provide a summary that can be sent to potential reviewers to determine if your proposal is within their field of expertise.

This summary may be made publicly available on external facing websites, so please ensure it can be understood by a variety of readers, for example:

  • opinion-formers
  • policymakers
  • the general public
  • the wider research community.
Guidance for writing a summary

Succinctly describe your proposed work in terms of:

  • its context
  • the challenge the project addresses and how it will be applied to this
  • its aims and objectives
  • its potential applications and benefits.

Word count: 700

About your application

Question: specify which of the funds you are applying for, the amount of funding you are seeking and positions of the main applicants.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Enter either ‘Follow on Fund’ or ‘Super Follow on Fund’ and the full economic cost amount of money you are applying for.

Then, as principal investigator, detail your:

  • name
  • salaried position
  • length of contract.

Also do this for any co-investigators named on this application and their organisation, if it differs from yours.

Word count: 20

Applicants section

You will be asked to list the key members of your team and assign them roles.

For example:

  • principal investigator
  • co-investigators
  • researcher
  • technicians.

Case for support: background to the proposal

Question: what is the background to this application?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Ensure you provide a brief overview of the background to this application:

  • include the key grants (and funders) that have enabled and informed the work
  • proposed in the application, specifying any previous BBSRC grant references.

Additionally:

  • include, as a list, the employment status of all named applicants
  • identify if the application is a re-submission, including invited re-submission, and how the proposed work has developed (refer to the BBSRC research grants guide for details regarding resubmissions, page 21, paragraph 4.9) reference any other correspondence with BBSRC relevant to and regarding the application.

Word count: 2000

Case for support: opportunity and market

Question: what is the opportunity or challenge, or both, you are seeking to exploit and address, that could lead to the development or deployment of a new or improved product, service or technology?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Ensure you:

  • describe the market opportunity or need that this proposal will seek to address, including the sector and scale
  • outline the proposed solution to address the opportunity or need, considering the scalability of the proposed approach
  • where there are existing or competing innovations or solutions, explain how your proposed approach improves on them
  • identify the end-user or customer base, explaining how the proposed solution provides a practical solution to their needs.

If it helps to support your response, use the upload file function to provide relevant excerpts of market research reports you hold with direct relevance to your application. This must be no longer than 10 sides of A4 in Arial 11pt and uploaded as a PDF of no more than 8MB.

Word count: 1,200

Case for support: development plan

Question: how has the idea or solution been developed to date and what is the proposed approach for further development?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Ensure you:

  • detail the current understanding or maturity of the innovation or technology and how the proposed work will enable its development, referencing any pertinent data from previous research
  • explain how key users, customers and any investors will be engaged throughout the project, referencing any prior interactions
  • include specific project deliverables and the resourcing necessary to deliver the proposed work using a Gantt chart or similar aide
  • detail any necessary access to facilities, expertise or consultancy essential to delivering the proposed work
  • outline where Intellectual Property (IP) and Freedom to Operate considerations will need to be accounted for (for example, where licenses will need to be obtained)
  • make clear any risks that exist, outlining mitigation strategies for the issues that may limit this project from delivering on its financial, commercial and technical objective
  • detail the contribution of any industry or other organisation with whom you plan to partner.

You may wish to add up to three images using the upload function.

At the time of application, or during any subsequent grant, UKRI would not anticipate any business to have exclusive rights to the assets and IP arising from the funded project.

Word count: 1,200

Case for support: route to market and intellectual assets

Question: how will the proposed project progress the innovation or technology towards achieving market or application?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Ensure you:

  • describe how the proposed work will inform and deploy the product, service or technology using the most appropriate route to market
  • outline what further support you may need, following this funding, to deliver your product, service or technology (for example, access to networks, further funding, private investment and skills)
  • outline how any intellectual assets generated, including IP, will be managed throughout the project to enable further development and ensure future success.

You may wish to add up to three images using the upload function.

Funding cannot be used to support the direct costs associated with applying for IP protection, for example patent filing.

Word count: 1,200

Case for support: wider benefits

Question: beyond the commercial opportunity, what are the potential societal, environmental and economic benefits of the proposed approach?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Ensure you:

  • explain why public funding is appropriate and essential for the proposed programme of work, including why private investment cannot, or will not enable this
  • consider the potential of the approach to impact on high-level societal challenges, for example gender equality, diversity, social inclusion and climate change
  • outline any wider economic impacts, for example job creation, skills and capacity building
  • describe the steps you will take to maximise any potential benefits.

You may wish to add up to three images using the upload function.

Word count: 1,200

Case for support: other ethical considerations

Question: over and above any research involving humans, human tissue, genetically modified organisms or animals (covered in other sections below), are there any ethical considerations associated with your product, service or technology, including those that are beyond formal regulatory and legal frameworks?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Ensure you:

  • outline whether there any ethical considerations relating to the project or its impacts, including any potential impacts on the environment and potential dual use implications
  • consider societal acceptance of your idea and, where you think this might limit uptake, outline strategies that could mitigate this.

Word count: 700

Your organisation’s support

Question: provide details of support from your research organisation.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Using the upload function, provide a statement of support from your research organisation detailing why the proposed work is needed. This should include details of any matched funding that will be provided to support the activity and any additional support that might add value to the work.

The committee will be looking for a strong statement of commitment from your research organisation.

BBSRC recognises that in some instances, this information may be provided by the research office, the technology transfer office (TTO), or equivalent, or a combination of both.

You must also include the following details:

  • a significant person’s name and their position, from the TTO or research office, or both
  • office address or web link, or both.

Upload details are provided within the service on the actual application.

Project partners: contributions

Question: provide details about any project partners’ contributions using the template provided.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you do not have any project partners, simply add ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move to the next section.

If you do have project partners, download and complete the project partner contributions template (DOCX, 52KB) then copy and paste the table within it into the text box below.

Project partners: letters (or emails) of support

Question: upload a single PDF containing a letter or email of support from each partner you named in the table in the previous ‘contributions’ section.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you do not have any project partners, simply add ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move to the next section.

If you have named project partners in the previous ‘contributions’ section, enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box below.

Each letter or email you provide should:

  • confirm the partner’s commitment to the project
  • clearly explain the value, relevance and possible benefits of the work to them
  • describe any additional value that they bring to the project
  • please refer to the BBSRC research grants guide page 12, paragraph 2.49 ‘project partners’ for more guidance.

Please do not provide letters of support from host and co-investigator’s research organisations.

Unless specifically requested, please do not include any personal data within the attachment.

Upload details are provided within the service on the actual application.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Your team and your capability to deliver

Question: submit a ‘Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI)’ for you and your team to demonstrate your ability to successfully deliver the proposal.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Following the principles established under R4RI, we are particularly seeking to understand:

  • the specific relevant skills, experience and expertise that you and the individuals you named in the ‘applicants’ section have for the proposed project
  • how your team’s collective skills and experience are complementary
  • how each member will uniquely contribute to the proposal.

Complete this section in the R4RI format using the following headings (you will not be penalised for leaving modules blank but it is recommended that you carefully consider the breadth of your experience):

  • module one: contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
  • module two: the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
  • module three: contributions to the wider research and innovation community
  • module four: contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit
  • additions: you can use this heading to provide information which provides context to the wider application, such as detail of career breaks (it is not a requirement).

This is an opportunity to showcase the range of relevant skills you and your team have in a narrative format and how this will help to deliver the proposal. Individual’s specific achievements can be included but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver the proposed project.

Ensure you demonstrate that collectively the team has all the skills, experience and expertise to ensure the greatest likelihood that your idea or proposed research, or innovation, will succeed.

You should complete this as a narrative and you should avoid lists.

Word count: 1,400

Data collection or acquisition

Question: how will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed research?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a data management plan which should clearly detail how you will comply with BBSRC’s published data sharing policy, which includes detailed guidance notes.

Word count: 700

Intellectual property rights (IPR)

Question: provide a brief description of the intellectual assets underpinning the proposed work

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Include any IPR if appropriate. If your IPR is a patent, please include the patent number or numbers along with a summary scope of the claims. BBSRC recognises that not all applications to the FoF will have a patent or other IPR.

Word count: 500

Outsourcing

Question: are you outsourcing any FoF activity?

If you are not, enter ‘N/A’ in the text box, mark this section as complete and move to the next question.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

BBSRC recognises that in some instances, it may be appropriate to outsource elements of the proposed FoF work. If that is the case in this application, please provide the following information:

  • the scope of the outsourced activity, that means what is being undertaken and what will be delivered
  • the relevance of the outsourced activity to the application
  • why the outsourced activity cannot be undertaken in house
  • why this provider is the most appropriate
  • the cost or costs of the outsourced activity and the tendering process that has been followed.

Please provide any goods and services quotations. We suggest you scan or photograph any hard copies, and download any electronic ones and save them as images. Then, import them in to a document and save that as a single PDF to upload using the button below.

Word count: 700

Full economic costs and your justification of those resources

Question: complete the template contained within ‘what the assessors are looking for in your response’ to provide full economic costings for your proposal and then justify them below.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Download the economic costing template (DOCX, 96KB), complete it and then upload it as explained.

Using the text box, explain why the resources requested are appropriate, taking into account the nature and complexity of the research proposal. It should not be simply a list of the resources required, as this will already be given in the ‘costs’ section. Where you do not provide explanation for an activity that requires justification, it will be cut from any grant made.

Do not duplicate information that you have included in the ‘Your team and your capability to deliver’ section. Your answer in this section should describe how your project offers value for money.

Estates, indirect and infrastructure technician costs do not need to be justified within the justification of resources. Quotes for equipment exceeding £10,000 are not necessary for this application.

However, appropriate processes must be used to ensure requested costs are:

  • accurate
  • inclusive of value-added tax
  • where appropriate, import duty.

Successful applicants must be able to show UKRI evidence of adherence to procurement rules (such as quotes) if audited.

If you are including animal costs, please provide detailed information, such as numbers that need to be bred or maintained, as part of what you write as your justification of resources. Please use robust processes to accurately estimate directly allocated animals costs to ensure that appropriate costs are requested to maintain high welfare standards.

If your organisation is audited and asked for further information, you will need to provide evidence of how you arrived at these costs. If there are estimated costs entered under the fund headings, the grants will be cash limited and BBSRC will not provide additional costs at a later time.

Word count: 2,000

Genetic and biological risk

Question: does your proposed research involve any genetic or biological risk?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move on to the next section.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

In respect of animals, plants or microbes, are you proposing to:

  • use genetic modification as an experimental tool, like studying gene function in a genetically modified organism
  • release genetically modified organisms
  • ultimately develop commercial and industrial genetically modified outcomes?

If yes, provide the name of any required approving body and state if approval is already in place. If it is not, provide an indicative timeframe for obtaining the required approval.

Identify the organism or organisms as a plant, animal or microbe and specify the species and which of the three categories the research relates to.

Identify the genetic and biological risks resulting from the proposed research, their implications and any mitigation you plan on taking. Assessors will want to know you have considered the risks and their implications to justify that any identified risks do not outweigh any benefits of the proposed research.

Word count: 700

Research involving the use of animals

Question: does your proposed research involve the use of vertebrate animals or other organisms covered by the Animals Scientific Procedures Act?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and do the same for the next question.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you are proposing research that requires using animals, write ‘yes’ in the text box. Then, download and complete the animal research questions template (DOCX, 52KB), which contains all the questions relating to research using vertebrate animals or other Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 regulated organisms. Then, save it as a PDF.

Conducting research with animal overseas

Question: will any of the proposed animal research be conducted overseas?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ in the text box, mark as complete and move to the next question.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you are proposing to conduct overseas research, it must be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with those in the UK, as per the responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research, on page 14.

You should also ensure all named applicants in the UK and overseas are aware of this requirement and provide a statement below to confirm that:

  • all named applicants are aware of the requirements and have agreed to abide by them
  • this overseas research will be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with the principles of UK legislation
  • the expectation set out in the responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research guidance will be applied and maintained
  • appropriate national and institutional approvals are in place.

Overseas studies proposing to use non-human primates, cats, dogs, equines or pigs, will be assessed during NC3Rs review of research proposals. The required information should be provided by completing the template from the question ‘research involving the use of animals’.

For studies involving other species listed below, you should select the relevant checklist or checklists from the list below, complete it and save it as a PDF and use the file upload feature to attach. If you need to complete more than one checklist, you should merge them into a single DOCX document and then save it as a PDF before uploading it.

Additional questions on the use of rodents overseas.

Additional questions on the use of rabbits overseas.

Additional questions on the use of sheep overseas.

Additional questions on the use of goats overseas.

Additional questions on the use of pigs overseas.

Additional questions on the use of cattle overseas.

Additional questions on the use of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis overseas.

Research involving human participation

Question: will the project involve the use of human subjects?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move on to the next section.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you are proposing research that requires the involvement of humans subjects, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place. Then, justify the number and the diversity of the participants involved, as well as any procedures.

Provide details of any areas of substantial or moderate severity of impact.

Word count: 700

Research involving human tissues or biological samples

Question: does your proposed research involve the use of human tissues, or biological samples?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move on to the next section.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you’re answering ‘yes’, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place.

You should justify the use of human tissue or biological samples specifying the nature and quantity of the material to be used and its source.

Word count: 700

Personal information

Question: will your research require personal information about human participants to be used?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move on to the next section.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you are proposing research that requires using personal information, provide details of whether the information will be anonymised and how it will be stored securely.

Word count: 500

Sensitive information relating to you as an applicant

Question: use this section to provide us with sensitive information you need to tell us that you don’t want shared with assessors.

If you do not need to tell us anything, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move on to the next section.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, please enter the words ‘email sent’ in the text box below.

Then, contact the funding service helpdesk on support@funding-service.ukri.org. Include your application name and number in the subject line, after the pre-populated words ‘sensitive information’.

Typical examples of confidential information include:

  • an applicant is unavailable until a certain date
  • declaration of interest
  • additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the track record
  • conflict of interest for BBSRC to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection.

For information about how UKRI handles personal data, please see  UKRI’s privacy notice.

How we will assess your application

If you are applying for the standard Follow-on Fund (FoF), your application will go straight to the FoF committee. Applications for the super FoF will be subject to an independent review, by external experts, with the opportunity to respond to feedback provided, prior to being assessed by the FoF committee. However, we will not be inviting you to nominate reviewers. Sufficient and appropriate reviewers will be sourced to fairly assess each application.

All applications must satisfy the following requirements:

  • the project is based on a sound understanding of the market or society needs and opportunity
  • the proposed work programme is robust and designed to optimise the economic or societal benefit derived from the grant.

Excellence

Excellence in this context is based upon the potential impact of the proposed translational and commercialisation activities.

This assessment will be based upon consideration of the following factors:

  • anticipated outcomes (not just outputs) and benefits
  • strength and appropriateness of user involvement
  • strength and appropriateness of host institution support
  • mechanisms for delivery of outcomes and potential impacts.

Translation or commercialisation activities with one or multiple users are potentially equally valid. However, unless clear justification can be provided for the involvement of only a single user (particularly where multiple users would benefit) there is a risk that the proposal may be considered as contract or consultancy work, rather than translation and knowledge exchange.

Contact details

Get help with developing your proposal

For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.

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UKRI Funding Service support team

Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org

Additional info

Supporting documents

Eligibility for research and innovation funding

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