Stage one: expression of interest
The initial expression of interest stage required companies to submit a concise (approximately 500 words) ‘challenge statement’ describing their problem.
Successful applicants at this stage will have been invited to the next stage of the application.
Stage two: full proposal
If successful at expression of interest stage, you will work together with STFC scientists and business development managers to develop a fully costed project proposal.
We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
Please note that the application must be completed by the academic partner, and it is important that the application is started by the project lead. While, the project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
To apply
You can only apply for this funding opportunity if we have invited you to do so following a successful expression of interest application. The start application link will be provided via email from business.unit@bbsrc.ukri.org
- Follow the link in the email to the Funding Service and confirm you are the project lead.
- Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email support@funding-service.ukri.org
- Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
- Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
- Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
- Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. If using visual references, you must:
- use images sparingly and only to convey important information that cannot easily be put into words
- insert each new image onto a new line
- provide a descriptive legend for each image immediately underneath it (this counts towards your word limit)
- files must be smaller than 8MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Watch our research office webinars about the new Funding Service.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
Deadline
We must receive your application by 8 February 2024 at 4.00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any additional internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
As part of UKRI, we will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.
Publication of outcomes
We will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at STFC Board and panel outcomes.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.
Summary
Word limit: 550
In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We may make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, so make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
- opinion-formers
- policymakers
- the public
- the wider research community
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
- context
- the challenge the project addresses
- aims and objectives
- potential applications and benefits
Core team
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
- project lead (PL)
- project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
- researcher co-lead (RcL)
- specialist
- professional enabling staff
- research and innovation associate
- technician
Only list one individual as project lead.
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Application questions
Vision and Approach
Create a document that includes your responses to all criteria. The document should not be more than 4 sides of A4, single spaced in paper in 11-point Arial (or equivalent sans serif font) with margins of at least 2cm. You may include images, graphs, tables. You can have an additional page for the inclusion of a Gantt chart.
For the file name, use the unique Funding Service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘Vision and Approach’.
Save this document as a single PDF file, no bigger than 8MB. Unless specifically requested, please do not include any sensitive personal data within the attachment.
If the attachment does not meet these requirements, the application will be rejected.
The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.
What are you hoping to achieve with, and how will you deliver, your proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
For the Vision, explain how your proposed work:
- is of excellent scientific quality and importance within or beyond the fields or areas
- has the potential to advance current understanding, or generate new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area
- is timely given current trends, context, and needs within the scientific field
Within the Vision section, we also expect you to:
- briefly describe the problem (as per your challenge statement)
- describe the direct and indirect academic beneficiaries from the research.
For the Approach, explain how you have designed your work so that it:
- is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
- is feasible and comprehensively identifies risks to delivery and how they will be managed
- uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable)
- summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed (if applicable.
- will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
Within the Approach section, we also expect you to:
- clearly define any goals or project deliverables
- provide a detailed and comprehensive project plan, including milestones and timelines in the form of a Gantt chart or similar
- provide comprehensive details about the risks which are on the critical pathway to the project succeeding of the project, including:
- a risk assessment matrix
- how likely the risks are
- how the risks will be managed
Partnership
Word limit: 750
Why is the proposed industry-academia partnership well suited to solve the challenge?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how your proposed work justifies the need for the partnership by demonstrating:
- how the available expertise from both the industry and academic partners will be maximally utilised to generate meaningful benefits for both partners
- how effective collaboration will be facilitated throughout the duration of the project
- a clear potential for knowledge exchange
- substantive shared interests indicating the potential for a longer-term collaboration
Within the Partnership section we also expect you to:
- describe the expertise of the partners and how these relate to the challenge
Facilities
Word limit: 750
Does STFC have the relevant expertise and facilities to tackle the problem?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how your proposed work:
- utilises the relevant expertise and facilities on offer to approach the problem
- leverages unique or uncommon facilities, skillsets and expertise that are not readily available at contract laboratories, universities, or other large research organisations
It is expected that this question will be completed in collaboration with the facility or facilities you propose to work with.
Potential for impact
Word limit: 1,000
What are the potential impacts of the proposed project for the partner company and wider community, how and when will these be achieved?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Discuss the proposal’s potential and mechanism for achieving a realistic set of anticipated benefits for the company and wider community that:
- are well understood and clearly described
- are likely to succeed
- represent a high economic return on investment within a reasonable timeframe
Within the Potential for impact section, we also expect you to:
- highlight, and where possible estimate the potential value (in £) of, benefits for the partner company. For example, any anticipated:
- increase in revenue from sales
- increase in revenue from licensing
- increase in revenue from exports
- improvements to the quality of products or services and the resulting impact to the company
- increase in employment of staff
- improvements to company productivity including efficiency improvements in production processes, cost reductions in products or skilled services or greater outputs from the same or reduced inputs
- technological advancements leading to a greater competitive advantage for the company. It should be indicated whether this advantage is limited to the UK or is applicable world-wide
- acceleration of route to market for a product or service, and if so, how?
- highlight any potential benefits for the wider community. You could discuss:
- benefits of the project more widely within the industry, for example, any improvements to how the industry operates and the potential for uptake of any outputs of the project by other companies
- benefits more widely to the company’s local geographical region. For example, this may include strengthening industry in the area, stimulating research and development and increasing investment
- any additional benefits that have not been previously described such as increased competitiveness of UK industry, a reduction in imports into the UK, improved environmental benefits (for example, reduction in waste going to landfill), and workforce upskilling
- consider the timescale over which you would you expect to realise the benefits described. Provide specific and measurable information if possible. As an approximate guide:
- a proposal scoring at the lower end of this assessment criteria will expect to accomplish the proposed benefits in a timeframe of ten-years or greater
- a proposal scoring at the upper end of this assessment criteria will expect to accomplish the proposed benefits in a timeframe of two years or less
- include evidence that the proposal would represent good value for money if successfully completed. As an approximate guide:
- a proposal scoring at the lower end of this assessment criteria will have estimated economic return to investment ratio of less than 1.0
- a proposal scoring at the upper end of this assessment criteria will have estimated economic return to investment ratio of greater than 10.0
- the estimated economic return to investment is calculated by dividing the value of the project to the company by the value of the programme investment in the project
It is expected that this question will be completed in collaboration with the company lead.
Resources and cost justification
Word limit: 1,000
What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular:
- project staff
- significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences)
- any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
- all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’
Facility and industry costs will be captured in the Project partner section.
Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources. Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:
- are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
- represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
- maximise potential outcomes and impacts
Project partners
Add details about any project partners’ contributions. If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service.
A project partner is a collaborating organisation who will have an integral role in the proposed research. This may include direct (cash) or indirect (in-kind) contributions such as expertise, staff time or use of facilities.
Add the following project partner details:
- the organisation name and address (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable)
- the project partner contact name and email address
- the type of contribution (direct or in-direct) and its monetary value
If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Project partners: letters or emails of support
Word limit: 10
Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner and facility you named in the Project partner section.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box. 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
Save letters or emails of support from each partner in a single PDF no bigger than 8MB. Unless specially requested, please do not include any sensitive personal data within the attachment.
For the file name, use the unique Funding Service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘Project partner’.
If the attachment does not meet these requirements, the application will be rejected.
The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply. If you do not have any project partners, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the contributions template.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Do not provide letters of support from host and project co-leads’ research organisations.
Your organisation’s support
Word limit: 10
Provide details of support from your research organisation.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Provide a Statement of Support from your research organisation detailing why the proposed work is needed. This should include details of any additional 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.
We recognise 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
- confirm the position and contract length, as per eligibility rules, of the lead applicant
Upload details are provided within the Funding Service on the actual application.
Data management and sharing
Word limit: 500
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 that clearly details how you will comply with UKRI’s published data sharing policy, which includes detailed guidance notes.
The data management plan should explain how the data will be managed over the lifetime of the project, including the sharing of data between project partners. Where appropriate, preservation of data for future re‐use should be considered.
Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)
Word limit: 500
What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated:
- the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations
- how you will manage these considerations
Genetic and biological risk
Word limit: 500
Does your proposed research involve any genetic or biological risk?
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.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving the use of animals
Word limit: 10
Does your proposed research involve the use of vertebrate animals or other organisms covered by the Animals Scientific Procedures Act?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing research that requires using animals, download and complete the Animals Scientific Procedures Act template (DOCX, 74KB), which contains all the questions relating to research using vertebrate animals or other Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 regulated organisms.
Save it as a PDF. The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply. If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Conducting research with animals overseas
Word limit: 10
Will any of the proposed animal research be conducted overseas?
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 in Responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research, page 14.
Ensure all named applicants in the UK and overseas are aware of this requirement. Provide a statement 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 ‘Responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research’ 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 applications. Provide the required information by completing the template from the question ‘Research involving the use of animals’.
For studies involving other species, select, download, and complete the relevant Word checklist or checklists from this list:
Save as a PDF. If you use more than one checklist, save it as a single PDF.
The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply. If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving human participation
Word limit: 500
Will the project involve the use of human subjects or their personal information?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing research that requires the involvement of human subjects, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place.
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.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Research involving human tissues or biological samples
Word limit: 500
Does your proposed research involve the use of human tissues, or biological samples?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you are proposing work that involves human tissues or biological samples, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place.
Justify the use of human tissue or biological samples specifying the nature and quantity of the material to be used and its source.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
References
Word limit: 1,000
List the references you have used to support your application.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Include all references in this section, not in the rest of the application questions.
You should not include any other information in this section.
We advise you not to include hyperlinks, as assessors are not obliged to access the information they lead to or consider it in their assessment of your application.
If linking to web resources, to maintain the information’s integrity, include persistent identifiers (such as digital object identifiers) where possible.
You must not include links to web resources to extend your application.
