You must apply using the Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) system before 16:00 on the day of the deadline. Refer to the Je-S handbook for guidance on submitting your application.
To submit your application, please follow these steps:
- log in to Je-S
- select council: BBSRC
- select document type: standard proposal
- select scheme: standard
- select call/type/mode: ‘The Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club Innovation Hubs’.
What to include
You must complete all mandatory sections of the Je-S pro forma. The Je-S system only allows one principal investigator to be named, therefore any co-principal investigators must be listed as co-investigator on the Je-S pro forma and must then clearly be identified within your application.
The principal investigator named on the Je-S form will, for administrative purposes, be the initial point of contact for liaison with UKRI during the lifetime of the award.
In addition to the Je-S pro forma, the following documents must be submitted:
- case for support (maximum eight pages)
- justification for resources (maximum two pages)
- capability to deliver (maximum two pages)
- data management plan (maximum two pages)
- workplan (maximum one page)
- cover letter (maximum two pages)
- letter of support for any project partners (no maximum pages)
- exceptions spreadsheet.
Case for support (up to eight pages)
This should address all aspects of how the proposed hub will deliver, manage and govern the expected outputs as described in relation to the assessment criteria included in the funding opportunity text. Figures, diagrams and a management plan are included in this eight-side limit.
You should outline how the impact account funding could be used to strategically support the specific hub areas. For example, if there is a strong need for development of skills and talent, a focus might be applied to awards from the impact account in this area, which could change over time.
The approach is intended to be flexible and at the application stage it is the strategic priorities and outline which are important. You do not need to request the impact account funds through the proposal, as it will be added to successful grants during post-award and will be paid in arrears.
Capability to deliver (up to two pages)
Instead of a track record section within the case for support and accompanying traditional CVs, we invite applicants to submit a two-page capability to deliver document.
This part of the application should act as a narrative which explains how the team’s relevant experience and expertise, as well as the institutional environment in which the research will take place, demonstrates their ability to successfully deliver the proposal.
A CV that simply lists past positions, publications, and funding will not adequately support an application.
You should draw on a breadth of examples which illustrate how you have contributed to new ideas, hypotheses and tools, as well as how they have contributed to:
- teams and collaborations
- the research community
- the industrial community
- government policy
- wider society.
You should describe only a selection of outputs and, in each case, clearly explain the relevance to your ability to deliver the proposed project.
All teams should describe contributions across the levels below including, where applicable, how the team has worked together across these levels to deliver impact. The relative size of each section will vary depending on the relevant skills and experience of each applicant.
If an industry co-lead is included in the application, we would also expect them to be represented in the following.
Eligibility criteria
State the current position of each principal investigator and co-investigator on the grant, indicating how they meet the eligibility criteria as outlined within the BBSRC research grants guide
How have you contributed to the generation and flow of new ideas, hypotheses, tools or knowledge?
Examples might include:
- contributions to and skills acquired from past research projects
- key outputs such as data sets, software, and research and policy publications.
In each case, the relevance to delivering the proposed project should be summarised
How have you contributed to research teams and the development of others?
Examples might include:
- project management
- supervision
- mentoring or line management contributions critical to the success of a team or team members
- where you exerted strategic leadership in shaping the direction of a team, organisation, company or institution.
How have you contributed to the wider research community?
Examples might include:
- how you have contributed to wider collaborations and networks across disciplines, institutions or countries, commitments such as editing, reviewing and committee work
- positions of responsibility
- activities which have contributed to the improvement of research integrity or culture
- examples where you have shown visionary strategic leadership in influencing a research agenda.
How have you contributed to industry, policy and wider societal challenges?
Examples might include:
- engagement across the public or private sectors or with the wider public
- past research which has contributed to policy development or public understanding
- other impacts across research, policy, practice and business
- other examples of and how you have ensured your research reaches and influences relevant audiences.
How will your institutional environment help to deliver the project’s objectives?
Examples might include:
- availability of specialist equipment
- the availability of facilities
- training provided in specific skills relevant to the project
- local links into key commercial partners.
Additional information
Any additional relevant information you wish to include in support of your capability to deliver, which may include further information about:
- key qualifications and relevant positions
- secondments
- volunteering
- other relevant experience such as time spent in different sectors.
There is no need to provide information about career breaks and part-time working, for example. However, if there are any details you do wish panel members to consider in their assessment of the proposal, they may be included here.
Justification of resources (up to two pages)
Your justification of resources should include details of all resources being requested in your application. You should explain why they are necessary to your project. All resources requested (directly incurred, directly allocated and exceptions, including principal investigator and co-investigator time) must be fully justified. See more information on justification of resources
Project partners (formal letter of support or combined letter of support)
If agreements have been made for a formal collaboration with an industry project partner as a co-lead on the application, you should provide a separate letter of support document and highlight their contributions within the cover letter. For wider letters of support from industry who are interested in engaging the Innovation Hub, a combined letter of support document should be submitted.
Industry can provide a letter of support to highlight how the Innovation Hub will address industry needs and indicate willingness to engage through the hub. Details of any potential cash or in-kind contributions are not required on submission from these wider industry stakeholders.
Data management plan (maximum of two pages)
If you are seeking research grant funding from BBSRC, you must submit a data management plan. This should include concise plans for data management and sharing as part of the research grant proposal, or provide reasons why data sharing is not possible or appropriate. Find out more information on the data management plan.
Work plan (one page)
This must be a diagrammatic work plan representing timelines and milestones. This cannot be used to extend the case for support. Find out more information about the diagrammatic work plan
Proposal cover letter (two pages)
The declaration of interest must be included in the proposal cover letter. Please see more information on the declaration of interests for applicants (PDF, 67KB). Details of the named project partners (industrial co-leads) should be included in the proposal cover letter defining your role in the Innovation Hub and the contributions you are providing.
Exceptions spreadsheet
Fully outline the exception costs that are permissible for the Innovation Hubs. Travel and subsistence, and other directly incurred costs may be supported at 100% on the main grant. This should be added in Je-S under ‘other attachment’.
