Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: Early stage research and development scheme 2024

Apply for funding to commercialise your technology or science developed from the STFC particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics (PPAN) community.

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for STFC funding.

The STFC early stage research and development scheme aims to support the PPAN community to develop technology and science towards commercialisation. Projects must currently be between technology readiness level (TRL) 1 to 5.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £600,000 STFC will fund 80% of the FEC.

Funding is £240,000 per year for 36 month duration.

Who can apply

Early stage research and development scheme

Intention to submit stage

The intention to submit stage (ItS) is open to the members of the STFC PPAN community, quantum scientists in receipt of STFC funding and the computing that supports the PPAN community. If you feel that you may be eligible but are unsure please contact STFC staff to discuss eligibility.

At the time of application, the project lead must be able to satisfy the applicant eligibility criteria.

Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new UKRI Funding Service.

For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual.

Full stage applications

Applications for the full stage of the early stage research and development scheme will be carried out through a managed process. This means that upon receipt of the ItS information a sift panel will be carried out to check eligibility for the grant. After this stage applicants who meet the criteria and successful at the sift panel will be invited by email to submit a full stage application through the Funding Service.

In addition to this, applicants will be invited to attend a webinar giving details on how to navigate the Funding finder and what we are looking for in the applications. This will also give applicants the opportunity to ask STFC questions.

Who is eligible to apply

Applicants who have submitted to the ItS stage of the scheme and who have successfully satisfied the eligibility criteria will be eligible to apply for the full stage of this funding opportunity.

Who is not eligible to apply

Applicants who have not submitted an ItS within the correct timeline, have not used the correct template for the application or who have not been successful at the ItS stage panel are not eligible to apply for the full stage application of this funding opportunity.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

  • career breaks
  • support for people with caring responsibilities
  • flexible working
  • alternative working patterns

Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI.

What we're looking for

Aim

The main aim of the early stage research and development scheme is to support technology development addressing current challenges facing the PPAN community and the wider UK. This includes technologies or ideas originating from the core STFC-funded areas of particle physics, particle astrophysics, astronomy, nuclear physics, accelerator physics, solar and planetary science, quantum science and computing that underpins these areas.

A secondary aim of the scheme, during the lifetime of the award is to further develop products and technology (move them through the technology readiness level (TRL)) working with industry where appropriate. Please note, to be eligible for this scheme the science or technology in your project should be within TRL stages 1 to 5. The TRL must be stated in the intention to submit (ItS) and the full proposal.

Scope

The projects submitted for this scheme must have been developed from STFC-funded projects.

The projects must be submitted by members of the STFC PPAN community, quantum scientists in receipt of STFC funding and the computing that supports the PPAN community. If you feel that you may be eligible but are unsure please contact STFC staff to discuss eligibility.

Duration

The duration of this award is a minimum of 36 months (using a one year plus two year model where funding for the final two years is released following a successful light touch review of the project at the end of the first year).

Projects have a fixed start date of 1 April 2025.

The duration of this award is 36 months.

Funding available

The FEC of your project can be up to £600,000.

STFC will fund 80% of the FEC.

Partners

We are not able to fund industry through this award.

As this scheme is aimed towards technology development, working with a small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) where appropriate in the project is encouraged, however applicants can choose to submit without industry involvement or start to collaborate with industry at any point during the lifetime of the award.

A project partner from a non-academic institution (for example, government departments, charities, NHS foundations and so on) is also allowable. Any partner should provide either financial or in-kind contributions to the project and be committed to the success of the project.

Equipment

If you require equipment the funding for this must come from the £600,000 budget.

Equipment costing less than £10,000

Items of equipment costing less than £10,000 should be requested under ‘Directly incurred: other costs’.

Equipment costs may cover the purchase of equipment outright, or in part, sharing across a number of projects where appropriate or contracting out a specific task.

Equipment costing more than £10,000

Funds for equipment purchases costing £10,000 (inclusive of VAT) or more may be sought as a directly incurred cost, provided that the equipment is essential to the effective conduct of the research and is not already available to the host research organisation. Single items of equipment costing less than £10,000 should be included in other directly incurred costs. Equipment will need to be justified in the submitted application.

What we will contribute

Justification for requested items of equipment costing between £10,000 and £138,000 (£115,000 excluding VAT) must include evidence that the option of using existing equipment has been investigated. The proposal should state the percentage contribution to equipment costs requested from STFC. In general, we expect to contribute around 50% of the cost of such equipment items, although this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

However, subject to our prior approval, equipment costs associated with the construction of unique items of equipment (for example, particle detectors for particle physics accelerators, instruments for telescopes and facility development) may be funded in full (that is, at 100%), although we reserve the right to request organisation contributions where appropriate. If you think that an equipment request in your proposal may fall into this category, you must consult the appropriate secretariat prior to the submission of your proposal.

No single items of equipment over £138,000 (£115,000 excluding VAT) are permissible on this grant. Please follow STFC equipment guidelines if smaller items are required.

Applicants can only be a project lead on one application but may also be project co-lead on a second application.

There must only be one project lead on a project who is responsible for submitting the application.

A consortium must choose which institution will lead on the application.

Only one application must be submitted per project or consortia.

What we will not fund

We will not fund:

  • intellectual property (IP) costs associated with your grant
  • single items of equipment over £138,000

Supporting skills and talent

We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.

How to apply

Application for this grant is a two-stage process.

Submitting your intention to submit

To apply for funding to the early stage research and development scheme you must use the intention to submit (ItS) template found in the ‘Additional information’ section of this page. The template must be submitted via email to kegroup@stfc.ac.uk prior to 5:00pm UK time on Tuesday 30 April 2024.

We will hold a webinar on 4 April 2024 at (14.00). This will provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions for the ItS stage. The webinar slides will be available on this page under ‘Additional information’ after the event.

You will not be able to apply after this time and any information sent after this time will not be acknowledged.

You are required to use the correct template which must include all information requested, if there are any issues with this, please speak to STFC staff. The information will help STFC to process your ItS.

Please note:

  • that you must state the Technology Readiness Level of your technology or science
  • the title of your project must be the project title which you use to submit to the final stage of the early stage research and development scheme if you are invited to submit
  • the lead applicant must remain the same in the full stage application and the ItS

Full stage application process

We are running the full stage application process for this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but 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 please use the link you will be provided via email from STFC. This will allow you to start filling in the application.

  1. Confirm you are the project lead
  2. 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
    Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service.
  3. 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.
  4. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
  5. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
  6. 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. You should:

  • 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)
  • ensure files are smaller than 5MB 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:

References

Applications should be self-contained, and hyperlinks should only be used to provide links directly to reference information. To ensure the information’s integrity is maintained, where possible, persistent identifiers such as digital object identifiers should be used. Assessors are not required to access links to carry out assessment or recommend a funding decision. Applicants should use their discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.

References should be included in the appropriate question section of the application and be easily identifiable by the assessors for example, (Smith, Research Paper, 2019)

You must not include links to web resources to extend your application.

Deadline

STFC must receive your full stage application by 17 July 2024 4:00pm UK time.

You will not be able to apply after this time.

Make sure you are aware of and follow any 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

STFC, as part of UKRI, 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

STFC, as part of UKRI, 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 usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. 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)
  • specialist
  • professional enabling staff
  • research and innovation associate
  • technician
  • researcher co-lead (RcL)

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 six 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 a diagrammatic workplan.

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 quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s)
  • has the potential to advance current understanding, generates new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area
  • is timely given current trends, context and needs
  • impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment

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 any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
  • if applicable, uses a clear and transparent methodology
  • if applicable, summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed
  • will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
  • describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place, and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work

References may be included within this section.

Applicant and team capability to deliver

Word limit: 1,650

Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:

  • the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work
  • the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work
  • the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others
  • contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

The word count for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for R4RI modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.

Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.

Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed. Use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI. You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member brings:

  • contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
  • the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
  • contributions to the wider research and innovation community
  • contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit
Additions

Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).

Complete this as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.

References may be included within this section.

UKRI has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new Funding Service.

For full details, see Eligibility as an individual.

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

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Genetic and biological risk

Word limit: 700

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

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: 700

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.

If your application proposes animal research to be conducted overseas, you must provide a statement in the text box. Depending on the species involved, you may also need to upload a completed template for each species listed.

Statement

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
Templates

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 your completed template as a PDF and upload to the Funding service. If you use more than one checklist template, save it as a single PDF.

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.

If conducting research with animals overseas does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

Research involving human participation

Word limit: 700

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: 700

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.

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 equipment that will cost more than £10,000
  • any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
  • all facilities and infrastructure costs
  • all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’

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

Opportunity and Market Analysis

Word limit: 550

What is the opportunity you are looking to exploit or what challenge will your project address?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your proposed work:

  • has the potential to address a business need, technological challenge, or exploit a market opportunity
  • could lead to the development or deployment of a new or improved product, service, or technology
  • is timely given current trends and context
  • meets the needs of potential users or customers
  • is resilient to changing external circumstances and consumer behaviours
  • impacts society, the economy or the environment

Within this section we also expect you to:

  • identify the potential direct or indirect benefits and who the beneficiaries might be

Intellectual property (IP) management and communication

Word limit 500

What is your IP exploitation plan?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Evidence of your plans to:

  • manage the outputs of the project, including any intellectual assets and intellectual property
  • have freedom to operate
  • protect the foreground IP or market position
  • disseminate and communicate the outputs of your project
  • access potential future investments, if required

Strategic value to STFC

Word limit: 500

How does the project you are presenting in this application give value for money for STFC?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Please indicate the applications value for money for STFC with regard to the points below:

  • degree of support from project partners both during research and after funding, if relevant
  • the added value the proposed research may have on the PPAN community
  • consideration of the future of the project after this funding

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.

Your organisation’s support

Word limit: 300

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 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.

STFC 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

Upload details are provided within the Funding Service on the actual application.

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

Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partner’ section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box, or if you do not have any project partners enter N/A. 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
  • the page limit is 0.5 sides A4 per partner

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 ‘Project partners’ section.

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

Data management and sharing

Word limit: 300

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.

Facilities

Word limit: 300

Does your proposed research require the support and use of a facility?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you will need to use a facility, follow your proposed facility’s normal access request procedures. Ensure you have prior agreement so that if you are offered funding, they will support the use of their facility on your project.

For each requested facility you will need to provide the:

  • name of facility, copied and pasted from the facility information list (DOCX, 35KB)
  • proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility information list
  • confirmation you have their agreement where required

If you will not need to use a facility, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)

Word limit: 100

Does the proposed work involve international collaboration in a sensitive research or technology area?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Demonstrate how your proposed international collaboration relates to Trusted Research and Innovation, including:

  • list the countries your international project co-leads, project partners and visiting researchers, or other collaborators are based in
  • if international collaboration is involved, explain whether this project is relevant to one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act
  • if one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act are involved list the areas
  • Is this application part of an experiment at an international facility? If yes, please indicate which facility

If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration, answer ‘n/a’ here.

We may ask you to provide additional information about how your proposed project will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help manage these risks.

How we will assess your application

Assessment process

We will assess your application using the following process.

Intention to submit stage

Intention to Submit panel will take place in May 2024.

Applicants are required to submit an intention to submit template to STFC. These will be assessed internally by a sift panel who will determine if the project is eligible for the scheme. They will determine if:

  • the applicant and lead organisation meets the STFC criteria for holding a grant
  • the project Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is suitable for the scheme
  • the project has been developed from STFC science and fits within the STFC remit
  • the project is of potential benefit to the PPAN community, the wider UK community or both

Full stage application

Panel

We will invite experts and peers to use the evidence provided in your proposal to assess the quality of your application and rank it alongside other applications after which the panel will make a funding recommendation.

STFC will make the final funding decision.

Timescale

The ItS panel will take place in May 2024. Applicants will be informed of the outcome from the panel shortly after this.

The successful applicants will be sent an email containing a link to the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service which will allow you to apply for the full stage of the scheme and in addition you will be invited to a webinar to help you apply for the funding on the Funding Service.

Following submission of the full stage applications the panel will take place in November 2024. Panel results will be provided as soon as possible after the panel.

Grants will have a fixed start date of 1 April 2025.

Feedback

Feedback will not be provided post intention. If your application was discussed by a panel, we will give feedback with the outcome of your application at the full application stage only.

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making.

We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.

Assessment areas

Each criterion will be assigned a score by the panel, based on the information provided by the applicant, this will produce an overall score for the proposal. The overall score will be used to determine which projects receive funding. Each score will carry equal weighting. The exception is the ‘Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation’ section which will not be scored. This criterion will be considered separately by the assessment panel as having adequately shown whether the applicant has considered the ethical implications and shown an understanding of responsible research and innovation associated with the project.

The individual nature of proposals submitted, means that the partner’s contribution will vary in context and each application will be assessed on its own merit. The assessment panel will look for evidence of project partner commitment, which could be shown by direct funding, in-kind support or both. The panel will consider whether this commitment is substantially justified.

Applicants are advised to obtain the necessary clearances from collaborators with a commercial interest in the content of the application before submitting it.

If the proposal is from CERN, ESO, or the ESRF, then the extent to which the proposed project will enable CERN, ESO or ESRF technology to be exploited by UK industry or non‐STFC academic sectors will be considered.

The assessment areas we will use are:

  • Vision and Approach
  • Applicant capability to deliver
  • Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation
  • Resources and cost justification
  • Opportunity and Market Analysis
  • IP Management and Communication
  • Strategic value to STFC

Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.

Contact details

Get help with your application

If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the Helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding Finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility or content/remit of an opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.

Contact details

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.

For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact KEGroup@stfc.ac.uk

Include ‘Early stage research and development scheme’ in the subject line

Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.

Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org

Phone: 01793 547490

Our phone lines are open:

  • Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm
  • Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.

Find out more about submitting an application.

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email grantspolicy@stfc.ac.uk

Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include:

  • individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
  • declaration of interest
  • additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
  • conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
  • the application is an invited resubmission

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

Additional info

Supporting links

STFC guidance for applicants (Please note if you are using this link that some of the terminology is currently still specific to Je-S).

Webinar for potential applicants

We held a webinar on 4 April 2024 at 14.00pm UK time. This provided more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions for the Intention to submit stage.

View the webinar slides (PDF, 1MB).

We will hold an invitation only webinar for applicants who successfully get through the internal sift at the Intention to submit stage of the process. We will contact these applicants following the sift process.

Research disruption due to COVID-19

We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities. We are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career, such as:

  • breaks and delays
  • disruptive working patterns and conditions
  • the loss of ongoing work
  • role changes that may have been caused by the pandemic

Reviewers and panel members will be advised to consider the unequal impacts that COVID-19 related disruption might have had on the capability to deliver and career development of those individuals included in the application. They will be asked to consider the capability of the applicant and their wider team to deliver the research they are proposing.

Where disruptions have occurred, you can highlight this within your application if you wish, but there is no requirement to detail the specific circumstances that caused the disruption.

Supporting documents

Intention to submit template (DOCX, 77KB)

Updates

  • 7 May 2024
    Webinar slides added in Additional info section

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