Intention to submit
Applicants who intend to submit an application to this funding opportunity should complete the following Intent to Submit by 11.59pm on 15 February 2024.
Complete the Intent to Submit form.
You will be asked to provide the following information:
- project lead name (formerly principal investigator)
- consortium member research organisations, and project co-lead (formerly co-investigator) names where known
- cluster place and theme
- stream
Information provided as part of the Intent to Submit will not be formally assessed. We will use this information to help plan the proposal assessment, for example to understand expected submission levels and the spread of applications across EPSRC’s remit.
We are running this funding opportunity on the new 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
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
- 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.
Watch our research office webinars about the new Funding Service.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
Deadline
EPSRC must receive your application by 21 March 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 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. If an application is withdrawn prior to peer review or office rejected due to substantive errors in the application, it cannot be resubmitted to the opportunity.
Personal data
Processing personal data
EPSRC, 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
EPSRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity.
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
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
- context, the place and cluster
- the challenge the PBIAA addresses
- aims and objectives
- co-creation and partnerships
- potential impacts 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
- grant manager
- professional enabling staff
- research and innovation associate
- technician
- visiting researcher
Only list one individual as project lead.
PBIAAs require a consortium approach and a joint management approach can be taken, this should be described in the monitoring, management and governance section.
For teams where there is more than one project lead, the team should choose one of the project lead’s organisations to be responsible for submitting the grant application and administering the grant should the application be successful.
We expect the project lead to be a domain expert with skills and expertise relevant to deliver the PBIAA
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Vision
Word limit: 500
What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how your proposed work:
- is of excellent quality and importance
- has the potential to drive impact and growth in the cluster(s)
- is timely given current local context, local needs and civic ambitions
In the context of the PBIAA, you should explain how your proposed work:
- builds on an identified base of high-quality research and impact from across the consortium relevant to the cluster(s)
- enhances the impact of the research portfolio from across the consortium
- will draw in excellent research from across the UK
Within this section you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant:
- 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 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Approach
Word limit: 1500
How are you going to deliver your proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how you have designed your approach 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
- will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
In the context of the PBIAA you should explain how your proposed work:
- has been co-created with civic bodies and businesses
- fosters and develops sector appropriate approaches that are both innovative, and support reasonable risk-taking, fast-failure and continuous improvement
- will develop capability and capacity for impact generation and absorption within the place and target cluster contributing to the development of an ‘impact culture’
- maximises the benefit of the flexible collaboration fund through delivery of impact activities led by eligible research organisations outside of the consortium
Activities proposed should:
- evidence that the PBIAA will develop the skills of researchers, KE professionals and broader stakeholders associated with the targeted cluster
- involve real user engagement and look to enhance relationships with potential partners
- enable two-way movement of people who are equipped with useful skills and knowledge
- demonstrate an approach that seeks to strategically maximise the value arising from engagement with the various research communities, businesses and other stakeholders (such as community groups and public) within the place and the industrial cluster
- Includes activities intended to target new business collaborations within the targeted place(s)
Within this section you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant:
- 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 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Applicant and team capability to deliver
Word limit: 1500
Why are you the right team to successfully deliver the proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Evidence of how 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
The word count for this section is 1,500 words: 1,000 words to be used for R4RI modules 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 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
Aspects to consider with respect to the PBIAA:
- track record of impact related projects
- track record of partners working together
- the roles of partners in the PBIAA
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.
UKRI has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new Funding Service.
For full details, see Eligibility as an individual.
Within this section you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant:
- 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 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
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 should consider:
- who your work will impact and your methods for working with members of the public
- who your partners are and how knowledge might be used
Within this section you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant:
- 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 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Additional sub-questions (to be answered only if appropriate) will be included in the Funding Service. These will ask about numbers, species/strain and justification about:
- genetic and biological risk
- research involving the use of animals
- conducting research with animal overseas
- research involving human participation
- research involving human tissues or biological samples
Resources and cost justification
Word limit: 1000
What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Guidance for populating the costing table
PBIAA management staff and associated costs should be entered under the appropriate directly allocated and directly incurred staff headings.
Consortium projects costs and flexible collaboration fund should be added under other directly incurred costs – exceptions at 100% FEC.
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
Place
Word limit: 500
What are the characteristics of the chosen cluster and how will the PBIAA support its growth?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
To what extent the application:
- provides a well justified narrative for the chosen stream and demonstrates the absorptive capacity of the identified cluster
- responds to the priorities and needs of the cluster and stakeholders, taking into account related strategies
- demonstrates through civic co-creation a strong and mutually beneficial relationship that will bring value to the place, including how civic actors will contribute to achieving the goals of the PBIAA*
- complements and leverages other sources of impact funding, for example but not limited to, other IAAs, innovation funding (such as HEIF or devolved equivalents), City/Growth Deals, and other forms of national/regional/local funding.
- demonstrates engagement and meaningful collaboration with other local stakeholders (for example businesses, business groups, the public etc.) that will deliver clear benefit to the cluster.
*You should note that we will ask the panel to form a judgement on the contextual value of Civic partner(s) contributions, rather than their monetary value. This is to ensure we create a level playing field across the UK. Our key focus is therefore on the value in terms of why their involvement will make a significant difference to the PBIAA and Cluster, rather than the monetary value.
Within this section you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant:
- 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 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Monitoring, management and governance
Word limit: 500
How will the PBIAA be effectively monitored, managed and governed?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
To what extent the application:
- describes clear and credible targets and success measures, including performance KPIs, with reference to the standardised IAA indicators of success
- describes monitoring of outputs, outcomes, and impacts, including those of partners or users
- describes the management of the flexible Consortium and Collaboration Funds
- has a governance and management structure, proportionate to the size of the award
- embeds a consideration of ED&I, Research Ethics and Responsible Innovation (including environmental sustainability) in the management of the award and the delivery of activities
Within this section you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant:
- 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 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Your organisation’s support
Word limit: 1000
Provide details of support from the research consortium.
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 and how the PBIAA aligns to the universities’ strategies. 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. It should also include a summary of any internal selection process relating to the leadership or team involved in the application and any associated ED&I actions.
The committee will be looking for a strong statement of support from your research organisations.
We expect this statement of support to come from a Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research (or equivalent senior member of university staff).
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
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]
Provide letters or emails of support from each named partner.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
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
- Cash or in-kind contributions detailed in the letter must match those recorded in the Project partners section
- describe any additional value that they bring to the project
- specific requirement for a letter from a civic organisation: A letter of support from a civic partner is mandatory. The letter should evidence co-creation with the university partners and explain the relevance of the bid to the civic strategy and ambitions. Where appropriate, letters should provide some background on previous investments or activities made to develop the cluster. Letters from civic bodies must also provide a forward look that illustrates how their future planned activity will complement the PBIAA, providing detail on any contribution being made to the PBIAA itself. Applicants are asked to note how we will treat civic contributions during assessment – See Place question
- letters from a national organisation should focus on their sub-national interests in relation to the PBIAA
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 letters of support’.
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.
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.
Facilities
Word limit: 250
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.
References
Word limit: 250
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.
