We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
From June 2024, EPSRC will run the strategic infrastructure opportunity as an open call. We will not publish closing dates for individual rounds, instead we will batch applications internally. Applicants should apply when their application is ready for submission and not be concerned about a closing date.
Due to systems requirement a closing date will appear on the Funding Service approximately a year from the publication of this opportunity. Please do not wait for this date to submit your application, we will be processing applications throughout 2024 and 2025.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
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
Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you.
- 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. 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 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:
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.
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 at a Tableau tool webpage.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.
Summary
Word limit: 250
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 infrastructure in terms of:
- what the proposed infrastructure is
- aims and objectives
- challenge the infrastructure addresses
- 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)
- project co-lead (international) (PcL (I))
- researcher co-lead (RcL)
- specialist
- grant manager
- professional enabling staff
- research and innovation associate
- technician
- visiting researcher
Only list one individual as project lead.
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Application questions
Outline theme classification
Word limit: 30
Which EPSRC theme does your application fit into?
Please choose the primary EPSRC theme your application fits into by using the following theme categories:
- physical sciences
- information and communication technologies (ICT)
- engineering
- digital economy
- mathematical sciences
- quantum technologies
- healthcare technologies
- manufacturing and circular economy
- energy and decarbonisation
- digital research infrastructure (central processing units or computing hardware)
If applicable, you can choose a secondary EPSRC theme which the research area will be enabled by the proposed infrastructure.
Please do not provide more than two EPSRC themes for this section.
Outline resubmission
Word limit: 10
Is your application an agreed resubmission?
In this section, please state one of the following depending on if your application is a resubmission agreed with EPSRC:
- this is a resubmission agreed with EPSRC
- this is a new application
Outline purpose and vision
Word limit: 330
Why is this infrastructure needed, and why should we support it?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Provide evidence on how the infrastructure sought will:
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
References may be included within this section.
Outline Approach, accessibility and sustainability
Word limit: 550
What are your plans to manage and sustain the proposed infrastructure during and beyond the end of this funding?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
For approach, evidence how you will:
- effectively manage the infrastructure
- identify, prioritise, support and maximise users across the landscape
For accessibility, evidence how you will:
- consider and demonstrate your pathway to ensuring and improving accessibility of this infrastructure and its user diversity during and beyond the duration of this grant
For sustainability, evidence how your plan will include:
- an appropriate cost recovery model
- training and development of specialist technical staff
- steps to enhance the environmental sustainability of the proposed infrastructure
- development or expansion of the user base after the initial period of funding
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
References may be included within this section.
Outline Applicant and host institution capability to deliver
Word limit: 300
Why are you and your host institution the right individual, team and place to procure and manage this infrastructure?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Provide evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:
- the relevant experience, appropriate to your career stage, to deliver the proposed work
- the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work, including the appropriate leadership and management skills on your approach to develop others
For the host institution, provide evidence of
- why it is the most appropriate place for the proposed infrastructure
- how it will use its existing capacity to best complement the proposed infrastructure
Outline costs
What are the expected costs of the proposed infrastructure?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
- provide the approximate total values in GBP (£) including VAT for the expected directly incurred, directly allocated, indirect costs and exceptions
- view the guidance on the costs you can apply for
Outline justification of resources
Word limit: 250
What will you need to deliver your proposed infrastructure and how is the cost justified?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
- make a clear distinction between cost of equipment items and the cost of any associated resources. State the anticipated funds that would be requested from:
- EPSRC
- host institution and project partners including the nature and level of contributions if applicable
- describe the timescales associated with procurement of the equipment and when you anticipate you will spend any capital provision made
- ensure the costs are as accurate as possible at this stage. The costs in a full proposal must be within + or -10% of the outline proposal
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
