How we handle grant applicant and grant holder data

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will use your personal information in the way stated on this page:

when you apply to us for research and innovation grant funding
if you are a co-applicant on a research and innovation grant funding application or proposal
if you have received funding from UKRI
if you have applied for an innovation loan

This includes applications received through:

the Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) system
the Innovation Funding System (IFS)
the UKRI Funding Service
off-line applications

What information we need

We use a number of systems to process applications to the competitive funding opportunities we deliver. The system used often depends on which part of UKRI is managing the opportunity or programme. As a result, the information collected may vary depending on the funding opportunity. Personal information we are likely to ask for includes:

name
job title or role
career history including employment history and publication record
salary
organisations that you are, or have been, affiliated with
contact information, such as email address and your phone number
ORCID iD, if applicable
date of birth
equality, diversity and inclusion information, such as:
- religion
- ethnic group
- sex
- gender identity
- sexual orientation

Further details about the systems we use can be found in their terms of use:

Your application will be shared with experts who will assess and provide comments on the application’s suitability for funding as part of our decision-making process. This may include:

the feedback provided by expert reviewers or assessors on your application
the comments and feedback provided by a board or panel

Find out more about how we make decisions. If you want to know how your application will be assessed within a particular funding opportunity or competition, please refer to the specific funding opportunity or competition guidance.

Any comments and feedback provided by expert reviewers and assessors is also considered their personal information. If you are a reviewer or assessor for UKRI, more information about what we do with your personal information can be found on how we handle peer reviewer and assessors data.

Why we need your information

We need this information so that we can:

set up an account for you within our digital application systems
receive and process applications for research and innovation funding from you
evaluate and analyse our research and innovation portfolio and its impact and effectiveness
evaluate and analyse the inclusion and accessibility of our research and innovation funding
prevent and detect fraud
administer and manage your funding award, if successful

What we do with your information

We will use your information for purposes related to the management of applications and awards, and the operation of the research and innovation funding system. This includes, but is not limited to:

managing your accounts on our digital application platforms
informing you of upcoming funding and engagement opportunities and other support that is available to you
processing applications for research and innovation funding
preventing and detecting fraud
managing the funding awards made
evaluating our funding initiatives and application systems to ensure that we are supporting an inclusive and accessible research and innovation environment
evaluating and analysing the impact, effectiveness and value of the UKRI funding if an application or proposal is successful

There is some use of automation and artificial intelligence to review the eligibility of applications and to match proposals to potential expert reviewers.

Who we share your information with

We may need to share your information for a number of reasons, including:

managing your application and awards
carrying out evaluation and analysis of our activities
developing our programmes and opportunities
fulfilling our legal obligations

Only the minimum amount of personal information required to support the specific purpose will be shared in each case.

Your personal data may be shared with:

our funding partners for joint programmes, competitions and opportunities
expert reviewers, assessors and review board and panel members
other government departments and agencies, including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), who provide our core funding
third parties who work with us to connect you to further opportunities and promote research and innovation
third parties who support UKRI in delivering funding such as UK Shared Business Services (UK SBS) and who provide mechanisms for the evaluation of funding outcomes such as Researchfish
law enforcement bodies
third parties contracted by UKRI to undertake evaluation and analysis of UKRI’s funding programmes. In some cases UKRI data will be augmented with data from other sources

If your application is successful, a limited set of your information will be made publicly available.

How long we keep your information

We will keep personal information for as long it is needed to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected. It will be kept in accordance with our information management policy and retention schedule.

The lawful basis we process your information under

The lawful basis we use to process personal data relating to research and funding innovation applications and awards is primarily public task. Our public task is laid out in the Higher Education Research Act (2017).

We process special category data under UKRI’s Public Sector Equality Duty, as laid out in the Equality Act (2010).

The rights you have

The rights you have will depend on which lawful basis is used to collect and process your personal data.

The rights that apply regardless of what lawful basis is used are:

the right of access
the right to rectification
the right to be informed
rights related to automated decision-making including profiling

To find out information on your rights under UK data protection legislation, read your data protection rights.

Last updated: 15 June 2023