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.
Before applying, we encourage you to attend the webinar for potential applicants. See further details, including registration information, in the ‘Additional information’ section.
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.
- 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.
Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant.
When including images, you must:
- provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
- insert each new image on a new line
- use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include:
- sentences or paragraphs of text
- tables
- excessive quantities of images
A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.
References
References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:
- references are easily identifiable by the assessors
- references are formatted as appropriate to your research
- persistent identifiers are used where possible
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)
Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.
For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment.
Deadline
NERC must receive your application by 21 October 2026 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 this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
NERC, 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.
Sensitive information
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email capitalrequirements@nerc.ukri.org
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
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.
Institutional matched funding
There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.
This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.
Publication of outcomes
NERC, as part of UKRI, may publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity on What NERC has funded.
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 of your proposed project. This summary will be used to help identify the most appropriate assessors for 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:
- the challenge or opportunity being addressed
- the aims and objectives of the project
- the capability, technology or demonstrator being developed, integrated, deployed or demonstrated
- the expected environmental, scientific, operational, societal or economic benefits
- how the proposed work contributes to the aims of this funding opportunity
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))
- specialist
- grant manager
- professional enabling staff
- research and innovation associate
- technician
- visiting researcher
- researcher co-lead (RcL)
Only list one individual as project lead.
Participating organisations not eligible to be included within the project team, including industry and other non-academic stakeholders, should be included within the application as a project partners and collaborators. See the ‘Project partners’ section for more details.
UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Application questions
Vision
Word limit: 500
What are you hoping to achieve with the proposed infrastructure?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how the proposed capability will:
- be timely, given current trends and context
- address a clearly identified environmental challenge, opportunity or capability gap
- support atmospheric observing, wider environmental applications, or both
- deliver demonstrator capability, environmental observations, data, products or services that create lasting value beyond the project
- meet the evidenced needs of clearly identified user groups
- support future adoption, deployment, application or scale-up where appropriate
- strengthen environmental observing capability through the development, integration, deployment or demonstration of autonomy, sensing, instrumentation, measurement systems, platforms or data systems
- enhance, benefit or complement the existing environmental observing landscape
- contribute to the aims of this funding opportunity
Where relevant, explain:
- how the proposed work could improve the quality, coverage, reliability, accessibility or utility of environmental observations and data
- the anticipated environmental, societal, scientific or economic benefits arising from the proposed capability
- the consequences of not delivering the proposed capability
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Approach
Word limit: 2,500
What are your plans to manage and deliver the proposed infrastructure?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
We expect you to show how your approach:
- will develop, integrate, deploy or demonstrate the proposed capability
- is effective and appropriate to achieve the intended objectives and outcomes
- provides a credible route to demonstrator capability within the project timescale
- includes an appropriate project plan, milestones, deliverables and success measures
- includes appropriate plans for monitoring progress, tracking delivery and evidencing intended outcomes and benefits
- identifies key risks, dependencies and assumptions, and explains how these will be managed
- demonstrates an appropriate level of technical, operational and procurement readiness to support rapid mobilisation following award
- demonstrates that the proposed capability is sufficiently mature to support delivery of demonstrator capability within the available time and budget
- includes realistic plans for deployment, testing, validation or operational demonstration, as appropriate
- explains how environmental observations, measurements, data products or services will be generated, enhanced or enabled
- demonstrates how environmental data quality and confidence will be supported, including calibration, validation, uncertainty and bias considerations where relevant
- makes appropriate use of partnerships, facilities, infrastructure, equipment, platforms, datasets and other resources required for delivery
- includes arrangements for governance, project management and decision making appropriate to the scale and complexity of the work
- considers how the capability will be sustained, accessed, adopted, expanded or built upon beyond the funded period where appropriate
- incorporates accessibility and inclusiveness into the design and delivery of the project
Where relevant, explain how:
- the proposed capability will integrate with existing environmental observing systems, networks, platforms or infrastructure
- the proposed work may contribute to atmospheric observing capability, wider environmental applications, or both
- environmental science, engineering, sensing, instrumentation, autonomy, operational or user expertise will be combined to strengthen delivery
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Applicant and team capability to deliver
Word limit: 1,650
Why are you the right individual or team to deliver and manage the proposed infrastructure?
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)
- the right balance of skills and expertise
- the appropriate leadership and management skills and your approach to develop others
- contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community
- experience relevant to the development, integration, deployment, operation or management of environmental observing capability
- experience of delivering complex multidisciplinary projects, collaborations or demonstrators
- access to the scientific, technical, operational and delivery expertise required to achieve the proposed objectives
- appropriate expertise in environmental science, autonomy, sensing, instrumentation, measurement systems, engineering, software, data systems or operational delivery, as relevant to the proposed work
- experience of working with users, operators, industry, policymakers or other stakeholders where relevant to the proposed capability
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
The word limit for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.
Use the R4RI format to showcase the range of relevant skills you, and if relevant, your team (project lead and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on), have and how this will help to 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 below. You should 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).
You should complete this section as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.
The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles.
Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)
What are the ethical and RRI considerations, 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 and RRI considerations, including both the research or topic area itself and the design and delivery of the project
- the wider implications of the proposed work, and how you will maximise the positive societal, environmental, and economic benefits arising from the project, whilst minimising unintended negative impacts, such as research misuse or accidental harm
- how you will manage these considerations throughout the lifecycle of the project
Where relevant, consider:
- the deployment and operation of autonomous systems in environmental settings
- environmental impacts associated with deployment activities
- data acquisition, management, access, sharing and stewardship
- security, privacy or misuse considerations associated with sensors, platforms, data systems or autonomous technologies
- the implications of environmental observations or data products for users, stakeholders and affected communities
If you are collecting or using data you should identify:
- any legal and ethical considerations of collecting, releasing or storing the data (including consent, confidentiality, anonymisation, security and other ethical considerations and, in particular, strategies to not preclude further reuse of data)
- formal information standards that your proposed work will comply with
Additional sub-questions (to be answered only if appropriate) relating to research involving:
- animals
- human participants
- genetically modified organisms
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Please refer to the UKRI position statement on funding ethical research and Responsible innovation for more information around our expectations on ethical and responsible research and innovation.
Animal involvement and “3Rs”
You must complete this section about how your proposed project will involve or impact animals.
If your project does not involve or impact animals, you must confirm this on the next page.
You may be asked about:
- what animals you are involving
- the severity of the procedures you are using
- where the procedures will take place
- welfare standards you aim to meet
- the relevance of your project to the development, validation or dissemination of the 3Rs
You may also need to download, complete, and upload at least one set of additional questions. You will be told how to do this towards the end of this section.
To complete this section and check whether your project is in the scope of the questions, refer to the UKRI policy for research and innovation involving animals.
What counts as an animal
UKRI policy relates to all animals in the Kingdom Animalia, including vertebrates and invertebrates.
Genetically modified organisms and biological risk
You must complete this section if your project will include genetically modified organisms or genetic technologies.
If you project does not involve genetically modified organisms or genetic technologies, you must confirm this on the next page.
You may be asked about:
- the type of organism your project will involve and the procedures your project will include
- the intended use of the organism or genetic technology
- the genetic, biological and environmental risks of your project
For more information, see UKRI’s guidance on genetic technologies.
Human participation in health-related research
You must complete this section about whether your project will include human participation.
If your project does not involve human participation, you must confirm this on the next page.
You may be asked about:
- what type of human participation your project includes
- the project design for human participation
- the phase of the clinical trial
- whether the project will be in an NHS setting, if so, how the project will be registered
- whether diversity and inclusion will be considered
For more information, see UKRI’s guidance for human participants in research.
Resources and cost justification
Word limit: 1,000
What will you need to deliver and manage the proposed infrastructure 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)
- equipment, instrumentation, sensing technologies, software and other capability development costs
- any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
- all facilities and infrastructure costs
- if applicable, disposal or decommissioning costs
- all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’
- if applicable, subscription costs
You can request costs associated with reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on the project. For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders. Where a funding limit is imposed on the opportunity, requested costs for reasonable adjustments may exceed the maximum funding amount.
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 demonstrator capability
- maximise potential environmental, scientific, operational or societal benefits arising from the investment
- represent good value for money
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 contributions for example cash, donated equipment and resources, or staff seconded to the project, or indirect and in-kind contributions for example use of project partner’s equipment, datasets, or facilities. Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU.
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 indirect) 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.
Assessors will consider the extent to which project partners contribute meaningfully to the successful development, integration, deployment, demonstration, adoption or future use of the proposed capability.
Project partners may contribute:
- technical expertise
- operational expertise
- facilities, infrastructure or specialist equipment
- access to platforms, systems, environments or datasets
- routes to deployment, adoption, impact or commercialisation
- direct or indirect financial support
Applications are not required to include industry partners. However, you should demonstrate that the expertise, partnerships and stakeholder engagement proposed are appropriate for delivering the intended outcomes.
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.
Data management and sharing
Word limit: 500
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: 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, 42KB)
- proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility information list
- confirmation you have their agreement where required
Facilities should only be named if they are on the facility information list above. 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)
Trusted Research and Innovation is the protection of the UK’s intellectual property, sensitive research, people, and infrastructure from potential theft, misuse, and exploitation.
Organisations receiving UKRI funding are obliged to act in line with UK government legislation. They are also expected to undertake appropriate due diligence assessments of organisations involved in research partnerships, collaboration agreements, and commercial contracts.
You will be asked about:
- which areas of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act your project relates to
- who you intend to collaborate with and how
- if your project requires an export control licence
Your answers may affect the T&Cs of your funding agreement if you are successful. We may use your answers to determine that our current T&Cs are sufficient or if additional T&Cs are required.
