Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: Applied global health partnership: invited stage two

Apply for funding to support a new research partnership to enable the development and delivery of novel applied research that will address global health challenges and inequities.

We are looking to develop a portfolio of high-quality partnerships, which will be diverse, promote multidisciplinarity and strengthen global health research capacity.

We encourage applications from project leads based in:

  • low and middle-income countries (LMICs)
  • UK, working in partnership with LMIC researchers

You must be invited to apply for stage two of this applied global health research funding opportunity.

Who can apply

You can only apply for this funding opportunity if we have invited you to do so following a successful outline application.

To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity you must:

  • be eligible as an individual
  • be based at either an eligible UK research organisation, or based in a:
    • research organisation in an LMIC, with degree-awarding powers recognised by the government in which the organisation is based
    • research-focused institute based in an LMIC either funded by the government of the country in which the organisation is based, or by a not-for-profit organisation
    • research-focused not-for-profit organisation based in an LMIC with dedicated research capacity

If you do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, by submitting an application the research organisation is confirming, if it is successful:

  • contracts will be extended beyond the end date of the project
  • all necessary support for the project and the applicants will be provided, including mentorship and career development for early career researchers

Who is not eligible to apply

You are not eligible to apply if:

  • you are based in a high-income country (does not include UK project leads, who are eligible), or in India, you are not eligible to be project lead, but may be eligible to be project co-lead (international)

It is expected that researchers from India and any high-income countries make a significant contribution to their own research costs, including covering their own overheads. Where India is included in a project there must be at least two other LMICs involved in the project.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is unable to support Official Development Assistance (ODA) research and innovation activities taking place in China, or where China is the direct beneficiary. This means the ODA compliance statement submitted by applicants should not identify China as part of the project’s rationale or justification. Providing no UK funding flows to China, it is permissible for China-based researchers to be involved in UKRI-funded activities, when part of a consortia of internationally based researchers. China-based researchers are not eligible to lead applications.

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

Scope

The applied global health research board funds research to address global health challenges and inequities. Our remit includes applied research that will lead to tangible change in health policy and practice in the near future by developing practical, impact focused research.

We’re looking to fund strategically important, original partnerships providing a distinct and important contribution to the research landscape. The partnerships should be driven by the research needs of the LMICs involved, and should be multi-country, ideally demonstrating that the partnership will generate generalisable benefits for the research community.

Partnerships should be linked to high-quality research programmes and should demonstrate how the partnership will facilitate the development and delivery of future novel applied research. Partnerships should clearly demonstrate how the research field will benefit from the bringing together of the research teams involved.

We welcome cross-sector partnerships combining expertise to meet a global health challenge. You can include a broad range of partners, and non-academic partners are permitted. We particularly encourage engagement with civic society and policymakers. You can read our case studies detailing examples of successful partnership grants and why we funded them.

We will fund partnerships between diverse groups of researchers. These partnerships must:

  • establish new, high-value collaborative activities or capabilities in several LMICs
  • add value to high-quality scientific programmes of applied research that are already supported by grants from Medical Research Council (MRC) and other funders
  • present a cohesive set of activities underpinned by a robust governance structure
  • include stakeholder engagement with a broad range of partners
  • demonstrate how the partnership will enable future applied research to be conducted

You can apply for funding for a partnership to address any health topic of relevance in the context where the research will be conducted.

If you are unsure whether your application fits the remit described, please send a one-page summary of your application to international@mrc.ukri.org

The MRC partners with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to support global health projects. Some of the projects funded through the Applied Global Health Research Board in specific strategic areas of mutual interest such as climate and health, women and girls’ reproductive health, early childhood development and epidemic preparedness will be funded under this partnership.

Types of collaboration

Collaborative activities can include:

  • networking and partnership activities: establishing multidisciplinary, multi-country collaborative partnerships or consortia, fostering or enabling a national or international strategy across the field, enabling knowledge sharing or creation across institutions
  • situational analyses or evaluation of the policy landscape to facilitate priority setting in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders
  • infrastructure support for establishing a unique shared resource or helping to exploit it, for example staff, systems, equipment, seminars, workshops: this could include a coordinated set of needs-led and complementary networking activities, including outreach work and travel, with a defined output
  • platform activities such as specialist data and software platforms or resources
  • training, career development and capacity building in strategically important areas
  • support of small scale, pump-priming projects may be considered, but specific research questions should not be the focus of the partnership. These projects should be interdisciplinary, high risk or gain projects which will demonstrate the novel capability of a new partnership

Successful partnership grants usually include a combination of these components. We will reject applications for funding only networking activities.

We expect partnership grants to reach maturity by the end of the initial award. You should find alternative ways of funding any follow-on activities.

Through our investments in global health research, we aim to support a portfolio of high quality, high priority, diverse investments to improve health, encouraging:

  • innovation in study design
  • multidisciplinarity to address global challenges
  • diverse health topics: prioritise local relevance with potential for global impact

Through our investments in global health research, we also aim to:

  • prioritise equitable partnerships
  • invest in research capacity strengthening
  • promote co-design and co-production with communities, policymakers and health practitioners

Gender equity

All projects funded by Applied Global Health Research Board (AGHRB) must adhere to principles of gender equity. Part of the assessment criteria will include the gender balance of the team, and also the potential for the research to promote gender equity. Projects with a poor gender balance or where the research project implementation or outcomes may exacerbate gender inequalities, will be rejected.

Strengthening research capacity as part of your application

We are committed to strengthening research capacity within LMICs and the UK. All applicants are required to develop plans to strengthen research capacity within their application, which will be assessed by expert reviewers and inform funding decisions.
We encourage you to start discussing capacity strengthening priorities as early as possible, in consultation with key stakeholders, both within and outside of your project team. For example:

  • researchers
  • laboratory technicians
  • data collectors
  • field workers
  • managers
  • practitioners
  • policymakers
  • research management offices

We take a broad view of where capacity strengthening activities could be targeted, however plans must be directly linked to the proposed project. Activities could target the individual, institutional or contextual level (or span multiple levels), and plans should be proportionate to the scale of the project, with larger projects expected to be more ambitious.

Examples of capacity building include, but are not limited to:

  • building leadership skills amongst early career researchers
  • opportunities for mutual learning across the project team, such as through staff exchanges (for example, the wider health context, engagement with policymakers and research management)
  • building capacity to work collaboratively, across disciplines and across practice-research boundaries (for example, with policymakers, managers and practitioners in the system)
  • providing mentoring to improve the capacity of less-experienced researchers to generate new knowledge and achieve policy impact
  • team members attending training courses to develop specific expertise or obtain relevant qualifications (excluding masters and PhDs)
  • opportunities for staff and associated health managers to author or co-author journal and conference papers and participate in national and international conferences
  • building organisational capacity (for example, in management, finance or communications)
  • formation of LMICs research networks

Find further resources, tools and guides on strengthening research capacity provided by the UK Collaborative on Development Research

Although new investigator research grants are not available through the AGHRB , we are committed to supporting early career researchers in applied global health. The board will consider each applicant’s career stage and proposed mentorship arrangements during funding discussions.

Areas we will not fund

We will not fund:

  • stand-alone hypothesis-driven research projects suitable for the Applied global health research: stage one funding opportunity
  • stand-alone capacity strengthening applications without clear links to high-quality applied research programmes
  • discovery research or research that includes an applied component that fits within a current MRC remit, programme or priority. This includes early translation and feasibility studies in the remit of the developmental pathway funding scheme (DPFS). Applicants wishing to do early translational or pilot studies should carefully consider whether the proposed work fits the remit of these other panels first before submitting to AGHRB
  • partnerships that are focused on observational research
  • partnerships where the focus is on surveillance, unless the partnership is based around applied research into novel methods for surveillance
  • early phase clinical trials (phase 1 and 2a)

Board opportunities

These opportunities represent areas of specific strategic focus that help to inform discussions at funding meetings, but you can submit partnership applications that focus on any applied global health topic.

Maternal and neonatal health

The MRC maternal and neonatal health area of investment aims to provide funding for innovative applied research to address the global burden of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Early childhood development

The board supports research in early childhood development, which encompasses the physical, socio emotional, cognitive and motor development of children from birth to eight years of age.

Early childhood development is the outcome of the nurturing care for early childhood development report. This is a range of education, health, nutrition and social protection inputs and environments. Applications in this area will be jointly funded by FCDO as part of a coordinated effort to increase and scale up the evidence base for early childhood development interventions.

Read more about the early childhood development area of investment

Adolescent health

The adolescent health area of investment aims to fund innovative applied research to improve adolescent health in LMICs.

Implementation science

Maximising impact from research remains a priority for MRC. To ensure that we meet this priority, we are funding research to address the implementation gap and progress interventions towards real-world impact.

We expect this research to ensure that evidence-based health interventions are implemented in an accessible and fair way for the most vulnerable populations.

If you are unsure whether your application fits the remit described, please send a one-page summary of your plans to international@mrc.ukri.org

Duration

We will fund projects lasting up to five years, although projects typically last three to four years.

Funding available

The resources you request should be appropriate for the objectives of your application. We will accept applications of all sizes from £150,000 up to approximately £1 million MRC contribution. MRC typically fund 80% of full economic cost (excluding eligible international costs, which are funded as exceptions (100%)). We will take value for money into account when assessing applications.

Equitable partnerships, including financial equity, are a key principle of the board. Applications in which the majority of the funding is allocated to the UK, plus any high income countries (or India), will be rejected.

What we will fund

You can request funding for costs such as:

  • a contribution to the salary of the project lead
  • 100% salary costs for project leads and project co-leads (international), based within an LMIC
  • support for other posts such as research and technical
  • research consumables as part of small scale or pump priming research activities (note, research activities should be minimal)
  • equipment
  • travel costs
  • data preservation, data sharing and dissemination costs
  • estates and indirect costs
  • research capacity strengthening activities (excluding master’s and PhD fees and stipends)
  • public partnerships and related activities, including payments to public contributors

Please note: costs attributed to high income countries (those not on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of official development assistance recipients), or India must not exceed 30% of the full economic cost grant value. There is no cap on eligible funds going to international co-investigators from DAC list countries.

What we will not fund

We will not fund:

  • master’s and PhD studentships
  • UK publication costs (publication costs where all the authors are from LMICs can be included)
  • funding to use as a ‘bridge’ between grants

Team project partner

You may include project partners that will support your partnership project through cash or in-kind contributions, such as:

  • staff time
  • access to equipment
  • sites or facilities
  • the provision of data
  • software or materials

Where there is engagement from individuals based in government agencies, international intergovernmental organisations (for example, the World Health Organization), or other stakeholder organisations (for example, industry collaborators) you should include them as a named project partner.

Each project partner must provide a statement of support. If your application involves industry partners , they must provide additional information if the relationship falls within the industry collaboration framework.

Find out more about subcontractors and dual roles.

Who cannot be included as a team project partner

Any individual included in your application with a core team role cannot also be a project partner.

Any organisation that employs a member of the application core team cannot be a project partner organisation. This includes other departments within the same organisation.

If you are collaborating with someone in your organisation, consider including them in the core team as project co-lead or specialist. They cannot be a project partner.

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.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. TR&I is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.

See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.

Find out about getting funding for international collaboration.

How to apply

We are running 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.

If you are based in an LMIC research organisation, you can register your organisation by contacting support@funding-service.ukri.org and provide your organisation name, country and city.

If the lead research organisation is an NHS organisation, check it is available in the Funding Service. You are encouraged to check this early as there may be additional steps for the organisation to be set up before you can apply.

To apply

You can only apply for this funding opportunity if we have invited you to do so following a successful stage one application. The start application link will be provided via email.

  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. 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.
  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:

  • 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

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 reference and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.

Reference 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

Medical Research Council (MRC) must receive your application by 16 January 2025 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.

Personal data

Processing personal data

MRC, 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

MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at applied global health research board – funding decisions.

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, 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

Succinctly describe your proposed work in terms of:

  • goals to be addressed, please identify a concise and clearly articulated ultimate aim of the research
  • its context
  • the global health challenge the research addresses and its potential impact
  • its aims and objectives
  • its 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.

Project leads can be from eligible UK or LMIC research organisations.

We expect all applications to this opportunity to include project co-lead (international), based at an LMIC research organisation.

Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.

Application questions

Related applications

Word limit: 1,000

How have you addressed the feedback from your Applied Global Health Research Board (AGHRB) stage one application?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Ensure you:

  • describe how you have responded to feedback from stage one
  • clearly outline any changes that have been made to the project plans, including any decisions made following correspondence with MRC staff

You must include your stage one application reference number allocated by the Funding Service.

Vision

Word limit: 1,000

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 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 areas timely given current trends, context and needs
  • impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment
  • includes LMIC researchers in the intellectual design and the setting of the research agenda and its ongoing strategic direction
  • ensures that partnerships are equitable

We also expect you to:

  • explain how your work is strategically important for the LMIC(s) involved, and how the partnership will contribute to the current or future applied research landscape
  • explain why establishing a partnership is necessary in this area, how the partnership is novel or adds value to the current research landscape
  • explain the applied research in which the partnership is embedded
  • explain how the outputs of the partnership will have regional or global impact or widely generalisable outcomes

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: 5,500

How are you going to deliver your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how you have designed your work so that it:

  • is innovative, effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
  • is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
  • has an appropriate governance structure
  • if applicable, uses a clear and transparent methodology for small scale proof of principle work
  • 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
  • ensures an equitable role for the LMIC researchers in setting the research agenda and strategic direction of the partnership

We also expect you to:

  • explain how the partnership will be planned and managed
  • explain how the partnership will enable researchers to work together, network and build capability in a strategic area
  • demonstrate how the partnership will benefit the wider research community
  • if applicable, explain how partnership services, equipment or infrastructure will be accessed by the wider research community
  • outline future plans for sustaining the partnership beyond MRC funding, or for funding applied research which may develop from the partnership
  • outline how engagement of relevant stakeholders, such as end-users, healthcare workers, policymakers and implementers, is embedded throughout the design and delivery of the study
  • outline any plans for coproduction and co-development of future research
  • explain the proposed timeline including milestones and a diagrammatic workplan, such as a Gantt chart, which can be embed within the text box

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.

Research capacity strengthening

Word limit: 500

What are your capacity strengthening plans for your research project?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how you have embedded appropriate capacity building activities within the proposed work. Explain how your capacity strengthening activities:

  • are appropriate to the LMIC research needs and the objectives of the project
  • will benefit the LMIC researchers and communities involved

Within this section we expect you to:

  • detail research capacity building needs, opportunities and planned activities
  • explain who will participate in delivering these activities and who will benefit from them

Official Development Assistance (ODA) gender equality statement

Word limit: 400

How does your proposed work demonstrate sufficient consideration of gender equality?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a gender equality statement that explains:

  • how measures have been put in place to ensure equal and meaningful opportunities for people of different genders to be involved throughout the project, including the development of the project, the participants of the research and innovation and the beneficiaries of the research and innovation
  • the expected impact of the project (benefits and losses) on people of different genders, both throughout the project and beyond
  • the impact on the relations between people of different genders and people of the same gender. For example, changing roles and responsibilities in households, society, economy, politics, or power
  • how any risks and unintended negative consequences on gender equality will be avoided or mitigated against, and monitored
  • if there are any relevant outcomes and outputs being measured, with data disaggregated by age and gender (where disclosed)

All ODA funding must adhere to the International Development (gender equality) Act 2014. To meet this, all applications to UKRI ODA calls must provide a gender equality statement. See further guidance for equality, diversity and inclusion to assist you writing your gender equality statement.

For funding opportunities under the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), all ODA funding must adhere to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) gender equality policy. For further information, explore gender equality in research and innovation ODA.

MRC and expert reviewers will assess whether your proposal has demonstrated sufficient consideration of gender equality.

ODA: compliance eligibility

Word limit: 500

How does your proposed work meet ODA compliance eligibility?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

To demonstrate how your proposed work meets ODA compliance criteria, please explain:

  • which country or countries on the DAC list will directly benefit from this proposal
  • how your proposal is directly and primarily relevant to the development challenges of these countries
  • how you expect the outcomes of your proposed activities will promote the economic development and welfare of a country or countries on the DAC list
  • how the proposed activity is appropriate to address the development need
  • the approaches you will use to deliver development impact within the lifetime of the project and in the longer term, considering the potential outcomes, the key beneficiary and stakeholder groups and how they will be engaged to enable development impact to be achieved

This funding opportunity is part of the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment. This is government aid that promotes and specifically targets the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its primary objective.

You should ensure your application focuses on the challenges specific to the partner country or countries and not broader global issues, meaning those that are transboundary beyond low and middle-income countries (LMICs). It is accepted that ODA-funded research may have benefits to the UK or other high-income countries, however, these should be secondary to be development objectives of the project.
You should consider whether these countries are likely to continue to be eligible for the duration of the research, noting that ODA funding cannot be used to support research that does not promote a DAC list country. You should note there may be eligibility restrictions specific to the opportunity you are applying to. you and other applicants should refer to the Funding Finder to confirm eligibility before applying. When assessing whether an activity is eligible for ODA funding under this funding opportunity, MRC will consider whether projects satisfy OECD criteria on eligibility.

If your application is within scope, it will be assessed through a competitive peer review process with ODA eligibility being a criterion for approval. Your application must be fully ODA compliant to be considered for funding. Initial ODA compliance checks will be carried out by UKRI. If your application does not meet the eligibility criteria, it may be rejected without reference to peer review. Peer reviewers will also be provided with this guidance and asked to comment on ODA compliance and likelihood of significant development impact.

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
  • opportunities for LMIC leadership and management
  • 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).

References may be included within this section.

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.

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 third party 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.

Important note: If your application includes industry project partners, you will also need to complete the Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF) section. Find out more about ICF.

You must ensure that any third-party individual or organisation you include within the Funding Service as a project partner, also provides you with a supporting email or letter of support (see next section ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’).

The individual named as the project partner contact, cannot be included in your application as a member of the core team, in any core team role.

The project partner organisation cannot be an applicant organisation, where any member of the core team is based. For example, you cannot include a different department based within the applicant organisation as a project partner.

If an individual or organisation outside the core team is responsible for recruitment of people as research participants or providing human tissue for this project, list them as a project partner.

Add the following project partner details:

  • the organisation name (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 there are specific circumstances where project partners do require funding for minor costs such as travel and subsistence, these project partner costs should be claimed and justified within the resources and costs section of your application.

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

Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partners’ 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’.

What supporting statements we are looking for

Important note: We are only looking for you to provide project partner letters or emails of support from the following:

  • a third party individual
  • a third party organisation

Third party means the individual and organisation must not be involved in the application core team. You must ensure that any project partners providing a supporting document, are also added to the ‘Project partners’ section within the Funding Service.

What supporting statements we are not looking for

We are not looking for you to provide any letters or emails of support from individuals or organisations included in your application core team (this includes other departments within the same organisation). Any individual or organisation included in your application with a core team role cannot also be a project partner.

Do not include any other statements or any other type of information we have not requested, including letters or emails of support from colleagues simply expressing supportive opinions. We only expect letters or emails of support from your third-party project partners uploaded to this section, unless the letter is from:

  • a ministry or department of health
  • an intergovernmental organisation such as the World Health Organisation

If you include any information not requested by MRC, your application will be rejected.

Supporting letter and email guidance for third party project partners

Each project partner 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
  • include the name of the project partner organisation and contact information (this should match the partner contact and organisation name details you must add to the ‘Project partners’ section)
  • have a page limit of two sides of A4 per partner

Project partners’ letters and emails of support are not required to be on headed paper or include handwritten signatures (electronic signatures are acceptable from the nominated partner contact).

Industry or company project partner letter and email of support guidance

Industry or company project partners are required to complete the industry or company letter of support template by exploring the document download section of MRC Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF). This will ensure the letter or email they provide you contains all the relevant information we need.

Project partner responsibility for the recruitment of people

If the project partner is responsible for the recruitment of people as research participants or providing human tissue, their letter or email of support should include:

  • agreement that the project partner will recruit the participants or provide tissue
  • confirmation that what is being supplied is suitable for the proposed work
  • confirmation that the quantity of tissue being supplied is suitable, but not excessive for achieving meaningful results (if applicable)
Multiple project partners

If you have multiple project partners, you should:

  • ensure each separate partner letter or email of support, does not exceed two pages of A4
  • consolidate all the supporting documents provided by each project partner into a single PDF file before uploading
  • ensure the PDF does not exceed the maximum file size of 8MB

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.

Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)

Word limit: 1,500

Does your application include collaboration with industry or company project partners?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

The assessors are looking for you to confirm if your proposed work involves collaboration with an industry or company project partner. If it does, you will need to follow the MRC industry collaboration framework (ICF).

By ‘industry or company’ we mean an enterprise that puts or has intention to put goods or services on a market.

For guidance to assist your decision if your proposed work requires you to follow ICF, you should explore the ICF decision tree and find out more about ICF which includes:

  • collaboration agreements
  • definitions of basic or applied research
  • internationally based companies
  • subsidy control
  • intellectual property (IP) arrangements
  • fully flexible and gated contributions
  • the ICF assessment criteria

Enter ‘Yes’ in the text box if you have industry or company project partners and you are likely to follow ICF. You should also confirm your answers to the ICF questions one to nine in the text box for each ICF project partner.

Contact international@mrc.ukri.org if you are unsure if your application should follow ICF.

In addition to the project partner information completed in the previous section, the assessors are looking for information relating to the nature, goals and conditions of the collaboration and any restrictions or rights to the project results that could be claimed by the industry or company project partner.

Confirm your answers to the ICF questions in the text box, repeat this process for each ICF project partner:

  1. Name the industry or company project partner considered under ICF.
  2. Indicate whether your application is basic research or applied research.
  3. Explain why, in the absence of the requested UKRI funding, the collaboration and the planned research could not be undertaken.
  4. State whether your application is under the category of fully flexible contribution or gated contribution (based on the IP sharing arrangements with the industry or company).
  5. Outline the pre-existing IP (‘background IP’) that each partner, including the academic partner, will bring to the collaborative research project and the terms under which partners may access these assets.
  6. Outline the IP that is expected to be developed during the collaborative research project (‘foreground IP’) and briefly outline how it will be managed, including:
    • who will own this IP
    • what rights industry or company partners will have to use academically-generated foreground IP during and after the research project, for internal research and development or for commercial purposes
    • any rights of the academic partner to commercialise the foreground IP, including foreground IP generated by industry or company partners
  7. Outline any restrictions to dissemination of the project results, including the rights of the industry or company partner to:
    • review, approve or delay publications (including the time period associated with such rights)
    • request or require the removal of any information
  8. Declare any conflicts of interest held by the applicants in relation to the industry or company project partners and describe how they will be managed.
  9. Justify collaborating with an overseas industry or company under ICF (if applicable). Failure to provide the information requested for industry or company partners under ICF could result in your application being rejected.

You are recommended to discuss the goals and conditions of any collaboration with an industry or company with your technology transfer or contracts office before applying.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made. You must provide us with a copy of the collaboration agreement, signed by all partners, before an ICF award starts.

If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service

Trusted Research and Innovation

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

If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

We may contact you following submission of your application 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.

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

Only include facilities from the list above. Do not include details of other facilities you plan to use, such as local facilities, you should only include the name of a facility you plan to use, when it has been included within the facility information list.

Do not put the facility contact details in your response.

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

Data management and sharing

Word limit: 1,500

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 which should clearly detail how you will comply with MRC’s published data management and sharing policies, which includes detailed guidance notes.

Provide your response in the text box following the headings in the MRC data management plan template. You are not required to upload the document to your application.

The length of your plan will vary depending on the type of study being undertaken:

  • population cohorts; longitudinal studies; genetic, omics and imaging data; biobanks, and other collections that are potentially a rich resource for the wider research community: maximum of 1,500 words
  • for all other research, including less complex, the plan may be as short as 500 words

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

Consider the MRC guidance on ethics and approvals.

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

Word limit: 10

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
Template(s)

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:

Explore NC3Rs checklist for the use of animals overseas

Save your completed template as a PDF and upload to this section, following the guidance provided. If you use more than one checklist template, consolidate each checklist 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: 1200

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)
  • any equipment that will cost more than £10,000
  • any consumables beyond typical requirements, or required in exceptional quantities
  • all facilities and infrastructure costs
  • public and patient involvement and engagement costs, including payments to public partners (included as exception costs)
  • costs related to preserving, long-term storage, or sharing of data
  • demonstrate all exception costs associated with organisations based in non-UK high-income countries (HIC) (as well as India) do not total more than 30% of the FEC. There is no cap on costs requested for organisations based within LMICs
  • all LMIC exception costs
  • NHS research costs, when they are associated with NHS studies
  • animal costs, such as numbers and husbandry

Assessors are not looking for a detailed or a line-by-line breakdown of costs, they would like you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:

  • are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
  • are equitably distributed
  • represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
  • maximise potential outcomes and impacts
Adding costs for each organisation

Further details are provided within the Funding Service how to include your costs.

You should ensure all costs related to LMIC and overseas HIC based organisations are added as ‘Exceptions’.

Staff costs and non-staff costs relevant to research organisations based within the UK are at claimed 80% of the full economic cost.

LMIC international organisations only

You may claim up to an additional 20% on top of the total LMIC organisation exception costs claimed (this additional 20% is a contribution towards indirect costs related to the work being undertaken at the LMIC organisation (excluding India). This additional cost is claimed as an exception cost, under the ‘Other’ funding heading within the Funding Service.

Important note: There is no cap on eligible funds attributed to international project co-leads from DAC list countries.

International agreements

Word limit: 50

Is your application using an international agreement?

What assessors and looking for in your response

If not enter ‘N/A’ in the text box.

If your application is using an international agreement, identify the agreement concerned by answering ‘Yes’ followed by ‘FAPESP’ or ‘FNR’ or ‘RCN’ as follows:

  • lead agency agreement with Luxembourg (FNR)
  • lead agency agreement with Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
  • Collaborate with researchers in Norway (RCN)
Lead agency agreements

For applications using a lead agency agreement the assessors are looking for you to create and upload the required international agreement documents, to support your application.

You must complete all the relevant documentation and attach it to this application as a single PDF. This is not required for applications using the Collaborate with researchers in Norway agreement.

FAPESP

FAPESP applicants must complete the FAPESP-specific forms.

Documents and guidance are available on the FAPESP website, including a FAPESP:

  • consolidated budget form
  • proposal form
  • letter of eligibility
FNR

FNR applicants should complete the FNR-specific forms.

Documents and guidance are available on the FNR website, including:

  • INTER budget sheet
  • INTER budget justification
  • INTER budget plan
  • FNR eligibility letter of support

You must also complete the project partners section, with information about the international research partner, including:

  • international lead applicant contact name and organisation details
  • contribution from the international funder (FAPESP or FNR)

Include the experience, skills and contributions of your international research partners in the response to Applicant and team capability to deliver.

You should ensure that you have read and understood the specific requirements of the international agency you are applying to, especially for costing the applications.

Failure to comply with the specific guidance may result in the rejection of your application.

On receipt of your application, we will provide the international funder (FAPESP or FNR) with a copy to complete eligibility checks and provide names of expert reviewers.

For general FAPESP guidance please see the FAPESP website.

For general FNR guidance please see the FNR website.

Collaborate with researchers in Norway

There are no additional documents, complete the application as normal requesting all the required resources and costs and include the Norway-based researcher as a project co-lead (international).

For further guidance, including the costs the MRC will cover please see the opportunity page.

How we will assess your application

Assessment process

We will assess your application using the following process.

Examination of applications

All applications will be examined to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria and scope of the funding opportunity. If your application is outside the scope, you will be advised by email, and we will not assess your application. We aim to notify you of this around four weeks after the closing date.

Peer review

We will invite experts to review your application independently, against the specified criteria for this funding opportunity.

You will not be able to nominate reviewers for applications on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. Research councils will continue to select expert reviewers.

We are monitoring the requirement for applicant-nominated reviewers as we review policies and processes as part of the continued development of the new Funding Service.

You will have the opportunity to respond to the expert reviewers’ comments.

Following peer review, we will invite experts to use the evidence provided by reviewers and your applicant response to assess the quality of your application and rank it alongside other applications after which the board will make a funding recommendation.

ODA compliance

Applications will be assessed by a competitive expert review process with ODA eligibility being a criterion for approval, that is projects must be fully ODA compliant to be considered for funding. Initial ODA compliance checks will be carried out by UKRI. Proposals that do not meet the eligibility as defined in this document may be rejected without expert review. Expert reviewers will also be provided with this guidance and asked to comment on ODA compliance and likelihood of significant impact.

Timescale

We aim to complete the assessment process within five months of receiving your stage two application.

Outcome

Outcomes will be provided within two weeks of the funding recommendation.

Feedback

We will give feedback within eight weeks of the funding decision.

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.

Sharing data with co-funders

We may need to share the application (including any personal information that it contains) with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) so that they can participate in the assessment process.

Please see more information on how FCDO uses personal information.

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

Assessment areas

The assessment areas we will use are:

  • vision of the project
  • approach to the project (including data management)
  • capacity strengthening plans of the project
  • gender equality
  • ODA compliance
  • capability of the applicant or applicants and the project team to deliver the project
  • ethical and responsible research and innovation considerations of the project
  • value for money and equity of the project

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 international@mrc.ukri.org

For general questions related to Medical Research Council (MRC) funding including our funding opportunities and policy email: rfpd@mrc.ukri.org

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.

For further information on submitting an application.

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email international@mrc.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
  • the application is an invited resubmission

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

Additional info

Research and innovation impact

Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment; to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.

Additional disability and accessibility adjustments

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process if required.

Webinar for potential applicants

We held a webinar on 7 December 2023 to provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions.

Watch the webinar (Zoom)

Passcode to access the recording: H6RXwk@i

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.

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services.