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.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
Watch our recording on how to apply for an opportunity in the Funding Service.
To apply
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
- Confirm you are the project lead.
- Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email support@funding-service.ukri.org
Allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service.
- Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the ‘How to apply’ section on this Funding finder page.
- Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
- Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
- Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. You should:
- use images sparingly and only to convey important information that cannot easily be put into words
- insert each new image onto a new line
- provide a descriptive legend for each image immediately underneath it (this counts towards your word limit)
- ensure that files are 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. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to your 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
We must receive your application by 26 June 2024 at 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time. Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
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.
Publication of outcomes
NERC, as part of UKRI, will 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 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
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
- context
- the challenge the project addresses
- aims and objectives
- 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)
- research and innovation associates
- visiting researchers
- specialist
- grant manager
- professional enabling staff
- technician
- researcher co-lead (RcL)
Only list one individual as project lead.
The project lead is responsible for setting up and completing the application process on the Funding Service.
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 your proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how your proposed work:
- has a clear vision and objectives with tracking measures
- outlines the organisations’ and partnerships’ research and innovation expertise in designated disciplines to provide training and address skills and capacity challenges
- describes its anticipated outcomes and impact for society and the economy, outlines the strategies to achieve them
The Vision should:
- identify, justify and evidence national need and demand for training of this nature and its outcomes
If applying for Future marine research infrastructure funding you should show:
- how the proposed training will advance the UK science community’s understanding of how Marine Autonomous System (MAS) technology deployed at a larger scale might lead to novel ways of addressing future science priorities
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the ‘How to apply’ section.
References may be included within this section.
There is no additional detail required if applying within the digital skills priority area.
Approach
Word limit: 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 approach so that it:
- is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
- is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
- will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
- 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
You should demonstrate how your training short course will:
- have identified, realistic training outcomes within areas of identifiable training need relevant to the NERC science remit
- show well-justified, excellent quality training content delivered in an appropriate manner to provide confidence that the training outcomes will be met
- use the appropriate scale to meet training delivery outcomes and impact national training needs
If applying for Future marine research infrastructure funding you should show:
- the ‘learning journey’ from understanding the technology, to how to measure the ocean in new ways that support frontier science
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the ‘How to apply’ section.
References may be included within this section.
There is no additional detail required if applying within the digital skills priority area.
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
- 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 ‘How to apply’ section.
The word limit for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for R4RI modules and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.
Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills 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).
Complete this as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.
References may be included within this section.
UKRI has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the Funding Service.
For full details, see Eligibility as an individual.
Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)
Word limit: 250
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
- consideration for preventing environmental harm and enhancing environmental benefit in line with NERC’s responsible business statement
If you are collecting or using data, 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 with which your study will comply
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the ‘How to apply’ section.
Demonstrating a commitment to DEI
Word limit: 500
How are you showing a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in your work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
- consideration that attendee shortlisting and recruitment is fair and transparent
- that the proposed training will make the attendee experience as inclusive as possible
- effective monitoring and reporting to foster a diverse and inclusive environment
Within the ‘Demonstrating a commitment to EDI’ section we also expect you to provide:
- information on the use of a standardised shortlisting matrix and provision of DEI guidance for staff involved in the recruitment process
- information on ensuring all staff receive appropriate DEI training
- information on signposting of courses and how provisions will be made to ensure inclusion
- consideration of course delivery to accommodate variable circumstances where possible
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the ‘How to apply’ section.
Refer to the UKRI best practice principles in doctoral recruitment which sets out the minimum considerations for training grant holders in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
Project partners
Provide details about any project partners’ contributions.
Add details about any project partners’ contributions. If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service.
A project partner is a collaborating organisation who will have an integral role in the proposed research. This may include direct (cash) or indirect (in-kind) contributions such as expertise, staff time or use of facilities.
Add the following project partner details:
- organisation name and address (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable)
- project partner contact name and email address
- type of contribution (direct or in-direct) and its monetary value
If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Resources and cost justification
Word limit: 500
What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
You should indicate how many places you are requesting funding for. It is expected that most training initiatives will request between 10 to 30 places.
Funding should be calculated on a per attendee (place on the training course) basis, and you may request up to £10,000 in justified direct costs per attendee. Although it is expected that most initiatives will require between £1,000 to £3,000 per attendee.
The cost per attendee requested should include:
- support for travel and subsistence costs for attendees to attend the training (where appropriate)
- funding to cover staff travel
- subsistence costs
- venue hire
- materials and consumables
Funding to cover staff salary should include information concerning costs attributable to staff time spend preparing and delivering training. Staff salary costs should be split evenly per attendee to calculate the ‘per attendee’ cost.
Indirect and estate costs must not be included.
If you are requesting funding greater than £60,000 then include additional justification for this request.
You must provide a breakdown of costs for your proposed training to enable the panel to assess the costs associated with the proposed training at a per attendee level.
The overall total requested cost should be a single figure entered under ‘exceptions – other’ and zero costs should be entered against any other heading.
