Applying through the Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) system
You should apply through the Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) system.
You should attach the following documents to your application:
- Je-S pro forma
- case for support (six pages)
- Gantt chart (one page)
- data management plan
- letter of support from technology transfer office
- letters of support from organisations interested in the project
- letters of support from any project partners
- optional covering letter (covering letters will not been seen by external reviewers or the panel)
- other (any document uploaded under ‘other’ will not be seen by external reviewers or the panel).
We recommend you start your application early. You can save completed details in Je-S at any time and return to continue your application later.
When you submit the application, it will first go to your host organisation for review. Please allow sufficient time for this.
The process from submission deadline to decision normally takes about five months.
In Je-S, please include and complete the following:
- council: STFC
- document type: standard proposal
- scheme: IPS
- call/type/mode: KE Feb 2022.
See the guidance for applicants for more information on how to apply (PDF, 359KB).
Case for support
The case for support should be no longer than six pages and conform to the font and margin guidelines in the Je-S help text.
It’s the responsibility of the principal applicant to ensure that the information is worded in such a way as to protect commercial, confidential or sensitive data.
STFC will assume that you have obtained necessary permissions from any party that may be involved in the application.
The case for support should be a self-contained summary of the proposed work with the necessary context given to enable panel members to make an informed judgement on the overall quality of the proposal.
The six-page case for support must include information under the following headings (applications will be rejected by the office for non‐compliance with these directions).
Background and aim
The information must cover the following:
- what is the STFC funded research that will form the basis of this project
- what is the aim of this application
- who will benefit from this project and subsequent commercialisation?
Technical summary
Provide a detailed account of the current status of the technology you are proposing and the plan for development.
The summary should provide sufficient detail for referees to assess fully the technical aspects of the proposed project.
Business plan
Please describe how you will investigate the development of a business plan, which will include a route to market.
Describe the commercial opportunity and the predicted investment and mechanism required post-project to take forward to commercialisation.
This should also include a summary of the current intellectual property position (further detailed in the letter of support from your technology transfer office (TTO)).
Work plan and risk analysis
Detail specific work packages, assigning responsibility between partners if appropriate.
You should show that you have identified risks and developed alternative strategies to mitigate these. You should consider technical, programmatic and, where relevant, commercial risks.
Resources
State the resources requested by the applicants and provide justification for them.
The panel can reduce resource requests if they feel there is insufficient justification. Describe what the added value of STFC funding will be.
Project deliverables
Identify what the direct outputs will be at the end of this grant (please be specific).
Letters of support
Technology transfer office (mandatory)
A letter of support from your technology transfer office (or equivalent) must be included with each application.
It should relate specifically to the proposal and should not be a generic letter of support. The letter should include:
- support from the office already provided (such as financial or resource), if relevant
- support that will be provided if the application is successful
- outline of current and anticipated future intellectual property position (for example, has a patent been filed or granted?).
Project partners (optional)
If relevant, letters of support must be included from any named partners. These must:
- be either formal letters of support (on headed paper and signed by a senior member of staff or director) or sent by email
- be dated within six months of the submission
- be no more than two sides of A4 in length
- detail their interest and involvement in the project in terms of specific objectives and desired outcomes together.
Supportive organisations (optional)
Letters of support can be included from other relevant parties who are not directly involved in the project but who support the objectives (for example, potential end users). Letters should:
- be either formal letters of support (on headed paper and signed by a senior member of staff or director) or sent by email
- be dated within six months of submission
- detail their interest and involvement in the project in terms of specific objectives and desired outcomes together
- detail the projected market size, customers and sales
- describe how the company could commercialise the technology beyond the project.
For more information, please see what to include in your proposal.
