Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: Large grant outlines: February 2026

Apply for funding to support innovative, large-scale and complex projects that tackle big environmental science questions and have the potential to produce world-leading research.

We welcome multi and interdisciplinary research, as long as it is predominantly within the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)’s remit, delivered by collaborative teams.

Funding of between £1.12 million and £3.45 million (at 100% full economic cost) is available for projects lasting up to five years. We expect to fund up to eight projects.

Who can apply

Before applying for funding, check the following:

To lead a project, you must be based at an eligible organisation. Check if your organisation is eligible.

Who is eligible to apply

This funding opportunity is open to research groups and individuals. We:

  • encourage multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and collaborations with other UK organisations
  • welcome applications from individuals at any career stage, subject to NERC eligibility criteria

You may be involved in no more than two applications submitted to this funding opportunity. Only one of these can be as a project lead.

Project partners fund their own involvement. We will only fund minor incidental expenses, such as some travel costs, if needed for project partners.

Resubmissions

We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have previously been submitted to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Find out more about NERC’s resubmissions policy.

As an exception for this opportunity, given the pause to large grants funding in 2025, we will allow a limited number of resubmissions, by invitation only, of applications that were:

  • unsuccessful but scored seven or higher at outline stage in the 2024 large grants funding opportunity
  • invited but unsuccessful at the full application stage of the 2023 large grants funding opportunity

Submission history will be checked as part of the application process.

International researchers

We do not fund overseas organisations, except for specific costs for project co-leads from Norway and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). Read more about this in the NERC eligibility guidance for applicants.

You should include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners. This includes organisations from the business or financial sectors.

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

UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process. Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI and NERC’s diversity and inclusion action plan.

What we're looking for

Scope

Our large grants are intended to support innovative, large-scale and complex research, tackling big environmental science questions that cannot be addressed through our other discovery science funding opportunities.

You can submit an application in any area of environmental science, provided it is predominantly within a research area or subject associated with NERC’s remit.

We also welcome multidisciplinary applications that cross into other research council areas.

Applications can support pure, applied, technology-led or policy-driven research but must still address (or provide the means to address) clearly defined research questions.

We expect that the projects we fund will have the potential to produce world-leading research. To achieve this, they will often involve multidisciplinary approaches. We expect your application to demonstrate how any interdependent components (work packages) will interact in a single overall structure. Collaborative projects that include diverse teams and partnerships between research organisations and other stakeholders are strongly encouraged.

This is an outline stage and the information may change at the full opportunity stage. The full funding opportunity will open in August 2026 for invited applicants only.

Use of novel, critical technologies in your application

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is seeking to support researchers and innovators to develop and make use of novel, critical technologies including artificial intelligence, engineering biology, and quantum technologies throughout its investment portfolio. We have also set out our aspirations for the future of data and technology in environmental science in our digital strategy 2021 to 2030.

In developing your application to this funding opportunity, you may wish to consider how the innovative use of critical technologies, and approaches addressing the ambitions of NERC’s digital strategy, might offer opportunities to address your research questions in new and novel ways. This might include the development of new collaborations across domains and disciplines.

Duration

The duration of this award is a maximum of five years.

You should propose a realistic and appropriate project start date based on the requirements of your project. It is anticipated that grants may be able to start from September 2027, but it should be noted that start dates for all successful grants will only be confirmed following discussion with NERC regarding project requirements. For those projects requiring use of large research infrastructure, start dates will be dependent on access to infrastructure being scheduled and confirmed.

Funding available

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be between £1.12 million and £3.45 million. Note that this funding limit takes into account indexation rates applied to all UKRI grants at award, so the maximum FEC value of individual awards will be between £1.2 million and £3.7 million. We expect to fund up to eight projects at full application stage, depending on funds requested.

We will fund 80% of the FEC with the following exceptions:

  • eligible costs for international project co-lead involvement would be funded at 100%
  • studentship stipend and fees would be funded at 100%

This funding opportunity sources its funds from the NERC budget.

The total grant cost includes any associated studentships and facility costs (for example, ship time, and aircraft time).

You should submit ship-time or marine equipment (SME) and autonomous deployments (ADF) forms at least two months before the opportunity deadline to allow time for assessment and approval by Marine Planning and for the production of costs that you will need to include in your application. SME and ADF forms are required at both the outline and the full application stage as costs are required for both stages of the submission process.

Justified equipment is funded at 80% FEC. See updates to UKRI funding policies for further information on our equipment policy.

In your outline application you must provide the approximate total values for the expected costs of the project at 100% FEC under each relevant cost heading. See Application questions in the ‘How to apply’ section for guidance.

What we will fund

We will fund:

  • studentship stipend and fees
  • facilities costs
  • cruise costs

Associated studentships

Studentships associated with your project can be requested through this funding opportunity and further details will be required as part of your submission if you are invited to submit a full application. They are not needed at this outline stage. You should review the guidance on Large Grant associated studentships and the Research Grants and Fellowships Handbook when preparing your application.

Services and facilities

You can apply to use a facility or resource in your funding application.

You should discuss your application with the facility or service at the earliest opportunity and at least two months before the funding opportunity’s closing date to:

  • discuss the proposed work in detail
  • receive confirmation that they can provide the services required within the timeframe of the funding

The facility will provide a technical assessment that includes the calculated cost of providing the service. NERC services and facilities must be costed within the limits of the funding.

You should not submit the technical assessment with the application, but you must confirm you have received it.

For more information, see the NERC research grants and fellowships handbook.

Read the full list of NERC facilities that require a technical assessment.

High Performance Computing, Ship-Time or Marine Equipment (SME), FAAM Airborne Laboratory, Antarctic Logistic support and the large research facilities at Harwell have their own policies for access and costing.

High Performance Computing (HPC)

Please see NERC policy on access to high performance computing.

As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review in June 2025 the UK government committed up to £750 million into a new national supercomputer service hosted at the University of Edinburgh. The new national supercomputer will replace the current ARCHER2 supercomputer, with this service due to end on 21 November 2026.

During the gap between the cessation of ARCHER2 and the new supercomputer coming online, researchers are advised to explore alternative provisions such as other UKRI and DSIT provisions (such as those listed below) or commercial HPC services. UKRI is exploring potential options to address the gap, but no options have been confirmed yet.

Outline applications should be developed with all the HPC resources you require to deliver the project and include consideration of alternative options in the event that these resources are not available. Where you are seeking to use other UKRI and DSIT provisions then you must adhere to the relevant access process. Where you are seeking to use commercial HPC services then the full cost of access to commercial HPC services must be included within your grant total.

You can access other UKRI and DSIT provisions including:

Please note that access to AIRR for researchers is via the Gateway route for AI-related research. AIRR is not listed on the facility list in the UKRI Funding Service. Applications via the Gateway route are open year-round and should be made once your project has started and when ready to use the compute.

Additional provisions available to UK researchers include Euro HPC Supercomputers.

Ship-time and marine facilities

Applications may require ship-time and other marine facilities. If you wish to use NERC’s marine facilities, please follow the marine facilities guidance on our website to complete an online ‘ship-time and marine equipment (SME) or autonomous deployment (ADF) application form’ available from Marine Facilities Planning. A PDF of the SME or ADF must be attached as a facility form to your application. If you do not do this, your request may not be considered for inclusion in the NERC Marine Facilities Programme.

If you intend to apply for NERC’s marine facilities, then also see the information on the website which advises on NERC marine facilities availability from 2025 to 2030. You should also contact marineplanning@nerc.ukri.org to discuss ship time and equipment needs as soon as possible and by 8 January 2026.

British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Antarctic logistics support

If you require NERC BAS Antarctic logistics support, then you must complete a Pre-Award Operational Support Planning Questionnaire (OSPQ) online and provide the OSPQ reference in your application.

You must email the Antarctic Access Office (AAO) at BAS afibas@bas.ac.uk stating your name, institution and project title. The AAO will then grant you access to the OSPQ portal where you can complete a pre-award OSPQ to detail your support requirements.

The deadline for pre-award OSPQs to be submitted is 26 February 2026, however applicants are encouraged to engage with the AAO at an early stage for an initial discussion around the feasibility of their fieldwork plans. Outline applications that require BAS Antarctic logistics support will not be considered unless their OSPQ has been approved. All applicants wishing to use Antarctic logistics support must add this to the facilities question in their outline application.

FAAM Airborne Laboratory

If you intend to apply to use the FAAM Airborne Laboratory you will need to start the process by contacting the FAAM Operations Manager [email: maureen.smith@faam.ac.uk] at least 18 months before the proposed start of flying. Early contact will allow the FAAM team to share information on provisional timetabling, technical details and costs. You will need to take the provisional availability of FAAM into account in your research plans within your application.

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.

International collaboration

We have agreements with the following funders:

This can make it easier for UK researchers to collaborate with research partners around the world by removing the risk that a proposed project will receive funding in one country but not in another.

Find out about getting funding for international collaboration.

If you wish to work with US-based researchers (NSF) then you must submit an expression of interest (EoI) form. The deadline for submitting the form is 3 December 2025. EoI forms submitted after this deadline will not be considered, and NERC-NSF applications submitted without an approved EoI will be withdrawn from this funding opportunity.

Applicants intending to apply through the UKRI and NSF lead agency opportunity should be aware that the NSF has issued a Statement on NSF Priorities and guidance on the Implementation of Recent Executive Orders, which are updated regularly. Additionally, applicants should be aware that processing timelines may be longer than usual through either the UKRI or NSF submission route.

Please refer to the relevant agreement guidance for additional requirements and information for applying these agreements to your application.

Trusted 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. Trusted Research and Innovation (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 your 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 Trusted Research and Innovation, including where applicants can find additional support.

Data management

You must adhere to UKRI open research policy and NERC data policy and complete the ‘Data management and sharing’ question.

For details of data centres, see the NERC Environmental Data Service.

We will pay the data centre directly on behalf of the programme for archival and curation services, but you should ensure that you request sufficient resource to cover preparation of data for archiving by the research team. Additional services from the data centres, such as database development or a specialist in project data management during your project, will need to be discussed with the relevant data centre prior to submission, costs for additional services will need to be funded from your grant.

Responsible research

Through our funding processes, we seek to make a positive contribution to society and the environment. This is not just through research outputs and outcomes but through the way in which research is conducted and facilities managed.

All NERC grant holders are to adopt responsible research practices as set out in the NERC responsible business statement.

Responsible research is defined as reducing harm or enhancing benefit on the environment and society through effective management of research activities and facilities. Specifically, this covers:

  • the natural environment
  • the local community
  • equality, diversity and inclusion

You should consider the responsible research context of your project, not the host institution as a whole. You should take action to enhance your responsible research approach where practical and reasonable.

How to apply

The large grant funding opportunity has two stages:

  • submission of an outline application
  • invited submission of a full application, if successful at outline stage

This funding opportunity is for the first stage – submission of an outline application.

We are running this funding opportunity on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so ensure that your organisation is registered. 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.

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.

  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
    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 funding opportunity, that 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.

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
  • ensure that files are 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 may 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 word, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:

References

References should be included within the word limit 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

We must receive your application by 26 February 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 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.

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email largegrants@nerc.ukri.org

Include in the subject line: NERC large grant outlines: February 2026; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number.

Typical examples of confidential information include:

  • the application is an invited resubmission
  • 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 institution(s) hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond any 20% FEC contribution. UKRI advises reviewers and panel members not to consider the level of matched host institution funding as a factor on which to base funding recommendations. Any project partners are expected to contribute to the project, either with cash or in-kind contributions.

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 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:

  • 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)
  • project co-lead (international) (PcL (I))
  • specialist
  • grant manager
  • professional enabling staff
  • doctoral student
  • research and innovation associate
  • technician
  • visiting researcher
  • 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.

The project co-lead international may only be used for collaborators based at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and in Norway, where NERC has collaboration agreements in place. We do not otherwise accept project co-lead (international) applicants.

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

Outline vision

Word limit: 350

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 area
  • is timely given current trends, context and needs
  • impacts world-leading research, society, the economy, or the environment
  • meets the strategic aims of the funding opportunity

In this section we also expect you to:

  • identify the potential direct or indirect benefits and who the beneficiaries might be
  • explain why a large-scale project is more effective and appropriate than several smaller projects to achieve your objectives

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 ‘How to apply’ section.

Outline approach

Word limit: 750

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
  • uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable)
  • summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed (if applicable)
  • 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

Within the Approach section we also expect you to:

  • demonstrate how any interdependent components (work packages) will interact in a single overall structure
  • demonstrate access to the appropriate services, facilities, infrastructure, or equipment to deliver the proposed work

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 ‘How to apply’ section.

Outline applicant and team capability to deliver

Word limit: 1,000

How will the application team deliver the proposed research programme?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:

  • relevant research experience and skills to develop and deliver the proposed transdisciplinary research programme
  • planned to identify and embed additional expertise where gaps in the team exist

The core leadership team should consist of the project lead and the project co-leads identified in the outline application. There will be scope to update the team in the full application and add further detail, provided any additional costs remain within the overall grant limit.

Showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, project partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work.

The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles.

Outline costs

Word limit: 200

What are the expected costs of the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide the approximate total values in GBP (£) for the expected directly incurred, directly allocated, indirect costs and exceptions. Please clearly identify costs associated with facilities, equipment and studentships if applicable. View the guidance on the costs you can apply for. Please use the text box to provide any further detail regarding these costs if you wish.

Application history

Word limit: 30

Have you submitted this application to a previous round of NERC large grants?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Add the text ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ in the textbox.

If your response is ‘Yes’, then also provide the previous Funding Service application number and confirm which round your application was submitted to (for example, Large Grant outlines March 2024).

Note that we will only accept resubmissions of applications that were either:

  • unsuccessful but scored seven or higher at outline stage in the 2024 large grants funding opportunity
  • invited but unsuccessful at the full application stage of the 2023 large grants funding opportunity

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 research council 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

If you have to attach a facility form, for example NERC ship-time and marine equipment, then upload it as a PDF. If you need to upload multiple forms, then combine them into a single PDF.

Facilities should only be named if they are on the facility information list. If you will not need to use a facility, then you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

Upload guidance

Upload a single PDF containing facility forms ensuring it is no larger than 8MB, if applicable.

For the file name, use the Funding Service number the system gives to your application when you create an application, immediately followed by the words ‘facility forms’. Then use the ‘upload’ button.

Unless specifically requested, do not include any personal data within the attachment.

Once you have uploaded, mark this section as complete and move to the next one.

NERC international partnership joint funding

Word limit: 10

Are you submitting your application under a NERC international partnership joint funding agreement?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move on to the next section.

If your application is in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF) in USA, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) in Brazil or Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR) in Luxembourg, provide the name of which agreement you are submitting under in the textbox.

You should include further details of the team, the collaboration and the added value to the project in the appropriate sections of the application, not here.

Please refer to the relevant funding for international collaborations opportunity pages for guidance on the documentation that is required. Add any further documentation required for the international funder as a single PDF attachment in this section.

Any involvement of international project co-leads from IIASA or Norway should be included in core team, applicant and team capability to deliver and any other relevant sections and are not applicable to this question.

Upload guidance

Upload a single PDF containing the international funder documentation ensuring it is no larger than 8MB, if applicable.

For the file name, use the Funding Service number the system gives to your application when you create an application, immediately followed by the words ‘international partnerships’. Then use the ‘upload’ button.

Unless specifically requested, do not include any personal data within the attachment.

Once you have uploaded, mark this section as complete and move to the next one.

How we will assess your application

Assessment process

We will assess your outline application using the following process.

A panel of experts from the NERC Peer Review College, augmented if necessary by relevant experts outside the college, will assess all outline applications against the published assessment areas for this funding opportunity. Only applications considered a priority for funding will be invited by NERC to submit a full application. We anticipate inviting around 20 full applications through this opportunity, depending on quality and available funding.

The outcomes of this assessment will be emailed to all project leads, with the panel’s feedback, and those invited to submit full applications are advised to consider this feedback in developing their full applications.

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 UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) principles of assessment and decision making.

We reserve the right to amend the assessment process in the event that the number of submissions received outweighs the resource available to assess the applications.

Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in expert review

Panellists are not permitted to use generative AI tools to develop their assessment. Using these tools can potentially compromise the confidentiality of the ideas that applicants have entrusted to UKRI to safeguard.

For more detail see our policy on the use of generative AI.

Sharing data with co-funders

We will need to share the application, including any personal information that it contains, with National Science Foundation (NSF), if applicable, so that they can participate in the assessment process.

For more information on how NSF uses personal information, visit NSF Privacy Act and Public Burden Statements.

Assessment areas

The areas against which your outline application will be assessed are:

  • vision
  • approach
  • applicant and team capability to deliver

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 funding 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 a funding 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 application, 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, contact largegrants@nerc.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 funding 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 read How applicants use the Funding Service.

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.

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.

Our commitment to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015

Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms which deprive a person of their liberty in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain, such as:

  • slavery
  • servitude
  • human trafficking
  • forced and compulsory labour

We are committed to the principles of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and the abolition of modern slavery and human trafficking.

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