We are seeking to fund strategic equipment worth £400,000 or more that improves UK scientific capability and supports cutting-edge research across our remit.
It could be a single item or a series of items that combine to form a single asset. This could include, but is not limited to:
- cutting-edge technology that enables new research
- high-specification equipment that improves existing research.
It does not include equipment that you would expect to find in a well-funded laboratory.
We wish to maximise use of equipment by encouraging a culture of equipment-sharing. You must have in place and justify a mechanism to share the equipment across departments, institutions or nationally as appropriate.
Your application should take into account the availability of equipment at a national level and research being undertaken nationally. You should consult any equipment roadmaps produced by us in consultation with the academic community.
Find out more about our research areas and themes.
We will fund 100% of the full economic costs of your equipment. However, contributions from the host organisation are welcome.
You may request funding for other costs to support the equipment you have requested, including principal investigator time to manage the equipment or promote its use. We recommend that staff costs go towards supporting research technical professionals who play a major role in setting up and maintaining equipment and training users.
We will fund 80% of the full economic cost of non-capital items, and the host organisation will need to fund the balance.
Universities should consider an appropriate contribution to the equipment. This could include:
- a contribution towards the cost of the equipment
- investigator time
- funding a research technical professional.