Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: Strategic infrastructure for engineering and physical sciences: June 2025

Apply for funding to purchase strategic infrastructure including equipment, resources or both. The funding seeks to improve UK scientific capability and enable cutting-edge research that aligns with national priorities, including those within the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Strategy and EPSRC Strategic Delivery Plan.

This is for invited applicants only.

This funding is for either:

  • purchase and set-up of infrastructure
  • resources to support existing infrastructure

The cost of the equipment requested must be at least £400,000 including VAT.

The resources only applications must have a maximum duration of two years.

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

EPSRC standard eligibility rules apply. For full details, visit EPSRC’s eligibility page.

Who is eligible to apply

You can only apply for this funding opportunity if we have invited you to do so following a successful outline application. The outline stage is an open funding opportunity with no deadline and successful applications are then invited to submit a full proposal. This funding opportunity is the full proposal stage.

International researchers

The UKRI-RCN Money Follows Cooperation Agreement or the UKRI-IIASA agreement do not apply to this funding opportunity. As such grants submitted to this funding opportunity cannot include an IIASA or a Norway-based project co-lead (international).

You should include all international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners.

Resubmissions

We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UKRI or any other funder.

Find out more about EPSRC’s resubmissions policy.

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.

What we're looking for

Scope

Strategic infrastructure is intended to enhance UK scientific capability and support cutting-edge research of high priority to us. The request should fit within the host institution strategy and enable research that predominantly falls within our remit.

Strategic infrastructure opportunity provides two funding routes:

  • route one: purchase and set-up of strategic infrastructure
  • route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure

These two funding routes have different scopes, but the application and assessment processes are via the same funding opportunity.

Route one: strategic infrastructure

Strategic infrastructure includes a wide range of capital infrastructure and justified non-capital costs. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • infrastructure enabling technology that increases novel research capability, for example, capital infrastructure enabling transformative research of high importance to EPSRC and the UK, or capital infrastructure empowering the UK to become world leading as a result of the enabled research
  • infrastructure enabling research through increased capacity, for example, high-specification capital infrastructure that enables faster, higher resolution or more cost-effective results
  • non-capital costs where there is a clear requirement and these should only be used to support the capital infrastructure requested
  • cutting edge computing hardware

All strategic infrastructure requests should include:

  • justified cost
  • appropriate use
  • appropriate strategy

Please note, you will need our approval for application if your request is over £3 million.

Read more details on the scope of the strategic infrastructure funding opportunity.

Route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure

This funding route is only for invited applicants where strategic needs are identified. You must be invited by the relevant EPSRC theme lead to submit an application.

The resources to support existing strategic infrastructure route is intended to maximise usage of existing infrastructure that has already been procured, delivered and installed.

This funding opportunity supports improved access and approaches to enable a better sharing of existing capital infrastructure.

We expect that funding will provide seed or invest-to-save funding to initiate increased use and sustainability of the existing infrastructure.

The existing infrastructure may have been funded by EPSRC or other sources. The research enabled by the infrastructure must be within our remit.

We do not expect that you will need more funding through this funding opportunity for the same items of items of capital infrastructure after the first application. You must articulate clear plans for sustainability in your application.

Read more details on the scope of the resources to support existing strategic infrastructure funding opportunity.

Duration

Route one: strategic infrastructure

The duration of the award must reflect that this is an infrastructure grant and not a research grant, and should cover the procurement, delivery, installation and set-up of the research infrastructure.

If it is appropriate, the length of the funding can include:

  • the development of methods, protocols and access models
  • a small amount of time for pump-priming projects to maximise usage of the infrastructure

The duration should not include time for research projects.

Route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure

Resources to support existing strategic infrastructure applications should be for a maximum duration of two years, unless agreed otherwise with us.

Funding available

EPSRC will fund up 100% of the full economic cost (FEC) for capital costs.

All non-capital costs will be funded at 80% FEC.

What we will fund

Route one: strategic infrastructure

Strategic infrastructure includes both capital and digital infrastructure:

  • capital infrastructure includes capital equipment
  • digital infrastructure includes computing and data hardware

Funding is available for items of infrastructure over £400,000, including VAT.

The £400,000 minimum threshold can be met by a single item of equipment or by several items that are clearly intended to be combined in a single asset. The threshold cannot be met by the accumulated total of a number of individual items of standalone equipment.

You can request funding for up to 100% FEC of the equipment. There is no expectation of matched funding, however the host institution should demonstrate the strategic importance and commitment to the proposed infrastructure as outlined in the assessment criteria.

Contributions do not have to be direct contributions to the cost of the equipment and can be towards non-capital costs. See further information on university contributions.

Non-capital costs can be included where there is a clear requirement and should only be used to support the equipment requested. These will be funded at 80% FEC.

Eligible non-capital costs may include staff time, such as:

  • project lead or co-lead time. This should be associated with the management of the equipment or promotion of the equipment to maximise its usage
  • research technical professionals (RTPs) time. As well as time associated with the management and promotion of the equipment, you should consider the professional development and sustainability of any technical staff associated with the equipment. Training for researchers and RTPs, public engagement, entrepreneurship, media and tailored support for those who have been on career breaks

Eligible non-capital costs may also include impact-related activities, such as:

  • travel costs to support engagement with existing partners
  • engagement activities, for example, workshops, seminars, networking events, exhibitions, meetings or people exchange to develop new partnerships. Engagement with expert staff can also be included, for example, knowledge exchange professionals, consultants, business planning support, commercialisation professionals or research software engineers
  • training for researchers, for example, public engagement, entrepreneurship or media
  • development or design input, for example, proof of concept, prototype or demonstrators
  • marketing design, video, web content
  • sharing of novel tools and techniques, for example where these could be applied in other disciplines
  • data management, for example, sharing of datasets

Quotes for equipment do not need to be included in your application, but please retain quotes for equipment items costing more than £138,000 as we may ask for these at post-panel stage before releasing funds.

Read more about EPSRC’s approach to equipment funding.

Route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure

This route should provide funding for non-capital resources, including staff support that improves the current use of infrastructure. You will be required to demonstrate the added value of the funds for increasing infrastructure utilisation, and the strategic demand for this.

Examples of resources that you can request include, but are not limited to:

  • pump-priming funds
  • provision of training or research services, or both, not previously available through additional roles or increased technician time. For example, if a technician is currently allocated 20% time to the equipment and you wish to increase this to 100%, you should request 80% of their time
  • additional project lead, co-lead or staff time associated with the running of the existing infrastructure or provision of general support for users, including training where there is a clear requirement
  • improved booking software
  • improved advertisement of capabilities
  • impact related activities listed in the ‘Strategic infrastructure’ section

All non-capital costs will be funded at 80% FEC.

For both strategic infrastructure and resources to support existing strategic infrastructure routes, the overall cost of the proposed infrastructure should not change by more than 10% in either direction compared to the outline stage. If you believe that the total cost will increase by more than 10%, contact us as soon as possible at epsrcequipmentfunding@epsrc.ukri.org

What we will not fund

Route one: strategic infrastructure

We will not fund:

  • costs associated with the support of individual research projects, for example, project lead time for research and project specific consumables are not an allowable cost on this funding opportunity. It would be for the university to consider how best to cover research project consumables through usage and charging arrangements
  • laboratory refurbishment, modifications or redevelopment to install equipment. These costs are considered a host institution contribution and would be considered out of scope unless in exceptional circumstances. The exceptional cases would require discussion with us
  • underpinning equipment that we would expect to see in a well-founded lab
  • software, research software development or cloud computing credits

You should submit any application focused on creating novel instruments or performing modifications to an existing instrument through responsive mode as instrument development.

Route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure

We will not fund:

  • capital costs, for example, items of equipment over £25,000. Individual items with a value less than £25,000 are not considered to be equipment
  • long-term research projects, for example, we do not expect to see postdoctoral researcher effort requested as part of an application. Costs for individual research projects are only eligible when these are short-term seed projects to support new users. These costs should have been proposed at the outline stage
  • replacement of existing support, maintenance, service contracts, or capital costs. Current staff costs for time assigned to the equipment are not eligible. It is expected that awards will provide seed funding to initiate increased use.

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)

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 their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectations 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.

How to apply

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UKRI Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

Applicants who are invited to apply to the funding opportunity will receive an application link when the funding opportunity opens.

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.

To apply

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

  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.

When including images, you must:

  • provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit).
  • insert each new image onto a new line.
  • use files 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 words, 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 count 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.

Match funding

There is no requirement for match funding from the organisations hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the grant. We advise reviewers and panel members not to consider the level of matched university funding as a factor on which to base funding decisions.  Project partners are expected to contribute to the project, either with cash or in-kind contributions.

Deadline

EPSRC must receive your application by 28 August 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. If an application is withdrawn prior to peer review or office rejected due to substantive errors in the application, it cannot be resubmitted to the funding opportunity.

Personal data

Processing personal data

EPSRC, 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 TFSchangeEPSRC@epsrc.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.

Publication of outcomes

EPSRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at EPSRC Funding Applications Outcomes.

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)
  • specialist
  • grant manager
  • professional enabling staff
  • research and innovation associate
  • technician
  • researcher co-lead (RcL)

Only list one individual as project lead.

Postdoctoral research assistants should be included on the grant as research and innovation associate.

A research technical professional can be listed as a project lead or project co-lead (UK), provided that their:

  • appointment is resourced from the central funds of their institution at the time of application
  • level of responsibilities and duties is appropriate to a person with substantial research experience
  • contract extends beyond the duration of the project

Please do not add industry project partners in this category, as these should be added in the ’Project partners’ section instead.

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

Purpose: strategic infrastructure

Word limit: 825

What is the infrastructure, why is it needed, and why should EPSRC support it?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Use this section if you are applying for the strategic infrastructure funding route.

Enter ‘N/A’ in the text box and do not upload an attachment for this section if you are applying for the resources to support existing strategic infrastructure funding route, then move onto the next section.

Explain how the proposed infrastructure:

  • is timely, given current trends and context
  • delivers an unmet need
  • meets national needs by establishing or maintaining a unique, world leading activity or both
  • meets community demand and need from a diverse and inclusive user base
  • enhances and complements existing research capability at a local, regional, or national scale
  • aligns to national strategic priorities, including the aims of EPSRC

Describe the strategic importance of the infrastructure and the enabled research. This should include:

  • host organisation strategies for this infrastructure
  • institutional commitment to the infrastructure landscape
  • how the infrastructure sought is different from what is already available in the wider research landscape
  • the potential impact should the proposed infrastructure not be funded

You should input your response to this section in the text box.

References may be included within this section.

Within this section you also have the option to create a single document that includes support letters or emails from organisations that have shown a clear intention to use the infrastructure. This document should only include letters that are highly selective and demonstrating significant support.

You are advised to only include letters from a cross-section of key users, rather than from every user. These may represent different universities within or outside any regional alliance or may indicate relevance to key collaborators within industrial sectors. Only one letter is permitted per organisation.

Each letter or email you provide should clearly explain the value, relevance and possible benefits of the work to users.

Each letter should be no more than two pages of A4 in length.

Please do not include letters of support from project partners in this section. We have a separate section for ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’.

Purpose: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure

Word limit: 825

Why are these resources needed and why should EPSRC support them?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Use this section if you are applying for the resources to support existing strategic infrastructure funding route.

Enter ‘N/A’ in the text box and do not upload an attachment for this section if you are applying for the strategic infrastructure funding route, then move onto the next section.

Explain how the resource sought will:

  • meet national needs by establishing or maintaining a unique or world leading activity, or both
  • enhance and complement the existing regional or national research capability
  • evidence the strong demand and community need from a diverse and inclusive user base
  • meet the strategic aims of the funding organisation
  • result in significant efficiencies, increased usage or greater capacity, or both, compared to the current situation

Describe the strategic importance of the requested resources and the enabled research. This should include:

  • host organisation strategies for this infrastructure
  • institutional commitment to the infrastructure landscape
  • the potential impact should the proposed infrastructure not be funded

You should input your response to this section in the text box.

References may be included within this section.

Within this section you also have the option to create a single document that includes support letters or emails from organisations that have shown a clear intention to use the infrastructure. This document should only include letters that are highly selective and demonstrating significant support.

You are advised to only include letters from a cross-section of key users, rather than from every user. These may represent different universities within or outside any regional alliance or may indicate relevance to key collaborators within industrial sectors. Only one letter is permitted per organisation.

Each letter or email you provide should clearly explain the value, relevance and possible benefits of the work to users.

Each letter should be no more than two pages in length.

Please do not include letters of support from project partners in this section. We have a separate section for ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’.

Vision

Word limit: 1,650

What research will be enabled by this infrastructure?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how the proposed infrastructure will:

  • enable research that ishigh quality, novel or transformative
  • enable research that is timely, given current trends and context
  • offer training opportunities for the wider community
  • have measurable impact beyond the immediate team, with an appropriate approach to achieving demand
  • is relevant to identified stakeholders, including users

You should input your response to this section in the text box.

References may be included within this section.

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

Your application may be rejected if imaged are provided without a descriptive legend in the text box or are used to replace text that could be inputted into the text box.

Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Approach

Word limit: 1,650

What are your plans to manage the proposed infrastructure?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your approach includes:

  • a credible work plan including milestones, deliverables and associated risks in the form of a Gantt chart or similar. The risk analysis should, where appropriate, consider Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) implications (for information please refer to the TR&I section in ‘What are we looking for’)
  • a credible management plan including prioritising access to and maximising usage of the infrastructure. This should include any application and assessment processes and an estimate for the balance of users from the host institution, academics from external institutions and industrial users, particularly where a culture of equipment sharing may extend use to external users
  • long-term technical support which will be available for the requested infrastructure
  • an accessibility plan to demonstrate how you will consider and demonstrate your pathway to ensuring and improving accessibility of this infrastructure and its user diversity during and beyond the duration of this grant

The accessibility plan should include, but is not limited to:

  • how you will establish, monitor progress, maintain and report on user accessibility throughout the lifetime of the grant, for example through mechanisms such as equality impact assessments, user accessibility surveys and codes of conduct, as well as acting as role models for the community on good practice
  • how you will establish, retain, and evolve a diverse and inclusive user base throughout the lifetime of the infrastructure
  • your approach to team inclusion, including how you will establish and maintain a universally accessible and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and all voices in the team are valued, regardless of personal circumstances

Within the accessibility plan we would expect the inclusion of examples of the types of activities the applicant team would undertake, we expect these will evolve during the lifetime of the infrastructure.

An accessibility plan background and a questions and answers document from the February 2024 community webinar are available under the ‘Additional information’ section.

You should input your response to this section in the text box. Your response should include:

  • up to 500 words for project work plan, including milestones, deliverables and associated risks in the form of a Gantt chart or similar
  • up to 500 words for a detailed management plan including user prioritisation mechanisms
  • up to 500 words for a detailed accessibility plan for user base and team inclusion

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.

Sustainability

Word limit: 1,650

What are your plans for sustainability of the proposed infrastructure beyond the end of this funding?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your plans for sustainability include:

  • an appropriate cost recovery model and plans for sustainability and legacy beyond the end of UKRI funding
  • how long-term operational and maintenance costs, including staffing, will be supported
  • a plan for training and development of specialist technical staff
  • steps to enhance the environmental sustainability of the proposed infrastructure
  • how the proposed infrastructure is complementary to UKRI or host institute carbon reduction targets
  • a plan for the development or expansion of the user base after the initial period of funding

Within the Sustainability section we also expect you to explain, if relevant, how the proposed asset contributes to a broader approach to environmental sustainability, such an enhancing biodiversity or clean air, as well as reducing carbon emissions.

Applicant and team capability to deliver

Word limit: 1,650

Why are you the right individual or team to procure and manage the proposed infrastructure?

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)
  • the right balance of skills and expertise
  • the appropriate leadership and management skills 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 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 to 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 below. You should 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 following 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).

You should complete this section as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.

References may be included within this section.

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

Your organisation’s support

Word limit: 1,100

Provide details of support from your research organisation.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a Statement of Support from your research organisation detailing how they will support you, as the applicant, and your proposed activities. If your organisation is providing funding in support of the activity, please provide details here.

The assessors will be looking for a strong statement of commitment from your host institution on:

  • how its contributions are in line with the scale of the proposed infrastructure, including evidencing the strategic importance of this infrastructure to the institution
  • why your host institution is the most appropriate place for the proposed infrastructure
  • how your host institution will use its existing inventory to best complement the proposed infrastructure
  • how your host institution will support the team to meet the proposal objectives
  • the plans to support sustainability and management of the proposed infrastructure

Applicants are encouraged to discuss this section with both the research offices and senior management team prior to submitting applications.

We recognise that in some instances, this information may be provided by the research office, the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) or equivalent, or a combination of both.

You must also include the following details:

  • a significant person’s name, their position and office or department, or all
  • office address or web link

Upload details are provided within the Funding Service on the actual application.

Resources and cost justification

Word limit: 1,500

What will you need to procure to deliver the proposed infrastructure and how much will it cost?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Justify the application’s more substantial costs, in particular:

  • the cost of the proposed infrastructure
  • reasons for requesting a particular specification of equipment or a particular manufacturer
  • any equipment that will cost more than £25,000, including a summary of quotations from at least three suppliers. If there are only one or two suppliers for any piece of equipment, state this and explain why
  • any resources (for example staff or maintenance costs) associated with the infrastructure
  • any resources requested for activities to expand the user base, increase impact, for public engagement or to support responsible innovation
  • the nature and level of contributions from your partner organisations if applicable

You can request costs associated with reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on the project. For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders.

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

  • are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
  • represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
  • maximise potential outcomes and impacts

Note that due to limited functionality on the new Funding Service, you can only select the infrastructure requested at either 80% or 100% full economic cost (FEC) in the automated resource and cost form at this round of the application. For any percentages requested not at 80% or 100% FEC, you should input 100% FEC equipment costs under ‘Exceptions’ and ensure to explain in the text box the percentage FEC and value requested from EPSRC and contributed from elsewhere.

Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)

Word limit: 500

What are the ethical and 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

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

If you are collecting or using data you should 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 re-use of data)
  • formal information standards that your proposed work will comply with

Additional sub-questions (to be answered only if appropriate) relating to research involving:

  • animals
  • human participants
  • genetically modified organisms

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 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. Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU.

Add the following project partner details:

  • the organisation name and address (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 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

Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partner’ 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.  Each 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
  • have a page limit of two sides A4 per partner

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.

Do not provide letters of support from host and project co-leads’ research organisations.

Data management and sharing

Word limit: 250

How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed infrastructure and associated research? For example, using the FAIR Data Principles.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a data management plan that clearly details how you will comply with UKRI’s published data sharing policy, which includes detailed guidance notes.

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, 42KB)
  • proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility
  • information list
  • confirmation you have their agreement where required

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

How we will assess your application

Assessment process

We will assess your application using the following process.

Expert 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 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.

Shortlisting

We will review the comments and scores for each application. Shortlisted applications will go to a panel who will make a funding recommendation.

Applications that do not receive sufficiently strong support from reviewers will be rejected at this stage.

If your application is shortlisted, you will have 14 days to respond to reviewers’ comments.

Panel

For shortlisted applications, an expert interview panel will conduct interviews with applicants after which the panel will make a funding recommendation.

We expect interviews to be held around week commencing 24 November 2025. The exact date and time for your interview will be confirmed in advance.

Shortlisted proposals submitted under the resources to support existing strategic infrastructure route will either be invited to an interview panel or a prioritisation panel, depending on the size and scope of the proposal. You will be informed whether you are required to attend an interview when you are invited to submit a full proposal.

Resources to support existing strategic infrastructure proposals that are invited to interview will be assessed using the same process as strategic infrastructure proposals but on a separate funding list. Funding decisions for resource only strategic infrastructure proposals are independent of funding decisions for strategic infrastructure proposals.

The final funding decision is based on interview or prioritisation panel funding recommendation, budget available, and appropriate balancing of the portfolio.

Feedback

If your application was discussed by a panel, we will give feedback with the outcome of your application.

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.

Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in expert review

Reviewers and 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.

Assessment areas

The assessment areas we will use are:

  • purpose: strategic infrastructure funding route
  • purpose: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure funding route
  • vision
  • approach
  • sustainability
  • applicant and team capability to deliver
  • your organisation’s support
  • resources and cost justification
  • ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)
  • data management and sharing
  • facilities

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 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 researchinfrastructure@epsrc.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 read How applicants use the Funding Service.

Additional info

Background

For more information about our portfolio and strategies, visit:

We wish to encourage a culture of equipment sharing where appropriate to maximise usage within the research group, across institutions or across the UK. As such, strategic infrastructure should account for the national picture, both in terms of equipment available and research being undertaken.

The £400,000 threshold for items of equipment that you can apply for does not imply any consequences for university procurement and tendering rules.

Accessibility plan background

Our goal is to make the infrastructure we invest in as accessible as possible. For everyone to be able to engage and participate, with information and environments, whether they are a user or part of the team supporting the infrastructure. The accessibility plan is focused on your pathway to removing barriers and enabling accommodations or customisations that might be needed for people with a disability or other individual needs, for example people with caring responsibilities.

Grant additional condition

Grants will be subject to the standard UK Research and Innovation grant conditions. The following additional grant condition will be added to this funding opportunity:

We consider the equipment over £400,000 purchased under this grant to be part of your university’s EPSRC capital equipment portfolio. You are required to provide information regarding this equipment as part of your university’s annual equipment report to EPSRC.

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.

Supporting documents

Presentation from the strategic infrastructure outline stage webinar held on 12 February 2024 (PDF, 1,305KB)

Questions and answers document from the strategic infrastructure outline stage held on 12 February 2024 (PDF, 161KB)

Equality Impact Assessment (PDF, 149KB)

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.