Funding opportunity

Supporting researchers to involve public at pre-application stage

• Opportunity status: Open
• Funders: Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Funding type: Grant
• Total fund: £100,000
• Award range: £5,000 - £20,000
• Publication date: 24 April 2025
• Opening date: 24 April 2025 9:00am UK time
• Closing date: 26 June 2025 4:00pm UK time

Apply for funding to run a scheme at your research organisation (RO) to reimburse public partners who work with researchers to develop Medical Research Council (MRC) research funding applications.

You must be based at a RO eligible for MRC funding.

Your RO scheme must:

• support research applications to MRC
• support researchers to develop, plan and deliver their public partnership activity

The full economic cost (FEC) of your scheme can be up to £20,000 and over a duration of up to 18 months. MRC will fund 100% of the FEC.

You must have completed the mandatory expression of interest stage to be invited to this full stage.

Who can apply

You can only apply for this funding opportunity if we have invited you to do so following submission of an expression of interest (EOI). The EOI stage closed 8 April 2025.

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

Who is eligible to apply

To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity you must:

• be employed by an eligible research organisation
• show that you will lead the project and be actively engaged in the work
• have knowledge of public involvement good practice
• have previous experience of providing public involvement support to researchers and staff

Note: Professional services staff, for example, public involvement and engagement professionals, can be the project lead.

For applicants who do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, by submitting an application the research organisation is confirming, if it is successful:

• contracts will be extended six months beyond the end date of the project
• all necessary support for the project and the applicant/s will be provided

A research organisation may lead or partner on more than one application and applications may comprise more than one research organisation.

Individuals may be project lead on only one application. However, individuals can act as project co-leads on any number of applications.

Who is not eligible to apply

You are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity as a project lead if you are based at an international research organisation. This does not include project leads from MRC Unit The Gambia or MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation.

You are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity if you are seeking support for your own planned research application to MRC. This is a devolved model, so research organisations receive awards from MRC and run their own scheme, which their researchers can apply to.

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

Aim

To support researchers to involve the public in developing research funding applications (at pre-application stage).

Scope

You can apply for funding to run a scheme at your research organisation to reimburse public partners who work with researchers to develop MRC research funding applications.

Public partners include a diverse range of communities and people of all ages and backgrounds, who bring different life experiences, knowledge and perspectives.

To be eligible, members of the public must be contributing in a personal capacity and not working in a professional capacity (where their contribution is already covered by existing payment, for example, employed by a charity or support group and contributing on behalf of this organisation).

Research organisations must devise and manage their own scheme.

This can be an existing scheme or a new scheme.

Your research organisation scheme must:

• support research funding applications to MRC
• support researchers to develop, plan and deliver their public partnership activity

As part of a devolved scheme, public involvement support must be provided to researchers including:

• initial review and feedback on each application to the devolved scheme
• tailored support to develop a meaningful public partner activity, with a focus on mutual benefit
• support in planning the delivery and evaluation of the activity
• encouraging researchers to attend relevant public involvement training and to include this in their personal development plans

Researcher and public partner expectations should be aligned. It is essential that public partner expectations are considered and managed with integrity, from receipt of applications to the devolved scheme and throughout the planning and delivery of the activity.

Institutional payment rates for public partners can be used for the devolved scheme. MRC public partner payment guidance may be helpful if no institutional rates exist and to inform MRC research funding applications.

Report back on this scheme

The project lead will be required to report against a set of reporting measures.

Further information on the reporting measures can be found in the ‘additional information’ section.

There will be an online evaluation workshop, which the project lead will be expected to attend and contribute to. Further details will be provided to successful project leads following the funding decision meeting.

For more information on the background of this funding opportunity, go to the Additional information section.

Duration

The duration of this award is up to 18 months.

Funding available

The FEC of your project can be up to £20,000.

MRC will fund 100% of the FEC. All costs should be requested under the exceptions fund heading.

Find out more about full economic costing.

What we will fund

The costs requested to run the devolved scheme should be those specifically related to the public partner activity undertaken to support applications for MRC research funding.

You can request funding for the following costs that the devolved scheme can support:

• compensation for time and reimbursement of expenses for public partners, for example, travel, accommodation, food or internet data fee
• reasonable catering and venue costs
• special requirements, such as care or support workers, interpreters and childcare (which must be agreed before the activity takes place)
• costs to identify suitable public partners (for example, Facebook advertising)

Who can be supported by the devolved scheme:

• public partners, including those from an existing public and patient involvement group or charity, voluntary or community group
• specific experts, such as a professional facilitator, to support public partner activity
• organisations who represent members of the public, for example support and community groups or charities, may be offered payment for public partnership contributions provided by their staff or members in a professional capacity. The level and arrangements for payment should be agreed before the activity takes place

What we will not fund

The devolved scheme cannot support costs for:

• public involvement and engagement staff managing and supporting the scheme
• public involvement and engagement training
• equipment for online sessions and other general IT costs, unless it is to fulfil special requirements (see MRC public partner payment guidance)
• long term funding for public involvement and engagement groups

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)

UK 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. 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 expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.

Further guidance and information about TR&I, including where you can find additional support.

How to apply

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

The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members to contribute to the application.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

If the lead research organisation is an NHS organisation, check it is available in the Funding Service. You are encouraged to check this early as there may be additional steps for the organisation to be set up before you can apply.

To apply

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

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.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:

• how applicants use the Funding Service
• how research offices use the Funding Service
• how reviewers use the Funding Service

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

MRC must receive your application by 26 June 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.

Personal data

Processing personal data

MRC 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 publicengagement@mrc.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

MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at board and panel.

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 of 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:

• aims and objectives of your scheme
• who can apply
• how you will run the scheme and support applicants and awardees

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

Only list one individual as project lead. If you include more than one project lead your application will fail at the checking stage.

Public contributors (public partners) should be added to your application under the ‘specialist’ role within the core team (if applicable).

Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.

Application questions

Vision

Word limit: 500

What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your proposed work:

• is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field or area
• has the potential to advance current understanding, generate 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
• promotes wider advocacy, leadership, promotion and championing of public engagement

Within this section we also expect you to:

• explain how your scheme addresses the priorities of the funding opportunity
• state the objectives of your proposed funding scheme, including the rationale
• identify the potential beneficiaries and the anticipated outcomes that you hope will result

Approach

Word limit: 1,500

How are you going to deliver your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how you have designed your approach so that it:

• is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
• is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
• will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts

Within the Approach section we also expect you to include:

• details of the pool of researchers who would be eligible to apply for MRC research funding (including approximate number)
• how you will promote the scheme
• key dates and activities for the scheme
• how you would distribute the funding, including details of your application, assessment (including eligibility check) and decision-making processes
• the support you would provide to scheme applicants and those in receipt of scheme funding to work with the public at pre-application stage
• plans to evaluate and share the lessons learned
• any steps that will help to ensure there is a legacy from your scheme (for example how learning will be embedded into strategies, policies and practices at a research department or institutional level)

We also expect you to:

• confirm whether funding would be distributed as part of an existing researcher support scheme, or whether you will be establishing a new scheme, or other
• provide evidence of how you will draw upon good practice in supporting public involvement

The length of your response will vary depending on your application, you may not need to use 1,500 words.

Applicant and team capability to deliver

Word limit: 1,000

Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

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

• the relevant experience to deliver the proposed work
• the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work
• the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others
• contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community

Within this section we also expect you to:

• share any previous experience of providing training or support to researchers and staff to strengthen their skills and confidence in public involvement
• share the team’s experience of maintaining equitable relationships with public partners
• share the team’s experience of embedding support for public involvement into institutional and departmental strategies, policies, and practices
• detail any relevant experience managing similar funds or projects

The word count for this section is 1,000 words: 500 words to be used to evidence you and your team, and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.

Additions

Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).

Complete this as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.

The length of your response will vary depending on your application, you may not need to use 1,000 words.

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

Resources and cost justification

Word limit: 1,000

What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Justify the application’s resources, ensuring you detail the approximate number of scheme applications you expect to fund and your budgeted average cost per awardee.

You should consider:

• compensation for time and reimbursement of expenses for public partners, for example, travel, accommodation, food or internet data fee
• reasonable catering and venue costs
• special requirements, such as care or support workers, interpreters and childcare, which must be agreed before the activity takes place
• costs to identify suitable public partners, for example Facebook advertising
• specific experts, such as a professional facilitator, to support public partner activity
• organisations who represent members of the public, for example support and community groups or charities, whose staff or members provide contributions in a professional capacity. Payment must be agreed before the activity takes place

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
• evidence the project has the necessary resources to achieve its intended outcomes

Within this section we also expect you to confirm how you will adhere to institutional policies for public partner payment; or in the absence of these MRC public partner payment guidance.

We will fund 100% of the justified costs and all costs should be entered under the exceptions fund heading.

Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)

Word limit: 500

What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated:

• the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations
• how you will manage these considerations

Consider the MRC guidance on ethics and approvals.

Within this section we also expect you to:

• provide evidence of steps to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion within the scheme
• describe how you will support researchers and staff, to ensure that funded projects provide mutual benefit to public partners

How we will assess your application

Assessment process

We will assess your application using the following process.

Examination of applications

All applications will be examined to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria and scope of the funding opportunity. If your application is outside the scope, you will be advised by email, and we will not assess your application. We aim to notify you of this around four weeks after the closing date.

Shortlisting

In the event of high demand for this funding opportunity, UKRI reserves the right to introduce shortlisting at this stage.

Assessment panel

The panel will assess the quality of each application and rank it alongside other applications, after which the panel will make a funding recommendation.

Timescale

We aim to complete the assessment process within three months of receiving your application.

Feedback

If your application was discussed by the assessment panel and they provided feedback, this will be sent to you within six weeks of the panel meeting.

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.

Assessment areas

The assessment areas we will use are:

• vision of the project
• approach to the project
• capability of the applicant or applicants and the project team to deliver the project
• ethical and responsible research and innovation considerations of the project
• resources requested to do the project

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 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 publicengagement@mrc.ukri.org

For general questions related to MRC funding including our funding opportunities and policy please contact rfpd@mrc.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

MRC invests public money in world-class biomedical research and innovation. MRC aims to improve human health and economic prosperity for everyone, regardless of background, place or upbringing.

Our new MRC public partnerships strategy was published in July 2024. It was co-developed with researchers, MRC staff, public involvement and engagement professionals, members of the public, patients and voluntary and community groups, based in the UK and internationally.

By public partnerships we mean all the different ways that people and the research community can come together to shape and share scientific research. Public partnerships cover the whole spectrum of public engagement, which includes involvement and community engagement.

Public partners encompass a diverse range of communities and people of all ages and backgrounds, who bring different life experiences, knowledge and perspectives.

The co-development process identified a gap at the earliest stage of the research cycle, which is to reimburse time and expenses for public partners who work with researchers to develop funding applications.

In our action plan we committed to run a funding initiative that enables public partnerships to inform research design at the pre-application stage.

This funding opportunity supports embedding public partnerships at an early stage in the research cycle. It will enable us to learn from the awarded research organisation schemes about what works well and lessons learned.

Reporting measures

We have appointed external evaluation consultants to explore the outputs, outcomes, successes, challenges and lessons learned from this funding opportunity.

The evaluation aims to facilitate critical reflection and to enable the key stakeholders to engage as learning partners. We are also committed to enabling openness and honesty in exploring both positive outcomes and benefits and ensuring that any negative outcomes are also captured, in addition to any unanticipated outcomes.

The following guidance articulates a set of measures that the research organisation (RO) scheme leads will be asked to report against. The data and evidence will be collected via an interim and final online survey. We will also collect more qualitative data and evidence during a half-day online workshop for the scheme leads. The findings will be synthesised, aggregated, summarised and presented in the final evaluation report.

1.0 RO scheme lead

Data we will request about you and your research organisation is as follows:

• your full name
• your job title
• your department or unit
• your contact details
• the research organisation in which you are based

2.0 RO scheme

Data and evidence we will request about the management and delivery of the RO scheme is as follows:

• amount awarded from MRC
• eligible researcher pool summary
• a short description of the pool of researchers eligible to apply for MRC research funding at your organisation, including an approximate number
• scheme name, advise whether the scheme was a new initiative or built into an existing scheme or a restart of a former scheme or another type
• scheme funding range, the minimum and maximum funding amount that could be applied for
• scheme dates including the dates scheme launched, open for applications, closed
• application deadline type, was the funding opportunity an open opportunity or on a deadline basis; including how many rounds of applications
• scheme promotion and engagement, a summary of how the scheme was promoted to generate awareness and engagement
• support delivered to potential applicants, including for example, number and type of activities (seminars; one-to-ones; workshops)
• equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) considerations, a summary of any steps taken to ensure any activities associated with the scheme were open, inclusive and accessible
• summary of application and assessment process, a summary highlighting how applications were reviewed and assessed, selection criteria and who was involved in making decisions
• support for unsuccessful applicants, including details on any support provided, for example written feedback, signposting
• summary of approach to evaluation, a short summary including how data and insights were gathered, how the reporting measures were adopted and used, additional methods and questions deployed
• scheme lead reflections: a reflective narrative about the development and delivery of the scheme, including details about what worked well, or not so well. Include what the enablers and barriers were, any key learning or insights gained and any future developments or improvements

3.0 Applications to RO scheme

Data we will request about the applications made to the RO scheme is as follows:

• total number of applications received
• range of funding applied for (minimum and maximum amounts)
• total amount of funding applied for (all applications)
• research areas, clinical or non-clinical and the research area (such as infections and immunity; global health; molecular or cellular medicine; neuroscience; mental health; population and systems medicine)
• career stage of the project lead for each RO award, for example, PhD or doctoral student; early-career researcher; mid-career researcher; senior researcher; professor, group leader, principal investigator; other (please specify)

4.0 Awards made by RO scheme

Data we will request about the awards made is as follows:

• total number of awards made
• award amount per application
• total amount awarded by RO scheme (all applications combined)
• research areas, clinical or non-clinical and the research area (such as infections and immunity; global health; molecular or cellular medicine; neuroscience; mental health; population and systems medicine).
• career stage of the project lead for each RO award, for example, PhD or doctoral student; early-career researcher; mid-career researcher; senior researcher; professor, group leader, principal investigator; other (please specify)
• whether the lead researcher on the project team has sought input from public partners before? If yes, then have they involved public partners at a pre-application stage? And in that case, were the public partners reimbursed?
• allocation of award, overview of how funding was spent across all awards (for example payment to reimburse public partners; room and venue hire; refreshments; external facilitators and engagement consultants; consumables; other (please specify))
• summary of support offered to all awardees, including details of number and type of activities (for example seminars, workshops, one-to-ones); number of awarded projects that engaged with the support (both before applying to the RO scheme and post award); number of people who engaged with the support and their roles (for example researcher, public partner)

5.0 Awarded projects

Data we will request is provided from the awarded projects is as follows:

• total number and type of public partnership activities that took place, for example workshops, panels or other types of activities
• total number of university staff and students involved per awarded project, including number of researchers, public involvement engagement professionals, students; or other staff
• total number of public partners involved per awarded project, including numbers of patients, carers, community group members; community organisations staff; or other partners
• roles of public partners including whether they were co-leads or partners, participants, or other roles
• total number of facilitators or other consultants including a summary of their key roles

6.0 Feedback on the a) scheme and b) public partnership activities

The following data and evidence will be collected via the scheme leads from the evaluation survey(s) and will be discussed in more depth at the online workshop.

A summary of feedback received from awardees capturing:

• aspects of the scheme that worked particularly well and not so well, including for example, the application process, the support available
• successes, challenges and lessons learned, including for example about involving public partners in early-stage research design
• the perceived value, or otherwise, of the public partnership activities
• in what ways, if any, have the activities influenced research thinking, direction or plans
• any steps that were taken to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion considerations were implemented in the public partnership activities
• additional learning or insights gained (that are not covered above)
• suggestions for improvement for example, to how the scheme was run or delivered, or support for future activities

A summary of feedback received from public partners including:

• what worked particularly well and not so well
• any benefits/positive outcomes from their involvement
• any disbenefits and negative outcomes from their involvement
• what could be improved
• any other comments

Finally, we will ask for details of any plans, submissions or decisions whether successful or unsuccessful, on research applications made, that were informed by the public partnership activities.

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.

Webinar for potential applicants

We will hold a webinar on 15 May 2025 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. This will provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions. The registration link will be provided to invited applicants via email.

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.