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.
- Confirm you are the project lead.
- 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.
- 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.
- Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
- Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
- Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
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