This is an open call for UKRI-led opportunities with a two-stage application process (expression of interest and full proposal).
Before applying, discuss with your research team whether the lead agency should be NSF or one of the UKRI research councils. You must base this decision on where you plan to carry out the majority of research.
If you are planning to submit an application to the NSF/SBE as the lead agency, you will need to check submission deadlines for the SBE participating research programmes most relevant to your project.
NSF has issued a statement on NSF priorities and guidance on the implementation of recent executive orders, which are updated regularly. We encourage you to discuss applications with your research offices and US collaborators, as appropriate, before submitting an expression of interest. Processing timelines may be longer than usual through either the UKRI or NSF/SBE submission route.
Expression of interest
You must submit your expression of interest (EOI) using the NSF/SBE-UKRI expression of interest template (PDF, 134KB). You must then email your completed EOI in PDF format to your chosen lead agency.
If a UK research council (AHRC, BBSRC or ESRC) is the lead agency, you must email your EOI to sbeleadagency@ukri.org.
If NSF is the lead agency, email your EOI to sbe-ukri@nsf.gov.
This should outline:
- the proposed research
- the research teams that are involved
- bottom line estimates of funding at 100% full economic cost to be requested from both the NSF and UKRI (including all research-related and institutional administrative costs for the US budget request).
Full proposal budgets should not vary from those specified in the approved EOI by more than 10%, and you must justify any changes.
The expression of interest should include:
- a brief summary
- the main objectives and research challenges of the proposed research
- the methodologies to be used
- the outputs, impact and beneficiaries.
The EOI will be shared with the non-lead agencies to check for eligibility.
Full proposal
If your EOI is accepted as falling within the scope of research typically reviewed by the NSF/SBE programme, as well as fitting within the remit of AHRC, BBSRC or ESRC, we will invite you to submit a full research proposal.
We expect that full proposals will be submitted within one year of receiving EOI approval. If more time is needed for proposal preparation, an additional EOI may be required.
If you apply with a full proposal before receiving EOI approval, the proposal will be returned without review.
You must submit all UKRI-led proposals for assessment through the UKRI Funding Service. If you are new to the Funding Service, you should refer to how applicants use the Funding Service.
If the NSF/SBE is the lead agency, you must submit your proposal via Fastlane, Grants.gov or Research.gov.
Your proposal should include a description of the full proposed research programme and research team and describe the total resources for the joint project (the funds requested from both the NSF and UKRI).
The costs of the US and UK organisations must be clearly differentiated in the proposal. We will reject any proposals that request duplicate funding.
For UK-led proposals, resources being requested from NSF should be entered on the separate NSF budget form. The NSF budget form is not a mandatory attachment for US-led proposals.
