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.
You must apply to each relevant council separately through the Funding Service.
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.
To apply
Select the relevant ‘Start application’ link for the council you wish to apply to:
- 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.
- 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.
Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant.
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 in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
- insert each new image on 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 will be rejected if you include:
- images of sentences or paragraphs of text
- images of 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.
Please note that as this is a harmonised funding opportunity but assessed by individual Councils, the word count is a maximum figure and for smaller awards may not need the full allocation for their application
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.
Deadline
Councils must receive your application by 15 September 2026 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 applications to these funding opportunities, your applications cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your applications do not follow the guidance, they may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
All participating councils, 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 the relevant council using the email addresses in the ‘contact us’ section of the form.
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.
Institutional matched funding
There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.
This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.
Publication of outcomes
Participating councils, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity.
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:
- how the UKRI IAA will be used to respond to impact opportunities
- aims and objectives, including alignment with institutional strategies
- how you will manage and deliver the funding
Core team
Please read this section carefully.
You must list the key members of your team and assign them the required roles. All applications must include one individual as a project lead (PL) and one separate individual as project co-lead (PcL). Applications that do not include both roles, or include more than one project lead, will be considered incomplete.
Required roles:
Project lead (PL)
The PL must:
- be an academic and/or strategic lead for the IAA application, who has senior oversight and responsibility for the relevant council discipline or portfolio (e.g. Dean, Head of Department, or equivalent senior role)
- be accountable for the overall strategic direction and alignment with organisation priorities
No costs are be associated with this role
Project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
The PcL must:
- act as the primary UKRI-level institutional contact across all IAA applications submitted by your Research Organisation
- be the same named individual listed on every IAA application from the organisation to ensure consistency in communication and coordination with UKRI
- support cross council oversight, ensure alignment across submissions and facilitate organisational-level reporting and governance
- ensure no costs are associated with this role
Medical Research Council (MRC) only
For consortia applications, all collaborating organisations must be included as PcL.
Grant Manager
This should be used for staff that will manage and administer the IAA. These staff must be fully justified in the ‘Resources and Costs’ question as per the associated guidance.
Applications
Word limit: 20
Please indicate whether your organisation is submitting an impact acceleration account (IAA) application to any other UKRI research council.
The information you provide for this question, will not be considered to assess your application.
UKRI Research Councils involved in the 2027 IAA round:
UKRI encourages research organisations to take advantage of the strategic opportunities afforded by alignment of IAA awards across disciplines. This may include opportunities to fund impact or translational activities across discipline boundaries, running parallel internal calls, expanding culture change or training activities, or sharing common impact and translational mechanisms.
UKRI recognises that opportunities for alignment may not always be obvious or accessible for all research organisations depending on discipline strengths or award outcomes (see ‘Assessment Process’). Applications will not be disadvantaged for not being able to support multiple council IAAs.
Application questions
Vision
Word limit: 550
What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response:
Explain how your proposed work:
- will meet the UKRI IAAs aims and objectives
- how they will build on the base of high-quality research identified in the ‘Use of existing resources, strengths and relationships’ question, including leveraging existing investments (internal and external)
- will provide a wide range of flexible and adaptive early-stage impact support.
- have the potential to drive a wide range of impacts at local, regional, national and international levels
- have the potential to drive multi-disciplinary impacts and knowledge exchange including how your aims will work across multiple IAAs (if appropriate)
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.
Approach
Word limit: 2,000
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 vision and objectives, building on established strengths and the outcomes of existing impact activity
- addresses areas of untapped potential and contributes to the development of an ‘Impact culture’
- utilises a range of flexible and adaptive approaches that are sector appropriate, and supports reasonable risk-taking, fast-failure and continuous improvement
- maximises user engagement and meaningful relationships with potential partners, including existing relationships with partners and users
- supports monitoring of outputs, outcomes and impacts, including partner and/or user contributions, and EDI considerations
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.
Use of existing resources, strengths and relationships
Word limit: 550
How are you positioned to successfully deliver the proposed IAA.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how your proposed IAA:
- builds upon the identified base of high-quality research in the specific Research Council remit
- supports organisational and council or UKRI research and innovation strategies and priorities
- compliments the existing impact, translation and knowledge exchange strategies and practises of your organisation
- will build capability for your organisation, particularly in areas of untapped potential or strategic importance
References may be included within this section.
Outcomes and impact from previous awards (only applicable to MRC applicants)
Word limit: 2,000
Describe the outcomes and impact generated through previous MRC Impact Acceleration Account funding and the value this has delivered at institutional or consortia level.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you have held previous MRC IAA funding, you should:
- demonstrate outcomes and impact achieved across your portfolio, including: progress along translational pathways, engagement with industry or other users, and onward development or adoption
- provide evidence of value added by the funding, including: what this funding enabled that would not otherwise have occurred and additional investment leveraged (financial, in-kind, institutional support)
- describe how funding has been deployed across a portfolio, including: approaches to supporting a range of projects and examples of progression, redirection, or early termination where appropriate
- highlight wider institutional or ecosystem effects, for example: changes in culture, behaviours, or capability; and development of new routes to translation or commercialisation
- provide key headline metrics where appropriate (for example number of projects, follow-on funding, partnerships formed)
Case studies
Provide up to five5 short case studies (maximum 200 words each) illustrating the range of outcomes supported.
These may include:
- projects that achieved significant impact or follow-on funding
- projects that generated important insights or redirected activity
- projects that did not progress but informed future approaches
Each case study should include:
- project lead and title
- brief description of the opportunity
- support provided
- outcomes and impact
- onward investment or next steps
Project list
Provide a list of all projects supported under previous MRC IAA funding as an embedded table. This should be concise and proportionate approximately 500 words
First-time applicants
If you have not previously held MRC IAA funding:
- describe existing translational activity within your institution or partnership, including: examples of projects currently progressing towards application and sources of support currently used
- explain the opportunity for MRC IAA funding to add value, including: gaps in current provision and how projects could be accelerated or advanced
- provide up to 5 illustrative examples (200 words each) of projects that could benefit from IAA support
Outputs, outcomes and measures of success
Word limit: 500
What will success look like.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain how:
- the expected outputs, outcomes and impact of the IAA, including any benefits and added value the IAA will bring to your organisation and region
- you will clearly and credibly measure the success and added value of your IAAs, including qualitative and quantitative monitoring of outputs, outcomes and impacts, including those of partners, users or both
- any key performance indicator which relate to your described activities
Governance and Management
Word limit: 750
How will you manage and internally award the IAA funding.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain the management and governance structures you will put in place, including:
- how you will ensure the effective and flexible use of administrative effort and processes, and how your organisation would manage multiple IAA awards (where appropriate)
- the membership, or expected membership, of your panels or committees and their reporting lines and responsibilities, including any external membership
- how the projects will be supported, in terms of monitoring and advice, after IAA funding, including management of Intellectual Property (IP strategy)
Within this section we also expect you to:
- demonstrate how your organisation will encourage, support and embed responsible inclusive and engaged approaches to research and innovation. This should include specific plans for how you will incorporate Equality Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I), ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) , and environmental sustainability
Please refer to the UKRI position statement on funding ethical research and Responsible innovation for more information around our expectations on ethical and responsible research and innovation.
Resources and cost justification
Word limit: 1,000
What will you need to deliver your proposed IAA and how much will it cost.
You must apply for costs that are appropriate and critical for delivery of the IAA, proportionate to the size of the award applied for.
Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all resources. Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed IAA:
- are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
- represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
- maximise potential outcomes and impacts
In particular, you should clearly justify:
- IAA delivery staff: any staffing costs to enable IAA funding management and coordination
- Travel and subsistence for delivery staff
All costs should be added under exceptions cost category at 100% FEC. Requests made under any other fund headings will be removed.
Costs associated for reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on IAA-related activity are eligible as part of flexible funding provided through IAAs. For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
Trusted Research and Innovation is the protection of the UK’s intellectual property, sensitive research, people, and infrastructure from potential theft, misuse, and exploitation.
Organisations receiving UKRI funding are obliged to act in line with UK government legislation. They are also expected to undertake appropriate due diligence assessments of organisations involved in research partnerships, collaboration agreements, and commercial contracts.
You will be asked about:
- which areas of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act your project relates to
- who you intend to collaborate with and how
- if your project requires an export control licence
Your answers may affect the T&Cs of your funding agreement if you are successful. We may use your answers to determine that our current T&Cs are sufficient or if additional T&Cs are required.
