Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: Work with Brazilian researchers: NERC FAPESP lead agency

This opportunity allows UK-based researchers and researchers in the State of São Paulo, Brazil to submit a collaborative application under existing NERC funding opportunities. This will go through a single review process.

The goal is to reduce some of the barriers that researchers and funding agencies encounter when trying to work internationally.

This opportunity does not represent a separate research funding scheme. Applications must be submitted under existing eligible funding opportunities – namely NERC’s pushing the frontiers funding opportunity.

Who can apply

UK-based researchers

As a UK-based applicant, to apply as a project lead through NERC, you must be based at an eligible organisation. Check if your organisation is eligible.

Before applying for funding, check the following:

São Paulo-based partners

São Paulo-based applicants must be affiliated with FAPESP eligible institutions, meaning higher education and research organisations, public or non-profit.

Unlike UKRI, FAPESP does not award grants to institutions, but directly to researchers. São Paulo-based project leads must first confirm their eligibility with FAPESP and obtain a formal letter of confirmation.

What we're looking for

You can submit a collaborative research proposal in any area of the natural environment sciences within the remit of NERC and FAPESP. This opportunity does not represent a separate funding opportunity; you must submit your collaborative research proposal to NERC’s pushing the frontiers scheme.

Collaborative research applications may be submitted in any disciplinary or interdisciplinary subject where the majority falls within the remit of both agencies, NERC and FAPESP.

Find out more about the research areas supported by FAPESP.

Your collaborative research proposal must be within the scope of the NERC funding opportunity to which you apply. This includes the funding limits and grant durations of the specific NERC funding opportunity.

Combined budgets for the UK and São Paulo researchers must be within the funding limit of the relevant funding opportunity to which it’s submitted. You do not have to request equal amounts from NERC and FAPESP. The difference should reflect the variations in costs and local prices.

Duration

The duration of this award is the duration of the funding opportunity to which you apply.

Funding available

NERC funds the UK part of your project and FAPESP funds the FAPESP part of your project. The full economic cost of your collaborative project can range from £950,000 to £3.45 million depending on the funding opportunity to which you apply.

For the UK part

We will fund 80% of the full economic cost for:

  • directly incurred costs such as staff payroll, travel and subsistence, and consumables
  • directly allocated costs such as researchers’ salaries, estates costs and shared resources
  • indirect costs such as research organisation administration

Equipment is funded at 100% full economic cost.

Full funding rules are included under the relevant funding opportunities.

For the FAPESP part

The funding you request from FAPESP must follow the relevant FAPESP funding rules:

  • FAPESP will pay all justified costs submitted through their Sistema de Apoio a Gestão (SAGe) system

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

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 your 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.

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

How to apply

This does not represent a separate research funding scheme. Applications need to be submitted under existing programmes, namely NERC’s pushing the frontiers scheme.

There may also be the opportunity to apply for a joint NERC FAPESP grant under specific research programme or international opportunities. These opportunities will be highlighted in the announcement of opportunity for the specific funding opportunity.

São Paulo-based project leads must first confirm their eligibility with FAPESP and obtain a formal letter of confirmation.

The project lead from the UK must be registered in the SAGe system. This can be done by accessing SAGe in the English language and choosing the option ‘Not registered?’.

The applicant based in the UK must be included as a ‘Partner PI’ on SAGe. An active SAGe registration demands the attachment of a photo ID and all information requested that is marked as mandatory (*).

Both the São Paulo and the UK project leads must have an active SAGe registration, and ‘confirm participation’ in the application before finalising the submission.

The São Paulo-based project lead should then submit the FAPESP application via Sistema de Apoio a Gestão (SAGe) and await confirmation from FAPESP that initial pre-assessment checks have been completed.

Once confirmation has been received, the São Paulo-based project lead should send a copy of the SAGe application to the UK project lead, together with the original letter of eligibility. This should happen as soon as possible after receiving confirmation from FAPESP that pre-assessment checks have been completed.

Within seven days of receipt of the SAGe application, the UK-based project lead should submit their application through the UKRI Funding Service to NERC. You are not required to include the copy of the application to SAGe in your submission to the Funding Service.

The application in the Funding Service should be identified clearly as a collaborative application to be considered under the UKRI-FAPESP memorandum of understanding by prefixing the project title with ‘NERC-FAPESP:’ (as well as having the same title).

You must submit your application in the Funding Service according to the details contained in ‘How to apply’ section of the funding opportunity to which you are applying.

You should include both the UK aspects and the Brazilian aspects of your collaborative project within the sections of the Funding Service where you discuss the whole project. You must complete the section ‘International collaborative proposals’. You must include your FAPESP funded project lead as a project co-lead (international) within your ‘Core team’ in the Funding Service. You must not include any costs for this role or the FAPESP funded activities within the ‘Resources and cost justification’ section in the Funding Service. You must not include your FAPESP funded project team in the ‘Project Partners’ section.

The costs of the UK and São Paulo organisations must be clearly differentiated and justified in the application. In the NERC application, FAPESP costs should be converted to GBP at the current HMRC exchange rate at time of application. We will reject any applications that request duplicate funding.

How we will assess your application

NERC will assess applications on behalf of both organisations. A decision will be made by NERC within its normal assessment process, but FAPESP-nominated experts will be involved throughout.

The assessment process usually takes around six months but can be longer.

NERC will inform colleagues in FAPESP if the application is successful. Once FAPESP has confirmed its funds, the UK project lead will be informed of the outcome.

It is up to the UK principal investigator to communicate the outcome of the application to their São Paulo based project lead.

NERC will issue an award for the UK component to the UK applicant’s institution according to normal processes and procedures.

FAPESP will issue an award to the São Paulo applicant’s institution according to normal processes and procedures.

Contact details

Get help with developing your application

For help and advice on costings and writing your application, please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.

Ask about this funding opportunity

UK enquiries

Email: leadagency@nerc.ukri.org

Brazil enquiries

Email: ukri-agreement@fapesp.br

Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the UKRI 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 funding 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.

You can also find information on submitting an application.

Additional info

Grant holder considerations

Grant holders will be expected to comply with the grant conditions and reporting requirements of the agencies they receive funding from.

Grant holders will be expected to comply with the grant conditions and reporting requirements of the agencies they receive funding from.

Grant holders will be required to acknowledge both FAPESP and NERC in any reports or publications arising from the grant.

When extensions are granted, each funding agency will directly advise the relevant project lead of the proper procedure and any constraints for processing these.

Requests for changes to awards pertaining to the scope of research or significant changes or delays to the research will be communicated to counterpart funding agencies.

In accordance with FAPESP and NERC standard procedures, awards are announced publicly.

Post-award management

Award holders should contact both FAPESP and NERC concerning any changes to any of the award holders’ institutional affiliations or other aspects of the grant during its lifetime.

If necessary, NERC and FAPESP may consult with each other before agreeing any changes to the grant’s status. This will normally be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Progress and reporting

Where reporting is required by NERC or FAPESP, it will be submitted according to the normal procedures of those organisations. The required reporting will:

  • cover the development of the whole project (and not only of the national party)
  • specifically describe and comment on the effectiveness of the international cooperation
  • be detailed in each of the research councils and FAPESP’s guidelines for applicants.

Intellectual property

It is the responsibility of the research organisation, and all engaged in the research, to make every reasonable effort to ensure that the outcomes obtained in the course of the research, whether patentable or not, are used to the advantage of society and the economy.

Research outcomes should be disseminated to both research and more widespread audiences, for example, to inform potential users and beneficiaries of the research.

Unless stated otherwise, the ownership of intellectual property, and responsibility for its exploitation, rests with the organisation that generates it. Where the grant is associated with more than one research organisation or other project partners, the basis of collaboration between the organisations, including ownership of intellectual property and rights to exploitation, is expected to be set out in a formal collaboration agreement.

It is the responsibility of the research organisation to put such an agreement in place before the research begins. The terms of collaboration agreements must not conflict with FAPESP’s and UKRI’s terms and conditions.

Arrangements for collaboration or exploitation must not prevent the future progression of research and the dissemination of research results in accordance with academic custom and practice. A temporary delay in publication is acceptable in order to allow commercial and collaborative arrangements to be established.

UKRI and FAPESP may, in individual cases, reserve the right to retain ownership of intellectual property (or assign it to a third party under an exploitation agreement) and to arrange for it to be exploited for the national benefit and that of the research organisation involved. This right, if exercised, will be set out in an additional grant condition.

Where the exploitation of research generates revenue, there should be suitable recognition and return to the research organisation, individuals and funding agency. The grant holder should, subject to the procedures laid down by the research organisation, publish the results of the research in accordance with normal academic practice.

Publications and other forms of media communication, including media appearances, press releases and conferences, must acknowledge the support received from NERC and FAPESP, quoting the grant reference number if appropriate.

The research organisation must ensure that all those associated with the research are aware of, and accept, these arrangements.

What we will do with your information

Data is shared between UKRI and FAPESP to enable the secure and efficient processing of applications. Data shared may include application attachments, anonymised peer reviews and panel comments. Data will be shared by email and a secure extranet where appropriate.

UKRI and FAPESP are committed to maintaining data confidentiality and privacy and intend to fully abide by applicable laws and policies concerning the sharing of data in our collaborative activities. All personal data provided will be processed by both parties in accordance with current data protection legislation.

Further information on how UKRI processes personal data can be found in the UKRI privacy notice.

Updates

  • 30 March 2026
    Sections updated: Description, Who can apply, What we're looking for, How to apply, How we will assess you application and Additional info.
  • 26 March 2024
    NERC applications must now be made through the UKRI Funding Service and no longer the Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) system. Updates made throughout.

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