UKRI

Collaboration for a Sustainable Future: pilots & UK seed funding

The questions, word limits and assessment criteria below are the funder’s own, taken from the published competition material. You still submit through their service; this is where the writing happens first.

11 questions, straight from the funder

Their word limits are on every box, counted live as you type, and what the assessor is told to look for sits beside it. All of that is free. The pre-sift check — every mechanical rule that rejects a proposal before anyone reads it, run over what you have written — comes with the pass.

Application questions

Q1 Summary

0 / 550 words

In plain English, provide a summary. 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

Q2 Vision

0 / 2250 words

Through this funding opportunity, you can request funding from £100,000 to £5 million. It is expected that the word limit reflects the scale and complexity of your project. What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work? Provide a description of the project – the problem it is intended to solve, and overall aim and key objectives to deliver the aim. The activities described later in the Approach section should be designed to deliver these objectives.

What the assessor looks for

meets the scope of this opportunity within the programme, and the programme’s ambitions. Including spanning multiple higher education providers (at least two).
derisks and tests new collaboration(s) with the potential to drive a sustainable cost-effective future of the research and innovation system
demonstrates why the change the collaboration aims to bring about is needed. Include the context of this collaboration, why this project is needed and why now. This should include any reference to previous related activity, and clear explanation of why your proposed project is novel
evidences the additionality of this project. Including clear articulation of how the activity within this project could not be undertaken without this funding opportunity, is not part of the higher education providers current plans for research and innovation, and for which no other appropriate funding source is available
impacts direct and indirect beneficiaries including clear buy-in from wider stakeholders where appropriate
considers the impact of new approaches on the culture and environment of our higher education research and innovation system for example the impact on equity, inclusion, diversity, trust and collective responsibility
additional impact from the complementary strengths of the geographies and their innovation ecosystems, meaning driving significant opportunities over and above what the individual innovation ecosystems could achieve
enhanced partnership to deliver your approach and maximise the complementary strengths. We expect applications to bring together higher education providers and wider partners such as local government, businesses, investors, and cutting-edge innovation within these geographical areas
the project to be driven by geographical strengths and responsiveness to meet local government priorities
self-definition of the geographies involved, which may be regional, cities, or local economic areas. This should include rationale for why the particular geographies you have defined and chosen

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

Q3 Approach

0 / 3000 words

Through this funding opportunity, you can request funding from £100,000 to £5 million. It is expected that the word limit reflects the scale and complexity of your project. How are you going to deliver your proposed work?

What the assessor looks for

is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
is cognisant of previous approaches in this context, and why this is novel or different. This should include how your project builds on best practice or learnings from different sectors, geographies, industries, charities, international and wider communities if appropriate
is clear what the project will do from the set of work packages, and what it will achieve in terms of clear outputs linked to the overall aim. Clearly shows the plan of activities including milestones and timelines and will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
identifies and explains who the direct and indirect beneficiaries might be
describes the collaboration, how it will operate and what each partner will contribute to the programme of activities
considers and understands the impact of new approaches on the culture and environment of our higher education research and innovation system for example the impact on equity, inclusion, diversity, trust and collective responsibility

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

Q4 Governance

0 / 1000 words

Through this funding opportunity, you can request funding from £100,000 to £5 million. It is expected that the word limit reflects the scale and complexity of your project. How will you manage the award to successfully deliver its objectives?

What the assessor looks for

will be effectively governed, including details about advisory structures
will be effectively and inclusively managed, demonstrated by a clear management plan
has clear leadership team roles and responsibilities
will manage and encourage partnerships with non-higher education providers organisations across government, industry and civil society if relevant to your project
has plans for monitoring your progress as well as self-evaluation throughout the lifetime of your award

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

Q5 Applicant and team capability to deliver

0 / 1000 words

Through this funding opportunity, you can request funding from £100,000 to £5 million. It is expected that the word limit reflects the scale and complexity of your project. Why are you the right team and higher education provider(s) to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessor looks for

capability and empowerment to deliver the objectives of your project
relevant experience, expertise and skills to deliver the proposed project, including the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver as applicable
clear buy-in from across the collaboration, evidence should be included under project partners
commitment and support of your organisation(s), to ensure delivery of the objectives of your project

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

Q6 Resources and cost justification

0 / 1000 words

Through this opportunity, you can request funding from £100,000 to £5,000,000. It is expected that the word limit reflects the scale and complexity of your project. What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

What the assessor looks for

costings need to be detailed as ‘exception-other’ and Research England will fund 100% of the FEC of England-only pilots and the cross-UK innovation partnership models
detail on what the costs are and why they are required to deliver your project. We expect an appropriate level of detail regarding breakdown of staff and non-staff costs
are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
maximise potential outcomes and impacts

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

Q7 Place

0 / 1000 words

Through this funding opportunity, you can request funding from £100,000 to £5 million. It is expected that the word limit reflects the scale and complexity of your project. The cross-UK innovation partnership projects are expected to have clear place impacts for the geographical areas you define. What are the place related challenges or opportunities for your application?

What the assessor looks for

will deliver local, regional or both impacts, both direct and indirect, and who the beneficiaries might be
enhances the UK’s research and innovation capabilities through local, regional or both activity
will engage local and or regional stakeholders in meaningful partnership

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

Q8 Your organisation’s support

0 / 750 words

Through this opportunity, you can request funding from £100,000 to £5 million. It is expected that the word limit reflects the scale and complexity of your project. Provide details of support from all higher education providers who are part of this institutional collaboration.

What the assessor looks for

a significant person’s name, their position and office or department, or all
office address or web link

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

Q9 Project partners: letters (or emails) of support

Upload a single PDF containing letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the project partners section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.

What the assessor looks for

confirm the partner’s commitment to the project
clearly explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the work to them
describe any additional value that they bring to the project
have a page limit of 2 sides A4 per partner

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

Q10 Data management and sharing

0 / 300 words

If you appropriate to your application, please fill in this question. How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed project?

Q11 Facilities

0 / 300 words

If you appropriate to your application, please fill in this question. Does your proposed application require the support and use of a facility?

What the assessor looks for

name of facility, copied and pasted from the facility information list (DOCX, 43KB)
proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility information list
confirmation you have their agreement where required

A filled dot only means your answer mentions that ground. It is not a judgement of how well.

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