UKRI

EPSRC Programme grant full proposal

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.

9 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 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

Q2 Vision, Approach and Additionality

Create a document that includes your responses to all criteria. The document should not be more than 22 sides of A4, single spaced in paper in 11-point Arial (or equivalent sans serif font) with margins of at least 2cm. You may include images, graphs, tables. References may be included but should not exceed two pages of your document. The 22 sides should include up to two sides for a diagrammatic work plan. For the file name, use the unique Funding Service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘Vision and Approach’. Save this document as a single PDF

What the assessor looks for

  • is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s)
  • has the potential to advance current understanding, generates 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
  • is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
  • is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
  • if applicable, uses a clear and transparent methodology
  • if applicable, summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed
  • will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
  • describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place, and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work
  • added value and need for supporting this research as a coherent programme of interrelated research activities and not a number of smaller research grants
  • need for the added flexibility of resources and the longer term nature of the grant to achieve the proposed research goals

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

Q3 Applicant and team capability to deliver

0 / 2200 words

Why are you the right team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessor looks for

  • the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work
  • appropriateness of the track record and international benchmarking of the applicants
  • 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
  • intend to develop and promote the careers of all its team members, including investigators, research assistants, technicians, and aligned students
  • the ability to lead and manage a large, complex investment with sufficient support, infrastructure and resources for the day-to-day running of the programme grant
  • contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
  • the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
  • contributions to the wider research and innovation community
  • contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit

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

Q4 Project partners: letters (or emails) of support

Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the Project Partner 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
  • the page limit is two sides A4 per partner

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

Q5 Facilities

0 / 250 words

Does your proposed research 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, 42KB)
  • 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.

Q6 Resources and cost justification

0 / 1500 words

What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

What the assessor looks for

  • project staff
  • significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences)
  • any equipment that will cost more than £25,000
  • any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
  • all facilities and infrastructure costs
  • all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’
  • 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 Management strategy

0 / 1000 words

What is your strategy for managing and monitoring your programme grant?

What the assessor looks for

  • use the flexibility of the resources (both for staff and finances) to manage the day-to-day strategy for ensuring individual research projects meet the overall vision for the programme
  • seek external advice, including plans for any independent advisory boards
  • monitor the flexible resources, including at the major decision points, and how this will be used to reassess the direction of the research programme
  • fulfil an advocacy role of the engineering and physical sciences

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

Q8 Your organisation’s support

0 / 2000 words

Provide details of support from your research organisation.

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 Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)

0 / 500 words

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 assessor looks for

  • the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations
  • how you will manage these considerations
  • genetic and biological risk
  • research involving the use of animals
  • conducting research with animal overseas
  • research involving human participation
  • research involving human tissues or biological samples

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

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