Strategic Infrastructure for Engineering and Physical Sciences: Feb 2025

Strategic Infrastructure for Engineering and Physical Sciences: Feb 2025 is sponsored by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Funding for infrastructure projects in engineering and physical sciences, potentially supporting assistive technology development.

Strategic infrastructure for engineering and physical sciences: Feb 2025 – UKRI Funding opportunity: Strategic infrastructure for engineering and physical sciences: Feb 2025 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 14 February 2025 9:00am UK time 8 April 2025 4:00pm UK time Apply for funding to purchase strategic infrastructure including equipment, resources or both.

The funding seeks to improve UK scientific capability and enable cutting-edge research of high priority to Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). This funding opportunity is for invited applicants only. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for EPSRC funding.

This funding is for either: purchase and set-up of equipment resources to support existing equipment The cost of the equipment requested must be at least £400,000 including VAT. The resources only applications must have a maximum duration of two years. You can only apply for this funding opportunity if we have invited you to do so following a successful outline application.

The outline stage is an open opportunity with no deadline and successful applications are then invited to submit a full proposal. This opportunity is the full proposal stage. To lead a project, you must be based at an eligible organisation.

Check if your organisation is eligible . EPSRC standard eligibility rules apply. For full details, visit EPSRC’s eligibility page .

For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual . The UKRI-RCN Money Follows Cooperation Agreement or the UKRI-IIASA agreement do not apply to this funding opportunity. As such grants submitted to this funding opportunity cannot include an International Institute of Advanced System Analysis (IIASA) or a Norway-based international co-project lead.

We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UKRI or any other funder. Find out more about EPSRC’s resubmissions policy . Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants.

We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers. We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes: support for people with caring responsibilities alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Strategic infrastructure is intended to enhance UK scientific capability and support cutting-edge research of high priority to us. The request should fit within the host institution strategy and enable research that predominantly falls within our remit.

Strategic infrastructure opportunity provides two funding routes: route one: purchase and set-up of strategic infrastructure route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure These two funding routes have different scopes, but the application and assessment processes are via the same funding opportunity.

Route one: strategic infrastructure Strategic infrastructure includes a wide range of capital infrastructure and justified non-capital costs.

Examples include, but are not limited to: equipment enabling technology that increases novel research capability; for example, capital infrastructure enabling transformative research of high importance to EPSRC and the UK, or capital infrastructure empowering the UK to become world leading as a result of the enabled research equipment enabling research through increased capacity; for example, high-specification capital infrastructure that enables faster, higher resolution or more cost-effective results non-capital costs where there is a clear requirement and should only be used to support the capital infrastructure requested All strategic infrastructure requests should include: Please note, you will need our approval for application if your request is over £3 million.

Find more details on the scope of the strategic infrastructure funding opportunity . Route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure This funding route is only for invited applicants where strategic needs are identified. You must be invited by the relevant EPSRC theme lead to submit an application.

Resources to support existing strategic infrastructure is intended to maximise usage of existing equipment that has already been procured, delivered and installed. This funding opportunity supports improved access and approaches to enable a better sharing of existing capital infrastructure. We expect that funding will provide seed or invest-to-save funding to initiate increased use and sustainability of the existing infrastructure.

The existing infrastructure may have been funded by EPSRC or other sources. The research enabled by the infrastructure must be within our remit. We do not expect that you will need more funding through this funding opportunity after the first application.

You must articulate clear plans for sustainability in your application. We will not accept further applications to support sharing of the same item or items of capital infrastructure. Find more details on the scope of the resources to support existing strategic infrastructure funding opportunity .

Route one: strategic infrastructure The duration of the award must reflect that this is an infrastructure grant and not a research grant, and should cover the procurement, delivery, installation and set-up of equipment.

If it is appropriate, the length of the funding can include: the development of methods, protocols and access models a small amount of time for pump-priming projects to maximise usage of the infrastructure The duration should not include time for research projects.

Route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure Resources to support existing strategic infrastructure applications should be for a maximum duration of two years, unless agreed otherwise with us. EPSRC will fund up 100% of the full economic cost (FEC) for capital costs. All non-capital costs will be funded at 80% FEC.

Route one: strategic infrastructure Strategic infrastructure includes both capital and digital infrastructure: capital infrastructure includes capital equipment digital infrastructure includes central processing units and computing hardware Funding is available for items of infrastructure over £400,000, including VAT.

The £400,000 minimum threshold can be met by a single item of equipment or by several items that are clearly intended to be combined in a single asset. The threshold cannot be met by the accumulated total of a number of individual items of standalone equipment. You can also request items of equipment under £400,000 that are essential to the running of the larger equipment.

You can request funding for up to 100% FEC of the equipment. However, contributions from the host organisation forms part of the assessment criteria and would be expected to be in line with the scale of the proposal. The host institution should demonstrate the strategic importance and commitment to the proposed infrastructure.

Contributions do not have to be direct contributions to the cost of the equipment and can be towards non-capital costs. Further information on university contributions is available at the EPSRC strategic infrastructure web page. Non-capital costs can be included where there is a clear requirement and should only be used to support the equipment requested.

These will be funded at 80% FEC.

Eligible non-capital costs may include staff time, such as: investigator time: this should be associated with the management of the equipment or promotion of the equipment to maximise its usage research technical professionals time: as well as time associated with the management and promotion of the equipment, you should consider the professional development and sustainability of any technical staff associated with the equipment Eligible non-capital costs may also include impact-related activities, such as: travel costs to support engagement with existing partners engagement activities: for example, workshops, seminars, networking events, exhibitions, meetings or people exchange to develop new partnerships.

Engagement with expert staff can also be included, for example, knowledge exchange professionals, consultants, business planning support, commercialisation professionals or research software engineers training for researchers, for example, public engagement, entrepreneurship or media marketing design, video, web content sharing of novel tools and techniques, For example where these could be applied in other disciplines data management, for example, sharing of datasets Quotes for equipment do not need to be included in your application, but please retain quotes for equipment costing more than £138,000 as we may ask for these at post-panel stage before releasing funds.

Route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure Funding via this route should provide additional underpinning infrastructure or staff support that improves the current use of infrastructure, or both. You will be required to demonstrate the added value of the funds for increasing equipment utilisation, and the strategic demand for this.

Examples of resources that you can request include, but are not limited to: provision of training or research services, or both, not previously available through additional roles or increased technician time.

For example, if a technician is currently allocated 20% time to the equipment and you wish to increase this to 100%, you should request 80% of their time additional investigator or staff time associated with the running of the existing equipment or provision of general support for equipment users, including training where there is a clear requirement improved booking software improved advertisement of capabilities impact related activities listed in the ‘Strategic infrastructure’ section All non-capital costs will be funded at 80% FEC.

For both strategic infrastructure and resources to support existing strategic infrastructure routes, the overall cost of the proposed infrastructure should not change by more than 10% in either direction compared to the outline stage. If you believe that the total cost will increase by more than 10%, contact us as soon as possible at epsrcequipmentfunding@epsrc. ukri.

org Route one: strategic infrastructure will not fund: costs associated with the support of individual research projects: for example, project lead time for research and project specific consumables are not an allowable cost on this funding opportunity.

It would be for the university to consider how best to cover research project consumables through usage and charging arrangements laboratory refurbishment, modifications or redevelopment to install equipment: these costs are considered a host institution contribution and would be considered out of scope unless in exceptional circumstances.

The exceptional cases would require discussion with us underpinning equipment that we would expect to see in a well-found lab software, research software development or cloud computing credits You should submit any application focused on creating novel instruments or performing modifications to an existing instrument through standard mode as instrument development .

Route two: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure will not fund: capital costs: for example, items of equipment over £10,000. Individual items with a value less than £10,000 are not considered to be equipment long-term research projects: for example, we do not expect to see postdoctoral researcher effort requested as part of an application.

Costs for individual research projects are only eligible when these are short-term seed projects to support new users. These costs should have been proposed at the outline stage replacement of existing support, maintenance, service contracts, or capital costs: for example, current staff costs for time assigned to the equipment are not eligible.

It is expected that awards will provide seed funding to initiate increased use 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 (TR&I) 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 their 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. Further guidance and information about TR&I , including where you can find additional support.

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. Applicants who are invited to apply to the funding opportunity will receive an application link when the funding opportunity opens.

The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application. Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI. You can only apply for this funding opportunity if we have invited you to do so following a successful outline application.

The start application link will be provided via email. Confirm you are the project lead. Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service.

We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this Opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you. 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. Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

You should: use images sparingly and only to convey important information that cannot easily be put into words insert each new image onto a new line provide a descriptive legend for each image immediately underneath it (this counts towards your word limit) ensure files are smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format Watch our research office webinars about the Funding Service .

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see: how applicants use the Funding Service how research offices use the Funding Service how reviewers use the Funding Service Applications should be self-contained, and hyperlinks should only be used to provide links directly to reference information. To ensure the information’s integrity is maintained, where possible, persistent identifiers such as digital object identifiers should be used.

Assessors are not required to access links to carry out assessment or recommend a funding decision. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.

References should be included in the appropriate question section of the application and be easily identifiable by the assessors for example (Smith, Research Paper, 2019) You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. 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 . There is no requirement for match funding from the organisations hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the grant. We advise reviewers and panel members not to consider the level of matched university funding as a factor on which to base funding decisions.

Project partners are expected to contribute to the project, either with cash or in-kind contributions. EPSRC must receive your application by 8 April 2025 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 application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

If an application is withdrawn prior to peer review or office rejected due to substantive errors in the application, it cannot be resubmitted to the funding opportunity. EPSRC, 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 . If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email TFSchangeEPSRC@epsrc. ukri.

org 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) 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 .

EPSRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at EPSRC Funding Applications Outcomes If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research . 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: the wider research community Guidance for writing a summary Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of: the challenge the project addresses potential applications and benefits List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following: project co-lead (UK) (PcL) professional enabling staff research and innovation associate Only list one individual as Project lead.

Postdoctoral research assistants should be included on the grant as research and innovation associate.

A research technical professional can be listed as a project lead or project co-lead (UK), provided that: their appointment is resourced from the central funds of their institution at the time of application their level of responsibilities and duties is appropriate to a person with substantial research experience their contract extends beyond the duration of the project Please do not add industry project partners in this category, as these should be added in the ’Project partners’ section instead.

UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application. Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications .

Purpose: strategic infrastructure funding route Why is this infrastructure needed and why should EPSRC support it? What the assessors are looking for in your response Use this section if you are applying for the strategic infrastructure funding route.

Enter ‘N/A’ in the text box and do not upload an attachment for this section if you are applying for the resources to support existing strategic infrastructure funding route, then move onto the next section.

Explain how the infrastructure sought will: meet national needs by establishing or maintaining a unique or world leading activity, or both enhance and complement the existing regional or national research capability evidence the strong demand and community need from a diverse and inclusive user base meet the strategic aims of the funding organisation Describe alternative plans for how the research would be achieved should the equipment not be funded.

The plans should reflect: host organisation strategies for this infrastructure institutional commitment to the infrastructure landscape how the infrastructure sought is different from what is already available in the wider research landscape You should input your response to this section in the text box. References may be included within this section.

Within this section you also have the option to create a single document that includes support letters or emails from organisations that have shown a clear intention to use the infrastructure. This document should only include letters that are highly selective and demonstrating significant support. You are advised to only include letters from a cross-section of key users, rather than from every user.

These may represent different universities within or outside any regional alliance or may indicate relevance to key collaborators within industrial sectors. Only one letter is permitted per organisation. Each letter or email you provide should clearly explain the value, relevance and possible benefits of the work to users.

Please do not include letters of support from project partners in this section. We have a separate section for ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’. For the file name, use the unique Funding Service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘Purpose letters of support from key users’.

Save this document as a single PDF file, no bigger than 8MB. Unless specifically requested, please do not include any sensitive data within the attachment. If the attachment does not meet these requirements, the application will be rejected.

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply. Purpose: resources to support existing strategic infrastructure funding route Why is this resource needed and why should EPSRC support it? What the assessors are looking for in your response Use this section if you are applying for the resources to support existing strategic infrastructure funding route.

Enter ‘N/A’ in the text box and do not upload an attachment for this section if you are applying for the strategic infrastructure funding route, then move onto the next section.

Explain how the resource sought will: meet national needs by establishing or maintaining a unique or world leading activity, or both enhance and complement the existing regional or national research capability evidence the strong demand and community need from a diverse and inclusive user base meet the strategic aims of the funding organisation result in significant efficiencies, increased usage or greater capacity, or both, compared to the current situation Describe alternative plans for how the research would be achieved should the request not be funded.

The plans should reflect: host organisation strategies for the infrastructure institutional commitment to the infrastructure landscape You should input your response to this section in the text box. References may be included within this section. What research will be enabled by this infrastructure?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how the infrastructure sought will enable research that: is high quality, novel and transformative is timely, given current trends and context is relevant to identified stakeholders, including users will have a measurable impact beyond the immediate team, with an appropriate approach to achieving impact You should input your response to this section in the text box.

References may be included within this section. You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

You should: Use images sparingly and only to coney important information that cannot easily be put into words Insert each new image onto a new line Provide a descriptive legend for each image immediately underneath it (this counts towards your word limit) Ensure files are smaller than 8MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP, or WEBP format Your application may be rejected if imaged are provided without a descriptive legend in the text box, or are used to replace text that could be inputted into the text box.

Further details are provided in the Funding Service. What are your plans to manage the proposed infrastructure? What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how your approach includes: a credible work plan including milestones, deliverables and associated risks in the form of a Gantt chart or similar a credible management plan including prioritising access to and maximising usage of the infrastructure.

This should include any application and assessment processes and an estimate for the balance of users from the host institution, academics from external institutions and industrial users an accessibility plan to demonstrate how you will consider and demonstrate your pathway to ensuring and improving accessibility of this infrastructure and its user diversity during and beyond the duration of this grant.

The accessibility plan should include, but is not limited to: how you will establish, monitor progress, maintain and report on user accessibility throughout the lifetime of the grant, for example through mechanisms such as Equality Impact Assessments, User Accessibility Surveys and Codes of Conduct, as well as acting as role models for the community on good practice how you will establish, retain, and evolve a diverse and inclusive user base throughout the lifetime of the infrastructure your approach to team inclusion, including how you will establish and maintain a universally accessible and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and all voices in the team are valued, regardless of personal circumstances Within the accessibility plan we would expect the inclusion of examples of the types of activities the applicant team would undertake, we expect these will evolve during the lifetime of the infrastructure.

An accessibility plan background and a questions and answers document from the February 2024 community webinar are available under the ‘Additional information’ section. You should input your response to this section in the text box.

Your response should include: up to 500 words for project work plan, including milestones, deliverables and associated risks in the form of a Gantt chart or similar up to 500 words for a detailed management plan including user prioritisation mechanisms up to 500 words for a detailed accessibility plan for user base and team inclusion References may be included within this section. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

What are your plans for sustainability of the proposed infrastructure beyond the end of this funding?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Explain how your plans for sustainability include: an appropriate cost recovery model a plan for training and development of specialist technical staff steps to enhance the environmental sustainability of the proposed infrastructure a plan for the development or expansion of the user base after the initial period of funding You should input your response to this section in the text box.

References may be included within this section. Applicant and team capability to deliver Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have: the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work 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 You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

Further details are provided in the Funding Service. The word count for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for R4RI modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.

Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.

Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed. Use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI .

You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member brings: 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 Provide any further details relevant to your application.

This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them). Complete this as a narrative.

Do not format it like a CV. References may be included within this section. The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles.

Resources and cost justification What will you need to procure and manage the proposed infrastructure and how much will it cost?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular: the cost of the proposed infrastructure any resources (for example staff or maintenance costs) associated with the infrastructure any resources requested for activities to expand the user base, increase impact, for public engagement or to support responsible innovation the nature and level of contributions from your partner organisations if applicable Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources.

Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work: are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes maximise potential outcomes and impacts Note that due to limited functionality on the new Funding Service, you can only select the infrastructure requested at either 80% or 100% full economic cost (FEC) in the automated resource and cost form at this round of the application.

For any percentages requested not at 80% or 100% FEC, you should input 100% FEC equipment costs under ‘Exceptions’ and ensure to explain in the text box the percentage FEC and value requested from EPSRC and contributed from elsewhere. Within the ‘Justification of resources’ section we also expect you to provide a short summary of quotations from at least three suppliers for all items of equipment costing more than £25,000.

If there are only one or two suppliers for any piece of equipment, state this and explain why. Your organisation’s support Provide details