Hello. In this edition you will find information on:

1. ERC Starting Grants and Synergy Grants (EU) – attached ERC StG 2020 ‘nutshell note’ with internal deadlines

2. NEW! MSCA Innovative Training Networks 2020 (EU)

3. NEW! The Changing North Atlantic and its Impact on Climate (FIC with USA)

ERC Starting Grants and Synergy Grants open for application

ERC StG 2020 Nutshell Note

ERC funds high-risk, high-reward research in any discipline. It funds the kind of blue skies project that might not sit comfortably elsewhere, that might be considered off-the-wall, but is the intellectual challenge you’ve always wanted. Applicants should have an outstanding track-record, relevant to their career stage. Additional funds are available for relocation and equipment. Team members from any country are allowed.

Starting Grants 2020: For researchers 2-7 post PhD, awarded up to €1.5 million over 5 years. Deadline 16th October 2019.

Synergy Grants 2020: For 2-4 PIs, leaders in their field appropriate to their career stage, one of whom may be based outside of the EU/Associated Countries. Award is up to €10 million over 6 years. Deadline 5th November 2019.

Please note that some rules vary between the 2019 and 2020 calls so please ensure you read the correct Work Programme.

If you have any questions on the implications to this scheme of Brexit, please contact Dajana.Dzanovic@ncl.ac.uk / +44 191 208 5373.

MSCA Innovative Training Networks 2020
Deadline: 14 Jan 2020

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action – Innovative Training Networks (ITN) aim to train a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers (ESR) via a competitive programme implemented by a partnership of academic and non-academic partners from Europe and beyond. The programme allows academic and non-academic partners and so is useful for building partnerships and raising the profile of a particular research area whilst supporting the development of the next generation of researchers. There are three types of ITN:
• European Training Networks (ETN)
• European Industrial Doctorate (EID)
• European Joint Doctorate (EJD)
For two of these ITNs ESR enrolment on a doctoral programme is mandatory. ITNs incorporate research and post-graduate matters and as such require two types of approval:

1. Approval as Research Grants following the usual Grants and Contracts process
2. Approval from Dean of Post-Graduate Studies (or IPT where appropriate)

If you have any questions on the implications to this scheme of Brexit, please contact Dajana.Dzanovic@ncl.ac.uk / +44 191 208 5373.

The Changing North Atlantic Ocean and its Impact on Climate
Deadline: 21 Nov 2019

Proposals are invited for a new joint UK-US Research Programme that will take advantage of the data arising from the joint UK-US OSNAP (Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Programme) array, to improve understanding and models of the Subpolar North Atlantic and its impacts.
It is expected that this announcement of opportunity will lead to the funding of two joint UKUS projects, one for each of the programme’s two research challenges. The NERC funding for the UK component of proposals for Challenge 1 will be a maximum of £1.6m (80% FEC) and for Challenge 2 will be a maximum of £0.8m (80%FEC). The US component of proposals will be funded under the Lead Agency Agreement and costs will be limited to $500,000 per project.
Proposals for this call are invited from eligible UK researchers (see NERC Grants Handbook for standard eligibility criteria). National Science Foundation (NSF) eligibility criteria apply for US researchers (see NSF’s Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, PAPPG Chapter I E).
NERC is acting as the Lead Agency for this call. Each project proposal must include at least one UK applicant and one US applicant. One integrated project proposal should be submitted to NERC, detailing both the UK and US contributions to the research project.

The Medical Research Foundation (MRF) is an independent research-funding charity established by the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRF maintains several funding streams to support cutting-edge research that will increase understanding of disease and benefit public health.
The MRF has issued a call under the ‘Viral Hepatitis: funding opportunity for mid-career researchers’ funding stream to support research that will increase understanding of the disease mechanisms underlying viral hepatitis. Researchers whose work may lead to better understanding of prevention, diagnosis, treatment or modification of the progression and outcomes of the disease are welcome to apply.
Application is open to UK researchers who hold a PhD, DPhil or MD and are based at eligible institutions (UK HEIs, Research Council research institutes, hospitals, and other independent research organisations). Funding is intended for researchers who are making the transition to research independence and it is expected that applicants will be seeking, as Principal Investigator, their first peer-reviewed grant of three years or longer from a funding body (excluding personal fellowships).
The Foundation has made up to £1 million available for the 2019 funding call. Applicants can apply for up to £300,000 to support direct research costs over a three year period.
Application forms and guidelines are available from the MRF website. Applications should be submitted by the deadline of 28 October 2019 (noon).

Hello. In this edition you will find information on:

1. ERA-NET Towards Sustainable and Organic Food Systems (EU)
2. ERC Starting Grants and Synergy Grants (EU)
3. H2020 Work Programmes published – €11bn available (EU)
4. NEW! Pre Call GCRF Conflict Intersections Partnership Development Award (GCRF)
5. Global Challenges Urgency Grants (GCRF)
6. GCRF Clusters: Funds to link current/former GCRF projects (GCRF)
7. Joint Global Health Trials -Call 10 (MRC/DFIF/UKAId/Wellcome/NIHR)
8. Wellcome International funds for Exchanges and Research Development Awards in Humanities, Social Sciences and Bioethics (Wellcome International)
9. Multiple calls through UKRI Fund for International Collaboration (FIC)
10. NEW! UK-US Digital Scholarship in Cultural Institutions: Pre Call Announcement for Partnership Development Grants (FIC)
11. UK-China Research-Industry Creative Partnerships Call incl. museum technologies and big data (FIC)
12. British Academy international, interdisciplinary grant with a focus on hazard and risk, cultures of forecasting, and the meaning of resilience (British Academy)
13. Global Challenges Academy Rapid Response Funds for project development (internal)
14. Events: including NEW! Innovative Training Networks, 7th Oct

Towards Sustainable and Organic Food Systems

Attaining secure food and nutrition supply in the future will require a transition from current linear food production, to sustainable, cyclical oriented systems (on land and sea) that also respond to consumers demand for a diverse, healthy, safe and attractive diet.

Consortia must comprise a minimum of 3 partners from the 18 funder countries. Projects can request up to 1.5 million Euro over 36 months.

Topics can include:
• Resource-efficient, circular and zero-waste food systems
• Diversity in food from field to plate
• Mild food processing
• Sustainable and smart packaging

Deadline for pre-proposals is 4th November 2019.
More information is here.
Information webinar is being held on 20th September 2019.

ERC Starting Grants and Synergy Grants open for application
ERC funds high-risk, high-reward research in any discipline. It funds the kind of blue skies project that might not sit comfortably elsewhere, that might be considered off-the-wall, but is the intellectual challenge you’ve always wanted. Applicants should have an outstanding track-record, relevant to their career stage. Additional funds are available for relocation and equipment. Team members from any country are allowed.

Starting Grants 2020: For researchers 2-7 post PhD, awarded up to €1.5 million over 5 years. Deadline 16th October 2019.

Synergy Grants 2020: For 2-4 PIs, leaders in their field appropriate to their career stage, one of whom may be based outside of the EU/Associated Countries. Award is up to €10 million over 6 years. Deadline 5th November 2019.

Please note that some rules vary between the 2019 and 2020 calls so please ensure you read the correct Work Programme.

If you have any questions on the implications to this scheme of Brexit, please contact Dajana.Dzanovic@ncl.ac.uk / +44 191 208 5373.

Work Programmes for Societal Challenges and Cross-Cutting Themes
Many of these Work Programmes have now been formally adopted. Around €11bn is available in projects calls up to 2020.

For datasets on previously funded EU projects, please see the new Dashboard.
• Societal Challenge 1: Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing – Information Day materials now available, please contact the team if you are interested.
• Societal Challenge 2: Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy
• Societal Challenge 3: Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy – Information Day web-stream now available, please contact the team if you are interested.
• Societal Challenge 4: Smart, Green and Integrated Transport
• Societal Challenge 5 : Climate Action, environment, Resource efficiency and raw materials
• Societal Challenge 6: Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies
• Societal Challenge 7: Secure societies – Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens

• Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing (NMBP)
• ICT Work Programme
• Space Work Programme Pre-Published
• Future and Emerging Technologies
• European Innovation Council
• Research Infrastructures
• Marie Curie Actions, including Staff Exchange and Doctoral Training
• Science with and for Society
• Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation

GCRF Conflict Intersections Global Partnership Development Awards

Opening early 2020, this call aims to develop innovative approaches to preventative and resilience building measures in developing country contexts affected by both conflict, fragility and violence (including contexts of conflict prevention and transitions from conflict) and extreme poverty and inequalities.

Opening date: tba
Closing date: 01/05/209
More information here.

Global Challenges Urgency Grants

Funds from this pilot scheme, delivered by AHRC, could fall under either of these two main categories:
• Research (including the collection, analysis or critical interpretation of data) into the short term impacts of / informing responses or resilience to or recovery from a range of specific events affecting LMICs which could not have been planned for in advance.
• An unexpected opportunity to conduct substantive research over a period of months informing, observing or collecting data at, or to participate in (e.g. placements) a one-off time-limited major policy or practice event (e.g. a peacebuilding / reconciliation process, public inquiry, policy review process) which offer a substantial and unique opportunity for innovative research, research synthesis and/or knowledge exchange relating to international development and/or directly relating to development in one or more LMIC.
The maximum funding that may be sought is £150,000 for a period of up to 12 months is available.

Expressions of interest may be submitted at any time during the period of the pilot scheme. If the expression of interest is considered to fall within the scope of the scheme, applicants will then be invited to submit a full application.

This Pilot Scheme will close to new expressions of interest on 31 October 2020 after which AHRC will review the pilot and may consider extending or revising the scheme.

For more information please see here.

GCRF Clusters: Funds to link current/former GCRF projects

Former and current GCRF award holders are invited to bid for funds for Challenge Clusters that will increase the impact on SDGs by linking together related projects.

Proposals can be led by any current of former GCRF grant holder (based in the UK or abroad), based in a Research Organisation, who is named either as a PI or a Co-I. Clusters should include at least two related GCRF funded projects and other UK or internationally funded development projects.

Initially around 20 projects will be awarded up to £150K for work over a 12 month period. These will then be evaluated with a subsequent opportunity to apply for £1-2 million over 3 years.

Call deadline: 24th September, 2019
More information is available here.

Joint Global Health Trials – Call 10
Call 10 specifically invites applications for definitive RCTs that provide generalisable data, beyond a single country. The evidence generated should be robust and relevant to international and regional policy makers and directly answer questions to change policy and guidance. Trials should address the major causes of mortality or morbidity in low and middle income countries, particularly those that affect the most vulnerable populations.

£20 million is available. They are open to funding a smaller number of more ambitious trials than in previous years.
Around £1 million of the total amount is expected to be spent on several trial development grants.

Deadline: 17th October, 2019, 16:00 for outline proposal. Invited full proposals by Feb 2020.

International Exchange Programmes in Humanities, Social Science and Bioethics
This funding will help researchers to run international exchange programmes and gain in-depth experience of working and teaching outside their home countries.
Level of funding: Up to £1.5 million
Duration of funding: 3 to 5 years
Preliminary applications deadline: 3 March 2020

For more information please see here.

Research Development Awards in Humanities, Social Sciences and Bioethics

For groups of researchers who want the time and resources to shape the direction of their future work. The development programmes will lay the foundation for research that takes risks and pushes academic boundaries
Host organisation: Anywhere in the world
Level of funding: Up to £1 million
Duration: 3 to 5 years
Preliminary applications deadline: 3 March 2020

For more information please see here.

UKRI Fund for International Collaboration (FIC) – wave 2

UKRI have recently announced wave 2 of FIC, £60 million in total, the UKRI press release is here. FIC is a relatively new fund whose purpose is to enable UK to collaborate with developed economies, more specifically the following countries: Australia, Canada, China, India, Israel, Japan, South Korea and USA.

A quick summary of the calls is (including deadlines where known):
• NERC-India: Tackling AMR in the Environment from Antimicrobial Manufacturing Waste , UKRI funding £3.8 million, Notice of Intent to Submit 14th October
• NERC-USA: The Changing North Atlantic Ocean and its Impact on Climate, UKRI funding: £5.1 million
• UK(NERC)-Canada: Understanding and adapting to a changing environment
• BBSRC(EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC)-USA/Israel/China: Next generation transdisciplinary international research collaborations in Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (EEID), UKRI funding: £8.3 million
• UK(ESRC, InnovateUK, MRC)-China Healthy Ageing Flagship Challenge, UKRI funding: £8.3 million, deadline 18 Sep 2019
• UK(MRC, ESRC)-Australia Built Environment and Prevention Research Scheme, UKRI funding: £2.1 million, deadline 15 Oct 2019
• UKRI(ESRC, AHRC)-Japan Joint Call on Artificial Intelligence and Society, UKRI funding: £2.1 million
• UK(ESRC, AHRC, EPSRC, MRC)-Canada Collaboration on Artificial Intelligence: Building competitive, resilient economies and societies, UKRI funding: £5.2 million, deadline 12 Sep 2019
• UK(UKRI,NERC)-Canada Globalink Doctoral Exchange Scheme, UKRI funding: £1.4 million, call opens Autumn
• UK(Innovate UK)-Canada/Singapore/India/USA Global Incubator Programme, UKRI funding: £3.3 million
• UK(AHRC)-Ireland Digital transformation in humanities research: UK-Irish collaboration in the digital humanities, UKRI funding: £4 million
• UK(Innovate UK)-USA Business Innovation Bridge, UKRI funding: £5 million
• UK(STFC)-India EPIC: UK-India Extreme Photonics Innovation Centre, UKRI funding: £4 million

UK-US Collaboration for Digital Scholarship in Cultural Institutions: Pre Call for Partnership Development Grant

Funding will support a broad range of research and partnership development activities that have the potential to deliver a transformational impact on digital methods and research in museums and cultural institutions.

Activities could include pilot / developmental / exploratory research; new cross-disciplinary engagements; scoping and proof of concept activity; feasibility studies; workshops, conferences and networking; outreach, engagement and knowledge exchange activity. Projects will be required to involve an appropriate combination of Research Organisations and cultural institutions in both countries.

Themes will be finalised at workshop in US on 18-19 Sept, though attendance is not a precondition to application.

£50 – £100K is available for UK partners, with US partners needing to find cash or in-kind support. Project duration 6-12 months (tbc)

Call opens: tbc
Call closes: 5/12/2019

If this call is of interest please contact Dajana.Dzanovic@ncl.ac.uk/Victoria.Bainbridge@ncl.ac.uk. More information here.

UK-China Research-Industry Creative Partnerships Call

This call is to facilitate a rapid scaling-up of engagements between the UK and China, with a specific focus on Shanghai as China’s cultural and creative industries powerhouse. The call aims to facilitate new collaborations in the creative industries that deliver sustained economic, cultural and intellectual benefits in both countries.

Partnerships should be framed around R&D activity in: Creative Design, Theatre and Performing Arts, Fashion and Textiles, Story-telling and Animation, Use of Interactive Technologies in Cultural Institutions, Gaming.

Interdisciplinary activity is strongly encouraged, both within the arts and humanities and, more widely, through the integration of the social sciences and STEM disciplines. However, proposals should be mainly grounded within AHRC’s remit; those that are not will be deemed ineligible.

Funding of up to £500,000 is available per project on a full economic cost (fEC) basis with AHRC meeting 80% of the fEC. Projects should last for a maximum of 36 months and start by 1 February 2020.

Deadline: 24th October 2019, 16:00 UK time.
More information here.

British Academy: Knowledge Frontiers – International Interdisciplinary Research 2020

The British Academy is inviting proposals from UK-based researchers in the humanities and social sciences wishing to develop international interdisciplinary projects in collaboration with colleagues from the natural, engineering and/or medical sciences, with a focus on hazard and risk, cultures of forecasting, and the meaning of resilience.

The lead applicant must be a researcher from the humanities or social sciences, and be based at an eligible UK university or research institute. S/he must be of postdoctoral or above status (or have equivalent research experience).
Projects must involve at least one co-applicant from the natural, engineering and/or medical sciences.
Collaboration between researchers in different institutions is encouraged, where appropriate, given the nature and aims of the programme, and applications may include co-applicants and other participants from overseas.

Awards of 24 months in duration and up to £200,000 are available.
Projects must begin on 1 April 2020.

Deadline: 23rd October, 2020
More information here.

Global Challenges Academy Rapid Response Fund
Newcastle University’s Global Challenges Academy can provide agile, quick turnaround funding of around £2k to support research-related activity directly benefiting DAC list countries.

To be eligible your proposed activity must directly and primarily promote the economic development and social welfare of partner countries on the DAC list and align to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDG).

Activities should be co-created with international partner and examples of eligible activity include:
• International networking and partnership building activity, addressing specific global challenges, which will lead to GCRF or Newton style funding proposals
• Preliminary data collection, pilot projects or other preparatory work needed ahead of making a external research funding application
• Activity as a response to an urgent research need in a DAC list country or a critical policy moment in a sustainable development related area
• Activity that builds on previous ODA research and might add impact (social, economic or academic capacity) or extend benefits to further geographic regions/demographic groups

If you would like to discuss an application prior to submission, please contact Dr Elisa Lawson.

Application form. This scheme operates with no deadlines. Submit a request at any time and decisions will be made within 5 working days. Awarded funds must be spent within 3 months of the decision notification. There is no limit on the number of applications which can be submitted for the same project/relationship but it’s expected only one will be active at any time. Short reports will be requested 1 month after completion.

EU Information Days
• Societal Challenge 4: Smart, green and integrated transport – 7 October 2019
• Societal Challenge 5: Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials – 16-17 September 2019
• European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures Roadmap – 25 September 2019
• ICT Proposers’ Day – 19-20 September 2019 (EU Presidency event in Helsinki)
• Space Information Day: 12-13 September in Prague
Information Days Available Online
• Societal Challenge 1: Health, demographic change and wellbeing
• Societal Challenge 2: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the Bioeconomy
• Societal Challenge 3: Secure, clean and efficient energy
• Societal Challenge 4: Smart, Green and Integrated Transport webinar 27th Sept, registration here.
• Research Infrastructures: III RICH Symposium, European Research Infrastructures: From WP 2020 Calls to Horizon Europe
• European Innovation Council Pathfinder and Future and Emerging Technologies
• Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking

Briefings for Innovative Training Networks
Save the date, 7th October, Edinburgh Napier University, 10.00 – 15.00

Briefings for ERC Starting Grants 2020
UKRO-led briefings are also taking place in Manchester, 13th Sept and London, 17th Sept. Attendance is free of charge but registration is required through the above links.

European Big Data Value Forum (EBDVF) 2019
EBDVF is the main event of the European Big Data and Data-Driven AI Research and Innovation community. It will take place on 14-16 October in Helsinki, Finland

SWAFS 2020 Knowledge and Brokerage event, October 14-15, Warsaw
This will be of interest if you want to learn more about and collaborate for the current Science with and for Society calls. More information is here.

The Medical Research Foundation (MRF) is an independent research-funding charity established by the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRF maintains several funding streams to support cutting-edge research that will increase understanding of disease and benefit public health.
The MRF has issued a call under the ‘Viral Hepatitis: funding opportunity for mid-career researchers’ funding stream to support research that will increase understanding of the disease mechanisms underlying viral hepatitis. Researchers whose work may lead to better understanding of prevention, diagnosis, treatment or modification of the progression and outcomes of the disease are welcome to apply.
Application is open to UK researchers who hold a PhD, DPhil or MD and are based at eligible institutions (UK HEIs, Research Council research institutes, hospitals, and other independent research organisations). Funding is intended for researchers who are making the transition to research independence and it is expected that applicants will be seeking, as Principal Investigator, their first peer-reviewed grant of three years or longer from a funding body (excluding personal fellowships).
The Foundation has made up to £1 million available for the 2019 funding call. Applicants can apply for up to £300,000 to support direct research costs over a three year period.
Application forms and guidelines are available from the MRF website. Applications should be submitted by the deadline of 28 October 2019 (noon).

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) have published a statement of intent outlining how they intend to support children’s and young people’s cancer research to better understand the underpinnings of this disparate group of diseases and develop more effective and less toxic treatments to increase chances of survival and improve quality of life after treatment.
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/funding-for-researchers/statement-of-intent-for-childrens-and-young-peoples-cancer-research
They will (i) build research capacity in the UK, (ii) develop and support a co-ordinated research community, and (iii) ensure the research community has the tools and infrastructure it needs to progress

As part of this strategy they have launched (1) a new, national funding call and (2) a parallel international call:

before 6 December 2019 you must contact the Science Committee team
10 January 2020 (invited full application)
(1) Children and Young People’s Cancer Innovation Award
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/funding-for-researchers/our-funding-schemes/children-and-young-peoples-cancer-innovation-award
This a three-stage competition, with outline, full application and interview stages.

Awards are for up to £1 million for up to 3 years.

They are particularly interested in applications that include researchers with expertise beyond paediatric cancer research, such as those working in other cancer fields and those in disciplines outside biomedical research, who are interested in using their knowledge and skills to answer key questions in paediatric cancers.

These awards are intended to stimulate new activity and collaborations, and to build capacity within UK paediatric cancer research.
Projects should be focused on transforming our understanding of paediatric tumour biology and developing innovative new ways to treat, detect and prevent these diseases.

They especially encourage proposals to investigate one or more of these concepts:
• The basis of tumor initiation and progression
• Novel therapeutic approaches
• Development of novel biomarkers or methodologies to predict disease progression, to enhance efforts in primary and secondary prevention and intervention
• Novel models that would enhance pre-clinical research
• Development of more effective and/or less toxic treatments to improve long-term health and quality of life

Before applying, please contact the Science Committee team to discuss the application process. They will then open an outline application form on their GrantsManagement system.

Please see the guidelines for full details: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/sites/default/files/sc_-_cyp_innovation_award_-_full_-_application_guidelines.pdf

6 December 2019 (Preliminary submission)
10 January 2020 (Final submission)
March 2020 (Interview)
(2) SU2C-CRUK Paediatric Cancer New Discoveries Challenge
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/funding-for-researchers/our-funding-schemes/su2c-cruk-paediatric-cancer-new-discoveries-challenge
Up to $1 million is available in round 1
Applicant teams successful in round 1 will also have the opportunity to apply for a second round of funding to progress their research further

Application information will be available on the SU2C website at the formal launch of request for applications – CRUK will provide details soon.
You are encouraged to contact the SU2C office to discuss your eligibility and suitability of your research proposal.

SU2C-CRUK Paediatric Cancer New Discoveries Challenge aims to support novel and innovative trans-Atlantic collaborations in childhood cancer research.

• These awards will support collaborative, multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, transatlantic teams, comprising laboratory and clinical researchers and those at different career stages.
• Teams must be led by at least one researcher from a US institution and one from a UK institution.
• You are strongly encouraged to form a team that includes expertise beyond paediatric oncology (e.g. other areas of oncology, biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, etc.).

Applications can address one or more of the following concepts, with the goal of progressing the approach to a more advanced pre-clinical or clinical setting in round 2:
• the basis of tumour initiation and progression
• novel therapeutic approaches
• development of novel biomarkers or methodologies to predict disease progression, to enhance efforts in primary and secondary prevention and intervention
• novel models that would enhance pre-clinical research
• development of more effective and/or less toxic treatments to improve long-term health and quality of life
CRUK would welcome proposals that advance research in any type of paediatric cancer, including teenagers and young adults, particularly inviting new proposals in paediatric brain tumours.

UKPRP-Consortium-outline-case-for-support-form-020919

The Second UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) funding call has now gone live

18 October 2019 (Mandatory Intention to Submit and topic area of interest) via email for both Consortium and Network applications

14 November 2019, 4pm (Outline applications) via Je-S

UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) Second call for proposals: Consortium and Network Awards
https://ukprp.org/how-to-apply/call-2-scope/

Applicants must notify the UKPRP Secretariat (UKPRP@mrc.ukri.org) of their intention to submit a proposal and the topic area of interest no later than 18 October 2019.

This call seeks to complement the portfolio funded in the first UKPRP call (4 Consortia and 4 Network awards https://ukprp.org/what-we-fund/) to support research into the primary prevention of NCDs.

The UKPRP vision is to generate evidence on actionable, sustainable and cost-effective ways of modifying the upstream systems and environments that influence NCDs, and of reducing health inequalities, through population-level action. The UKPRP is a new model of funding in the UK that aims to:
• build and support interdisciplinary research teams to develop, implement and evaluate generalisable and scalable preventive policies, practices, designs and interventions which will enable change within complex adaptive systems to prevent NCDs.
• deliver solutions for large-scale and cost-effective improvements in health and the prevention of NCDs that meet the needs of providers and policy makers and are responsive to the challenging timescales of policy making. This involves co-production of research with the public, policy makers, professionals and those likely to implement the intervention.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to use systems thinking and, where appropriate, systems science when developing and evaluating interventions to prevent NCDs and reduce health inequalities.

Remit and Scope
UKPRP now seeks to complement what has already been funded, in the following areas:
• Preventing poor mental health and promoting mental wellbeing.
The UKPRP covers physical health, mental health and wellbeing in the UK, but we have highlighted mental health as it is a particular area of need. Research could include the development, design and evaluation of strategies or technologies to reduce mental health problems during key life-course transitions.
• Reducing health inequalities (where this forms the primary focus of an application).
Research could include developing and testing strategies most likely to reduce inequalities in health (for example by socio-economic status, deprivation, ethnicity, gender etc.) at different stages of the life course.
• Using fiscal and economic interventions to prevent NCDs and reduce health inequalities.
Research could include the evaluation, by natural experimental and/or big data methods, of population level policy changes relevant to the primary prevention of NCDs (e.g. congestion charging, soft drinks levy, changes in the child benefit system etc.).
• Modifying other social and economic determinants of health and wellbeing.
Research could cover welfare systems, poverty alleviation, occupational settings, gambling, housing or social cohesion; the co-design, implementation and evaluation of spaces and places (e.g. housing, workplaces, and public spaces) to improve physical and mental health; and the development of solutions for ensuring that the benefits derived from preventive strategies are shared equitably (e.g. by socio-economic group, ethnicity, gender etc.).
• Tackling food systems that perpetuate unhealthy diets and obesity.
We are aware of existing research funding schemes on food systems and influences on diet and obesity. Given the importance of this challenge, the UKPRP would welcome proposals addressing this area. Research could investigate strategies for modifying food systems in ways that affect demand for and uptake of unhealthy food.
• Improving the urban environment, including transport systems and air quality.
Research could evaluate the effects of central and local government transport or planning policies on air pollution, accidents and physical activity levels; or investigate how to enhance the built environment to improve health; and the development, design, application and evaluation of new technologies such as smart traffic management systems.
• Using green and blue spaces for improving population health and preventing NCDs.
Research could examine the effectiveness of different solutions for improving natural environments in health enhancing ways; evaluate interventions designed to encourage healthy use of the natural environment and how this can be achieved without exacerbating health inequalities; and the role of the natural environment in promoting health related resilience (particularly in relation to multiple deprivation).
• Targeting specific life course stages or transitions.
Research could examine the effectiveness of solutions targeted at reducing risks in specific life course stages such as childhood, adolescence, or old age; and specific life course transitions such as school to work, retirement, or becoming a parent.
• Cross-cutting approaches.
UKPRP would welcome approaches which exploit digital technologies, social media or other platforms, or which take advantage of large-scale datasets and linkage to routine datasets, to design and deliver solutions; and research into ways of improving the use of evidence in policy and decision making, particularly in local and central government.

Research into the effectiveness of existing interventions relating to the above topics also falls within the call remit as this is an area of need given that local policy makers require evidence to inform decisions on removing or retaining existing interventions.

Consortium Awards
Consortium awards provide substantial, long-term investment (5 years) to support novel combinations of partners, including, where appropriate, industry (i.e. commercial/business partners), representing a range of academic disciplines and undertaking interdisciplinary research addressing a specific challenge in the primary prevention of NCDs. These groups should develop research strategies with users, for example policy makers, practitioners, health providers, the public etc. who may be part of the consortium, for the generation and implementation of new knowledge. The thinking behind consortia is that drawing together teams of experts from different disciplines and sectors, and including users, should enable researchers to capitalise on a range of expertise to develop novel research into new or existing high quality interventions that can deliver change at a population level.
Funding for consortia
• The scale and duration of funding is £4-7 million over 5 years. Applications outside of this range will be considered although, as with all applications, they should represent good value for money. Applications at the lower end of this funding range are encouraged but they must reflect ambitious research programmes that meet the UKPRP’s objectives.
• Recognising that the desired combinations of partners may not already exist, each successful outline applicant will receive a six-month Consortium Development Grant of up to £50,000 to build linkages between the consortium members, to develop research ideas and to act on feedback received from the assessment of the outline proposal. During the consortium development period, applicants will be required to attend a Joint Applicant Meeting which aims to bring together all successful outline applicants to discuss key areas applicants will need to develop in their full proposals.

Network Awards
Network awards will build new interdisciplinary communities of researchers and users around broad challenges in the primary prevention of NCDs. This award aims to support interactions between diverse disciplines and users to exchange expertise, scientific insights and capability as the network generates a shared vision around its chosen NCD prevention challenge. Each network award will fund the operating costs of the network, for up to 4 years. While a small proportion of the grant can be used to pump prime new research collaborations, applicants should note that the funding provided is not for primary research. Network awards are intended to develop future capacity in the UK to address NCD prevention challenges. We expect networks will lead to new collaborative interdisciplinary research proposals on preventing NCDs.
Funding for networks
• Each network will receive £100k per year for up to 4 years. This funding covers operating costs and provides limited funding for some feasibility work to pump prime a new research collaboration.
• Successful outline network applicants will receive a six-month period to develop full proposals and plans for network membership and respond to feedback received from the assessment of the outline application. During this time, you will be required to attend a Joint Applicant Meeting which aims to bring together all successful outline applicants to discuss key areas applicants will need to develop in their full proposals.

N.B. Compulsory Intention to Submit an Outline application (and give topic area of interest) by email by 18 October for both Consortium and Network applications
Applicants must submit a detailed outline proposal in Je-S by 16:00 (GMT) on 14 November 2019. You must notify the UKPRP Secretariat of your intention to submit an outline proposal and the topic area of interest by 18 October 2019. We have supplied an outline Case for Support form (PDF, 25KB) which you must complete and upload to Je-S as part of the proposal. The Consortium Award application guidance (PDF, 177KB) advises applicants on how to complete the sections in Je-S and the outline Case for Support form. You should refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (link to PDF) document which provides answers to common queries.

There are sizeable references to strategic vision and other useful documents plus separate guidelines for Consortia and for Network awards. Please see the website for full details.
There will be FAQs guidance.

Please inform Gwen Averley gwen.averley@ncl.ac.uk if you intend to apply for a Consortium or a Network award. There is no limit to the number of applications that may be made but we would need to be aware of any potentially overlapping applications.