NERC Strategic Capital Call Now Open

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has launched the Strategic Capital Call to invest in UK capital infrastructure that will deliver significant enhancements to research capacity in the environmental sciences. Through the scheme, eligible research organisations are able to procure equipment or develop built infrastructure that creates a new research capability.

The scheme has been set up to support world-class environmental science, generate exciting scientific discovery and build on effective and efficient capability to sustain high-quality research. Applications must fit NERC’s definition of capital (ie the creation or purchase of an asset that has a useful life exceeding one year and costs more than £10,000, such as equipment, buildings, IT software and supercomputers) and support NERC’s environmental science remit.

Proposed assets will likely create or offer a novel addition or improvement to an existing capability and will fulfil strategic research needs beyond those aligned to individual research projects. Proposals must demonstrate relevance to the research and innovation community, and the importance to NERC research specifically.

Applications are accepted from eligible research organisations and NERC-funded Centres (ie higher education institutions, research council institutes or recognised independent research organisations). NERC individual eligibility rules apply.

The total call budget is £10 million. Funding of between £500,000 and £1.5 million is available (however, applicants requesting more than £1 million must obtain approval from NERC prior to proposal submission). Successful proposals will be awarded at 100% of the cost of the proposed capital asset.

Applicants can submit a maximum of two proposals with a total combined value not exceeding £2 million. In such instances, only one proposal may be for built infrastructure.

The maximum funding duration is 25 months (2020/21 to 2022/23).

Applications must be submitted by the deadline of 20 October 2020 (16:00).

More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.