BBSRC standard research grant: applicant-led mode (Grant)

• Opening date: 1 May 2026, 9:00am
• Closing date: 29 April 2027, 4:00pm

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Contents

• Summary
• Eligibility
• Objectives
• Dates
• How to apply
• Supporting information

Summary

Apply for funding to support excellent investigator-led research across the breadth of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) scientific remit. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding. Standard research grants are available for researchers at eligible research organisations. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £2 million. Funding is available for up to five years. BBSRC will fund 80% of the FEC.

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible. Check if you meet the individual eligibility criteria.

Who is not eligible to apply

Organisations based overseas, and business-based applicants, are not eligible to apply. Overseas and business-based collaborators can be added as project partners on an application, please see Roles in funding applications: eligibility, responsibilities and costings guidance for more information. If you are applying via the IPA or LINK scheme, please include details of industry partner in the ‘Project partners’ section.

Resubmissions

We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) or any other funder. Find out more about BBSRC’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:

• career breaks
• support for people with caring responsibilities
• flexible working
• alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Objectives

Demand management

Demand management is not currently being applied to this funding opportunity. However, should the level of interest exceed what can be managed within the assessment process, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) may introduce limits on the number of applications that can be submitted. Further details will be clearly communicated where this is the case. UKRI encourages organisations to support applicants in preparing well-planned, high-quality applications that are competitive for funding relative to the funding opportunity.

Aim

This scheme supports excellent investigator-led research across the breadth of the BBSRC scientific remit.

Scope

Funding is available for:

• research projects, including data intensive and technology development projects
• equipment or use of existing facilities
• community resources, new facilities, or infrastructure
• research networks and coordination
• summer schools You can apply to undertake biotechnology or biological research in:
• plants
• microbes
• animals and humans
• tools and technology underpinning biological research Investigations within and across scales are supported, from molecules and cells, to tissues, whole organisms, populations and landscapes. We welcome multidisciplinary proposals that cross into other research council areas but expect the primary focus of your work to fall within BBSRC’s remit. We work with other research councils to ensure that applications close to remit boundaries are assessed by the most appropriate lead council. Please contact remit@bbsrc.ukri.org with any queries about the suitability of your application before applying. We have a strong commitment to funding curiosity-led research and advancing excellent bioscience across our portfolio.

Duration

The duration of this award is up to five years.

Funding available

The FEC of your project can be up to a maximum of £2 million. BBSRC will fund 80% of the FEC. For example, if the FEC cost of your project is equal to £2 million, BBSRC will fund £1.6 million and your research organisation will be expected to fund £400,000. Please note, some international schemes may differ in the maximum FEC requirement of a project, please consult the scheme specific guidance. If you are applying using a lead agency agreement, we will not fund the international partners, they will be funded by their respective funding agency.

Project partner

A project partner is a collaborating organisation in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU, who will have an integral role in the proposed research. You may include project partners that will support your research project through cash or in-kind contributions, such as:

• staff time
• access to equipment
• sites or facilities
• the provision of data
• software or materials
• recruitment of people as research participants
• providing samples, such as human tissue, for the project Each project partner must provide a statement of support. Find out more about subcontractors and dual roles.

Who cannot be included as a project partner

Any individual included in your application core team cannot also be a project partner. Any organisation that employs a member of the application core team cannot be a project partner organisation. This includes other departments within the same organisation. If you are collaborating with someone in your organisation, consider including them in the core team as project co‑lead, or specialist. They cannot be a project partner.

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. See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where you can find additional support.

Dates

Assessment process

We will assess your application using the following process.

Expert review

We will invite experts to review your application independently, against the specified criteria for this funding opportunity. You will not be able to nominate reviewers for applications on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. Research councils will continue to select expert reviewers. We are monitoring the requirement for applicant‑nominated reviewers as we review policies and processes as part of the continued development of the new Funding Service.

Panel

Following expert review, a moderating panel will assess and score the quality of your application using the evidence provided in the application, reviewers comments and your applicant response. For more information on how we prioritise applications for funding please visit How we make decisions.

Timescale

We aim to complete the assessment process within nine months of receiving your application.

Feedback

Applications submitted to this funding opportunity will receive expert reviewer comments as feedback. Panel feedback will not be provided.

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity. Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision‑making.

Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in expert review

Reviewers and panellists are not permitted to use generative AI tools to develop their assessment, including to correct language, spelling, grammar and formatting. Using these tools can potentially compromise the confidentiality of the ideas that applicants have entrusted to UKRI to safeguard. For more detail see our policy on the use of generative AI.

Sharing data with co‑funders

We will need to share the application (including any personal information that it contains) with other research councils so that they can participate in the assessment process. For more information on how UKRI uses personal information, visit UKRI’s privacy notice. We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.

Assessment areas

The assessment areas we will use are:

• vision
• approach
• applicant and team capability to deliver
• resources and cost justification
• ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI) Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.

How to apply

Click here to start an application on the UKRI Funding Service 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. 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.

To apply

1. Confirm you are the project lead.
2. Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password.
3. 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.
4. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read‑only’ view before sending to your research office.
5. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
6. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI. Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant. Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. When including images, you must:

• provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
• insert each new image on a new line
• use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include:
• sentences or paragraphs of text
• tables
• excessive quantities of images A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column. 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

Reference

References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application. Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:

• references are easily identifiable by the assessors
• references are formatted as appropriate to your research
• persistent identifiers are used where possible

General use of hyperlinks

Applications should be self‑contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.

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.

Deadline

Our approach to applicant‑led responsive funding opportunities has changed. We do not have closing dates for applications. You should simply submit your application when it is ready. Applications are accepted and processed continuously, so there is no need to focus on a specific deadline. You may see a notional future closing date displayed in the Funding Service. This is a system requirement and does not reflect an actual deadline. You should ignore this date and submit your application whenever it is ready. Due to the continuing development of the Funding Service, we will occasionally need to make changes to this funding opportunity to allow technical updates or new policies to be implemented. When updates are required, we will communicate changes to this funding opportunity at least eight weeks before they are implemented, to minimise the impact on applications being prepared for submission. Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications cannot be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it will be rejected. If your application has not yet been peer‑reviewed, you may submit a revised version immediately. There is no required waiting period between a rejection and submitting a revised application.

Personal data

Processing personal data

BBSRC, 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. BBSRC, as part of UKRI, will need to share the application and any personal information that it contains with Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) so that they can participate in the assessment process. For more information on how Defra uses personal information, visit Defra’s website.

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email peer.review@bbsrc.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)
• declaration of interest
• 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.

Institutional matched funding

There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co‑leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in‑kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged. This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award‑specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

Publication of outcomes

BBSRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at UKRI Gateway to Research. If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.

Summary

Word limit: 550 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

Guidance for writing a summary

Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:

• context
• the challenge the project addresses
• aims and objectives
• potential applications and benefits

Core team

List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:

• project lead (PL)
• project co‑lead (UK) (PcL)
• specialist
• professional enabling staff
• research and innovation associate
• technician
• researcher co‑lead (RcL) Only list one individual as project lead. 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.

Application questions

BBSRC schemes

Word limit: 1 Indicate the scheme through which you are applying. In the text box, copy the number corresponding to the scheme you are applying through. These are:

1. standard (no scheme)
2. Industrial Partnership Award (IPA)
3. LINK
4. Brazil (FAPESP)
5. Luxembourg (FNR)
6. UKRI‑SBE lead agency

Additional guidance

This is for administrative purposes to help the initial application processing. Please note that the UKRI‑SBE lead agency scheme operates as a two‑stage process, requiring an approved expression of interest prior to submitting a full proposal. Full proposals submitted to this funding opportunity without an approved expression of interest will be rejected. For further details including how to submit an expression of interest, please refer to the scheme guidance. Please follow the scheme specific guidance below. Upload as a single PDF ensuring it is not larger than 8MB. IPA or LINK:

• a letter from your institution’s technology transfer office outlining the management of outputs from the proposed research FAPESP:
• FAPESP proposal form
• FAPESP consolidated budget form
• FAPESP letter of eligibility FNR:
• CVs of international collaborators
• FNR ‘INTER’ budget form
• FNR ‘INTER’ cost justification UKRI‑SBE:
• NSF budget form

BBSRC remit classification

Word limit: 1 Your application will be considered by one of our four research committees made up of independent experts. Indicate which you feel would be best placed to assess your application. In the text box, write only the letter (in uppercase) corresponding to the committee you feel would be best placed to assess your application. These are: A – animal disease, health and welfare B – plants, microbes, food and sustainability C – genes, development, and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) approaches to biology D – molecules, cells and industrial biotechnology

Additional guidance

This is for administrative purposes to help the initial application processing. We will check your choice and make a final decision as to which committee will assess your application.

Vision

Word limit: 550 What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your proposed work:

• is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s)
• has the potential to advance current understanding, or generate 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 References may be included within this section. You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Approach

Word limit: 3,300 How are you going to deliver your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how you have designed your approach so that it:

• is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
• is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
• uses a clearly written and transparent methodology (if applicable)
• summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed (if applicable)
• 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 Within the ‘Approach’ section we also expect you to provide a detailed and comprehensive project plan including milestones and timelines in the form of an embedded Gantt chart or similar (please make sure to check sizing and readability of the image using ‘read view’ prior to submission). BBSRC’s action plan for EDI outlines our commitment to removing barriers to participation in our programmes, ensuring investments do not inadvertently prevent access or usage by individuals from minority groups, for example disabled researchers. To this end, applications should identify how accessibility and inclusiveness in the widest sense have been incorporated into the design of the project. For example, you may wish to reference relevant institutional strategies and policies which support equality, diversity, and inclusion as they relate to access to equipment and facilities and indicate how the proposed project has been designed and will be delivered with broad access in mind. References may be included within this section. You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Applicant and team capability to deliver

Word limit: 1,650 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 limit for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions. Use the R4RI format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project lead 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

Additions

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. Please note, you may want to evidence your approach to develop others by referring to appropriate training and career development opportunities. The roles in funding applications policy