Current managed calls

If you are aware of an institutional limit on an external bid that is not listed below, please contact  researchoffice.fundingstrategy@imperial.ac.uk

Open external calls 

NERC Strategic Capital 2022 - Deadline to internal process 14 March 2022, midday

For further information please contact Dr Louise Sherlock

NERC is inviting proposals to its Strategic Capital Call -  this a limited submission call and an internal select process is in place. Imperial is only permitted to submit two proposals (individual values £350K - £750K inc. VAT). Deadline for NERC submission is 5 April 2022.

Internal process

PIs must complete the internal proforma (doc) (max 3 pages) and submit to researchoffice.fundingstrategy@imperial.ac.uk by midday, 14 March. The proforma is based on that which NERC requires PIs to submit, so please follow the guidance on the NERC website and on their proforma (PDF) to complete the internal stage.

The NERC Proposals Review Group will assess the submissions and provide recommendations to the Chair. Final decisions will be communicated a week after the deadline to allow the selected PIs time to complete the full submission for NERC. Please ensure that submissions meet all the eligibility requirements of the call before submitting to the internal process. Contact capitalrequirements@nerc.ukri.org if in doubt.

EPSRC Strategic Equipment

For further detail please contact Suzanne Husein.

EPSRC strongly encourages a strategic approach to the submission of business cases and therefore the College has agreed the following internal selection process, in an effort to manage the timing of bids for maximal success and to provide an opportunity for Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise), to offer institutional approval to bids.

Upcoming round:

  • Tuesday 1 March 2022 – Candidates to submit their business case to researchoffice.fundingstrategy@imperial.ac.uk (attn. Suzanne Husein)
  • Tuesday 22 March 2022 –CCRPRG, with co-opted expertise, to review business cases and form recommendations for selection. Decisions announced immediately after this date
  • Wednesday 4 May 2022 – EPSRC deadline for outline submissions
  • May/June 2022 – EPSRC Outline Panel date
  • July/August 2022 – EPSRC deadline for full applications
  • November 2022 – EPSRC Interview Panel date (provisional)

Future round:

  • Noon Tuesday 5 July 2022 – Candidates to submit their business case to researchoffice.fundingstrategy@imperial.ac.uk (attn. Suzanne Husein)
  • Tuesday 19 July 2022 –CCRPRG, with co-opted expertise, to review business cases and form recommendations for selection. Decisions announced immediately after this date
  • No EPSRC deadline for outline submissions
  • Tbc by EPSRC (Anticipated to be September 2022) – EPSRC Outline Panel date
  • No EPSRC deadline for full applications
  • Tbc by EPSRC (Anticipated to be March 2023) – EPSRC Interview Panel date (provisional)

Additional information can be found on the EPSRC Strategic Equipment process webpage.

MRC New Investigator Research Grant scheme (NIRG) and Better methods better research (BMBR)

Application calls for the next round of MRC New Investigator Research Grant scheme (NIRG) are now open and will be closing in January. These applications used to require a letter of support from the President or the Provost and the letter signing process was managed by the Research Office. The process has changed and we recently had confirmation from MRC that these letters can be signed by Heads of Department, this is also the case for the Better methods better research (BMBR) scheme. As such, the President or the Provost will no longer be signing letters of support for these schemes. Instead, each Department will now be able to manage their letter signing process for MRC NIRG and BMBR and to provide letters of support to their respective applicants. Applicants are encouraged to contact their Departments to find additional detail.

Recurring calls

AXA Chair and Fellowship

There are two opportunities per year to put someone forward for an AXA Chair or Fellowship position (note Fellowship calls are for specific research areas). Imperial is only permitted to submit one candidate per round to each call, and the process is managed centrally. More information about these opportunities can be found on the AXA Chair position webpage or the Fellowships webpage

AXA Chair

The Chair scheme is primarily to attract an individual to the College. Departments should initially approach researchoffice.fundingstrategy@imperial.ac.uk stating the individual that they wish to attract and the strategic benefit to the College of pursuing an application. If the Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) is convinced of the strategic need, and the College has not met its application limit, the department will be informed of the next steps to continue the process.

AXA Fellowship

Interested candidates' Departments should initially approach researchoffice.fundingstrategy@imperial.ac.uk stating the individual that they wish to put forward/attract, why AXA is the best route to support them, and the strategic benefit to the College of pursuing an application. If the Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) is convinced AXA is an apropriate fit for the candidate, and the College has not met its application limit, the department will be informed of the next steps to continue the process.

NERC Standard Grant rounds (July and January closing dates)

In 2015, NERC introduced a Demand Management quota system, whereby institutions whose 6-round success rate for Standard Grants (response mode, including New Investigator grants) fell below 20% received a cap on the number of proposals they could submit for that financial year's rounds. Imperial is currently subject to this demand management quota. To manage the cap and increase the quality of proposals being submitted to avoid future restriction, an internal review group has been established to aid in the support (and selection where required) of bids. For more information view the NERC Demand Management webpage.

For further details of how to submit your proposal to the internal NERC Proposals Review Group and the key dates for the next upcoming round under Demand Management measures, please visit our dedicated NERC Standard Grant Demand Management page

Ongoing calls

Selected and ongoing bids

BBSRC mid-range equipment (ALERT21)

The College reviewed the applications for this call and provided feedback to PIs regarding potential overlaps. Bids were submitted to the funder in November 2021.

EPSRC Develop Digital Economy Research Communities with NetworkPlus

The College was invited to submit one lead application to the above call.  Due to this limited submission, an internal selection process was undertaken. Nominations are expected to be reviewed by a commitee, the selected bids will progress to  the funder in July 2021. Interviews and decisions are expected December 2021. 

Schmidt Science Fellows 2020

The Schmidt Science Fellows invited the College to submit nominations for fellowships starting 2021, due to a limited submission an internal selection process was undertaken, nominations are expected to be reviewed by a commitee, the selected bids will progress to funder.

UKRI Stephen Hawking Fellowships 2020

The College was invited to submit to the UKRI Stephen Hawking Fellowships call. UKRI will fund up to 10 fellowships in the 2020 round. Future rounds are expected. Host organisations are expected by UKRI to carry out pre-selection of candidates and must not submit more applications than the number of fellowships available. Following an internal selection process the selected bids will progress to funder.