Transcription of Research Grants Handbook
1 NERC Research Grants AND FELLOWSHIPS Handbook Grants AWARDED ON FULL ECONOMIC COST BASIS Edition 2021 October 2021 ii NERC Research Grants AND FELLOWSHIPS 2021 Edition October 2021: for Research grant and fellowship proposals from 1 September 2005 (after introduction of full economic costing ) only. Foreword This Handbook sets out the regulations governing Research Grants and fellowships awarded by the Natural Environment Research Council. It sets out the application procedures and eligibility requirements.
2 It also outlines the funding and facilities available to grant-holders, and details the responsibilities of NERC, grant holders and Research organisations. It must be read in conjunction with the core terms and conditions that have been agreed across all Research councils. The Handbook focuses on Grants and fellowships awarded through NERC Discovery Science (Responsive Mode), Innovation (Knowledge Exchange) and Strategic Research ( Research Programmes). NERC Studentships and Training Grants are not covered by this Handbook , but are instead governed by the Terms and Conditions of Research Council Training Grants The main changes to the regulations will be made in updates of the Handbook .
3 However, NERC reserves the right to amend these regulations at any time and without prior notice. The regulations in effect at any time will be those contained in the most recent version of this Handbook , available on the NERC website. Changes and points to note (Edition 2021 October 2021). This is a minimal update to incorporate some important changes as listed below. There are a lot of changes ongoing under the UKRI Simpler and Better Funding programme. These include transfer of the NERC website to the UKRI website and the move to the new UKRI funding system which is under development.
4 Further updates to the Handbook (including modernisation of the format and reducing duplication of information) will take place in 2022. Paragraph 37, 38 and 67 - updated fellowship information Paragraph 76 Organisational eligibility updated to include Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs) Paragraph 170 Introduced the concept of Dual Roles, where an organisation or individual can act as both a Project Partner and Subcontractor. Paragraph 201 206 Important changes to the proposal requirements for the Standard and New Investigator grant call closing in January 2022, reducing the case for support size and attachments.
5 Paragraph 207 Information retained to explain Standard Grant format requirements as used on some current announcements of opportunity. Paragraph 227, 228 Advice for joint proposals, with multiple JeS components updated to clarify the guidance only applies where named attachments ( CVs) are permitted on the call iii Throughout the document: reference to ARCHER and exceeding 160 MAU has been replaced with ARCHER2 and exceeding 500 kCU (thousand Compute Units) Website links have been updated where possible, but the NERC website is currently being transferred into a single UKRI website and further weblinks will need updating in due course.
6 Iv CONTENTS SECTION A - INTRODUCTION .. 6 General Principles .. 6 SECTION B TYPES OF AWARD .. 7 Discovery Science (Responsive Mode) Funding .. 7 Standard Grants .. 8 New Investigator Grants .. 9 Large Grants .. 10 Urgency Grants .. 10 Independent Research Fellowships (IRF) .. 12 Knowledge Exchange Fellows .. 13 Strategic Research .. 13 Funding Across Research Councils .. 13 Funding for International Collaborations .. 13 SECTION C - ELIGIBILITY .. 14 Principal Investigator .. 14 New Investigator .. 15 Co-Investigator .. 16 Researcher Co-Investigator.
7 16 Fellowships .. 16 Knowledge Exchange Fellowships .. 17 Project 17 Eligible Research Organisations .. 18 SECTION D GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS .. 19 Confidentiality .. 19 Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations .. 19 UK Data Protection Act 2018 .. 20 Responsibilities of the Research Organisation .. 20 Responsibilities of the Grant Holder (Principal Investigator) .. 20 Research Governance and Misconduct .. 21 Permission for Research , the Use of Animals, Research Ethics and the Utilisation of Genetic Resources in NERC-funded Research .
8 21 Health and Safety .. 23 Starting Procedures .. 23 Extensions .. 23 Money Follows Researcher / Transferring Grants in Europe .. 24 Public Engagement .. 24 Data Availability .. 24 Early Termination of Award .. 25 Associated (Project) Studentships .. 25 SECTION E FINANCIAL CONDITIONS .. 28 Directly Incurred Costs .. 29 Directly Allocated Costs .. 30 Indirect Costs .. 30 Exceptions .. 31 Funding of Fellows on Research Grants .. 31 Funding for IIASA 31 Details on Directly Incurred Costs .. 32 Visiting Researchers .. 32 Travel and Subsistence .. 32 Equipment.
9 32 Sub-contracting .. 34 Use of Scientific Support and Facilities (S&F) .. 35 Casual Labour .. 35 Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments .. 35 Independent Research Fellowships: International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP) .. 35 v Access to NERC Data .. 36 Grant Payment Details .. 36 SECTION F APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES .. 37 Application Procedures .. 37 Standard and New Investigator call closing January 2022 .. 42 New Investigator Grants .. 44 Standard Grant Format Requirements .. 45 Urgency Grants .. 46 Large Grants .. 47 Fellowship Grants .
10 50 Strategic Research Fellowships .. 52 Joint Standard and Large Grant Proposals .. 52 Strategic Research and Other Schemes .. 55 Resubmission of Proposals .. 55 Proposals Requiring Use of NERC Scientific Support and Facilities .. 57 Proposals Requesting Ship Time and/or Marine Equipment .. 57 Proposals involving High Performance 59 Proposals involving Cross-Council Large Facilities (Diamond, ISIS and CLF) .. 59 Applications for Antarctic Logistic Support .. 59 Applications involving European Space Agency (ESA) data .. 60 Assessment of Proposals .. 61 SECTION G MONITORING AND REPORTING.
