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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The core objective of this grant is to establish Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnerships (GHRIPs) by providing seed-corn funding for Phase 1 of a two-phase competitive process. This initial phase aims to support the development of diverse consortia and conduct landscape evidence analysis. The ultimate goal is to design a robust work program for Phase 2, which will involve larger, multi-year research projects focused on addressing critical gaps in the evidence base and informing policy and practice related to gambling harms. This opportunity is primarily targeted at UK-based academic higher education institutions (HEIs), independent research organizations (IROs) recognized by UKRI, and UK-registered businesses that can demonstrate significant capacity for research leadership. These organizations will act as lead applicants within consortia. The grant does not specify organizational size by employee count, focusing instead on organizational type and research capacity. Consortia are mandated and must be diverse, including partners from the public sector, third sector, community groups, and industry. This grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC, exclusively focusing on gambling harms research and innovation. The geographic scope is primarily the UK, with the lead organization needing to be UK-based. While international project co-leads and partners are permitted, the grant's primary impact focus is within the UK. Key filtering criteria for initial screening include: requiring a UK-based eligible lead organization, mandatory consortium formation (with a strong emphasis on including people with lived experience), a clear focus on gambling harms, and a willingness to engage with the Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre (GHRCC). Please note that government organizations, third-sector organizations, and Gambling Commission operating license holders subject to the levy are not eligible to host the award.

Financial Structure

This grant opportunity, Phase 1 of the Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnerships (GHRIP), offers specific financial conditions:

Budget Range (Phase 1): The full economic cost (FEC) of your Phase 1 project can be up to £100,000.
Award Range (Phase 1): Individual grants are expected to be between £70,000 and £100,000.
Total Fund: For this Phase 1 opportunity, a total of £2,000,000 is available, which will fund up to 20 awards.
Funding Rate: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will fund 80% of the full economic cost (FEC) of your project.
Co-financing/Matching Fund Requirements: Your lead research organization (the applicant) must cover the remaining 20% of the full economic cost from its own resources or other non-grant sources.
Overall Program Funding: The full 'Research Programme on Gambling' across five years will make up to £50,000,000 available, with the larger Phase 2 GHRIP awards potentially reaching up to £5 million each.
Eligible Costs (General): Costs that can be requested include:
- Project staff salaries.
- Significant travel for fieldwork or collaboration (but not routine travel between collaborating organizations or to conferences).
- Equipment costing more than £25,000.
- Consumables beyond typical requirements or in exceptional quantities.
- All facilities and infrastructure costs.
- Resources designated as 'Exceptions' (these are typically funded at 100% FEC and must be clearly justified).
- Costs associated with reasonable adjustments due to working on the project.
Costs for Specific Project Co-Leads:
- International Project Co-Leads and Project Co-Leads from UK businesses, civil society (including third sector), community, or government bodies are eligible to claim costs at 100% full economic cost (FEC). These costs must be listed as 'Exceptions' in your budget.
- The combined total of these co-lead costs and any flexible funding budget (more relevant for Phase 2, but mentioned here for context) must not exceed 30% of the overall project cost.
- Specifics for Co-Leads Receiving Subsidy (UK business or civil society): If these organizations are engaged in economic activity and receive a subsidy, their claims are limited to staff salary, travel and subsistence, and other direct costs. Compliance with the UK Subsidy Control Act 2022 is mandatory.
- Specifics for Civil Society and Community Co-Leads: Can claim staff salary, staff national insurance and superannuation, travel and subsistence, other direct costs, overheads, and indirect costs.
- Specifics for Government Co-Leads: Can claim travel and subsistence, and other direct costs. Staff salary costs are generally not expected to be covered, but exceptions may be made in specific, justified circumstances (e.g., part-time work, external funding requirement, or if replacement cover is needed).
- Importantly, any costs requested for co-leads must not duplicate any existing funding.
Financial Guarantees Required: The lead research organization is expected to cover the 20% FEC balance, implying a financial commitment to the project's overall cost.
Indirect Cost Policies: For certain project co-leads (specifically international co-leads unless explicitly stated in the funding opportunity, and public contributors acting as specialists), estates and indirect costs may not be covered by the grant. However, civil society and community co-leads (not necessarily in receipt of a subsidy) can claim these costs. Generally, for roles that do attract estates and indirect costs, double charging must be avoided by the organization.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for this funding opportunity, your organization and team must meet specific, non-negotiable criteria:

Eligible Lead Organizations: The organization submitting the application must be one of the following, and the project lead must be based there:
- A UK academic higher education institution (HEI).
- An independent research organisation (IRO) recognized by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
- A UK registered business that can demonstrate the capacity to lead and manage a significant research and innovation project.
Consortium Requirement: All applications must be consortia-based. This means your proposal must involve a partnership of multiple organizations and individuals. Key requirements for your consortium include:
- Bringing together diverse people, institutions, expertise, experiences, places, and wider stakeholders.
- Mandatory inclusion of people with 'lived and learned experience' from gambling and gambling-related harms.
- Essential partnerships with non-HEI organizations, third sector organizations, community groups, the public sector, and industry.
- Consortium partnerships must be equitable and contribute to the development of the application.
Eligible Project Co-Leads and Partners:
- Project co-leads from government, local government, third sector, non-profit organizations, and industry are eligible and encouraged.
- International researchers can apply as 'project co-lead (international)'.
- Other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organizations) can be included as project partners.
- Public contributors (e.g., people with lived experience) can be named as 'Specialist' roles in the core team.
Applicant Restrictions:
- A researcher may submit only one application as project lead to this specific funding opportunity.
- Individuals cannot apply to both this 'Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnerships (GHRIP)' and the 'Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre (GHRCC)' funding opportunities as a project lead or co-lead. This will be checked at the application processing stage.
Exclusions and Disqualifying Factors (Organizations that cannot host the award):
- Government organizations (cannot be lead host).
- Third sector organizations (cannot be lead host).
- Gambling Commission operating license holders subject to the levy. This specifically means organizations whose primary business is gambling and who pay the statutory levy are not eligible to lead the award. Furthermore, UKRI will not provide direct funding to these license holders nor permit co-funding from them. Individual researchers are also not expected to concurrently hold funding from these levy payers while receiving UKRI funding from this program.
- Industries whose core business is associated with harm to public health or societal wellbeing are generally excluded. Exceptions are extremely rare and require strict conditions (e.g., no direct funding/co-authorship from the excluded entity, robust ethical review, transparent declaration, safeguards against undue influence, public benefit demonstrably outweighing risks), and must be pre-approved by UKRI.
Technical Expertise and Capacity:
- Applicants must demonstrate significant expertise across relevant interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral disciplines.
- The leadership team should possess significant expertise in knowledge exchange and knowledge mobilization.
- A core team with defined roles must be in place at the time of application, with plans to include early career researchers.

Application Process

Applying for the Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnerships (GHRIP) requires careful attention to detail and specific procedures:

Application Deadlines and Submission Window:
- Opportunity Publication Date: 23 June 2025
- Application Opening Date: 26 June 2025 at 9:00am UK time
- Application Closing Date: 16 September 2025 at 4:00pm UK time
- No applications will be accepted after this deadline.
Submission Platform: All applications must be submitted through the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. Applications via the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system are not permitted for this opportunity. Ensure your organization is registered; if not, allow at least 10 working days for it to be added by emailing support@funding-service.ukri.org.
Application Procedure and Steps:
1. Access the application via the 'Start application' button on the Funding finder page.
2. Confirm your role as the project lead.
3. Sign in or create a Funding Service account.
4. Complete the application questions directly in the online text boxes. You can save your progress and return later.
5. Upload required documents (e.g., project partner letters) as instructed.
6. Review your completed application thoroughly in 'read-only' view.
7. Send the application to your internal research office for final checks and submission to UKRI. Only the lead research organization can submit.
8. The project lead is responsible for the submission, but all team members and project partners are expected to contribute to the application content.
9. Once submitted, applications cannot be changed or returned for amendment.
Required Documentation and Materials (Key Sections):
- Summary: A plain English summary (550 words) suitable for public release.
- Core Team: List key team members, assigning roles (e.g., Project Lead, Project Co-Lead UK/International, Specialist). Only one Project Lead is allowed. Public contributors (with lived experience) can be included as 'Specialist' roles.
- Vision: Describe your project's objectives and anticipated impact (1,000 words).
- Approach: Detail your methodology, feasibility, risk management, and how outputs will be translated into outcomes (1,500 words).
- Applicant and Team Capability to Deliver: Showcase your team's experience, expertise, leadership, and contribution to a positive research environment, using the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format (1,650 words).
- Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI): Address ethical implications and how they will be managed (500 words).
- Research Involving Human Participation: If applicable, provide details on human subject involvement and approvals (700 words).
- Resources and Cost Justification: Justify all requested resources and their costs (1,500 words).
- Place: Address place-related challenges/opportunities and local/regional impacts (700 words).
- Project Partners: Provide details of contributions (cash/in-kind) from each partner.
- Letters/Emails of Support: A single PDF attachment containing letters or emails of support from each named project partner. Each letter/email should be in English or Welsh, confirm commitment, explain value/relevance/benefits, describe additional value, and be no more than 2 sides of A4 per partner.
- Visual Elements: Limited use of images/diagrams is permitted within text boxes, provided they have descriptive captions/legends and adhere to specific format/size rules. Avoid excessive use, tables, or large text blocks within images.
Application Assistance and Support:
- For help with costings and application writing, first contact your internal research office.
- For questions specific to this funding opportunity, email [email protected].
- For technical queries about the Funding Service, contact the helpdesk at support@funding-service.ukri.org or by phone at 01793 547490 (Mon-Thu 8:30am-5:00pm, Fri 8:30am-4:30pm UK time).
- A webinar for potential applicants will be held on 24 July 2025.
Project Implementation Timeline:
- Phase 1 projects are expected to start by 1 February 2026 and will run for nine months.
- Proposals for the subsequent Phase 2 GHRIP awards are due on 31 July 2026.
- Successful Phase 2 projects are anticipated to commence in October 2026 and will run for up to four years.
Post-Award Requirements: If your application is successful, your organization must comply with UKRI's terms and conditions, follow project policies and processes, and may be required to participate in UKRI peer review. Formal collaboration agreements with project partners are required for audit purposes.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications for the Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnerships will be assessed rigorously by an expert panel, based on the following key criteria. It's crucial to address each area comprehensively in your proposal:

Vision (Word limit: 1,000 words):
- Quality and Importance: Assessors will evaluate if your proposed work is of excellent quality and significance within or beyond its specific field(s) or area(s).
- Advancement of Knowledge: Your proposal should demonstrate the potential to significantly advance current understanding or generate new knowledge, thinking, or discoveries.
- Timeliness: The relevance and timeliness of your work, considering current trends, context, and needs in gambling harms research, are important.
- Impact: Clearly articulate the potential impact of your work on world-leading research, society, the economy, or the environment. If your project has indirect 'place-based' outcomes (local, regional, national), identify these impacts and who the beneficiaries might be.
Approach (Word limit: 1,500 words):
- Effectiveness and Feasibility: Your chosen approach must be effective and appropriate for achieving your stated objectives. You need to show that it is feasible and that you have comprehensively identified and planned how to manage any risks to delivery.
- Methodology: If applicable, present a clearly written and transparent methodology.
- Building on Existing Work: Describe how your project will build upon and progress any previous relevant work.
- Translation of Outputs: Explain how you will maximize the translation of your project's outputs into tangible outcomes and broader impacts.
- Research Environment: Detail how your (and your team's) research environment contributes to the success of the work. If applicable, explain how your design will generate local, regional, or national impacts.
Applicant and Team Capability to Deliver (Word limit: 1,650 words: 1,150 for Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) modules + up to 500 for Additions):
- Experience and Expertise: Demonstrate that you and your team possess the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) and the right balance of skills and expertise to successfully carry out the proposed work. This includes showcasing contributions to new ideas, tools, or methodologies.
- Leadership and Management: Provide evidence of appropriate leadership and management skills, including your approach to developing other team members.
- Research Environment Contribution: Highlight your (and your team's) contributions to developing a positive research environment and the wider community.
- R4RI Format: This section must use the R4RI format to present individual and team achievements, focusing on contributions to the generation of new ideas, development of others, contributions to the wider R&I community, and broader societal benefit.
Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) (Word limit: 500 words):
- Identification and Management: You must demonstrate that you have thoroughly identified and evaluated all relevant ethical or RRI considerations related to your proposed work, particularly given the sensitive nature of gambling harms research. Crucially, explain how you will effectively manage these considerations, including potential issues related to public harm, health, conflicts of interest, and safeguarding requirements.
Resources and Cost Justification (Word limit: 1,500 words):
- Justification of Costs: Provide clear justifications for all requested resources, especially more costly items like project staff, significant travel for fieldwork, equipment over £25,000, and any consumables beyond typical requirements. Justify all facilities and infrastructure costs, and specifically any resources costed as 'Exceptions'.
- Optimal Use: Show how your requested resources are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified, and how they represent the optimal use of funds to achieve your intended outcomes and maximize potential impacts.

Cross-Cutting Themes impacting scoring: - Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): UKRI is committed to EDI. Applications are expected to demonstrate inclusivity, encourage applications from diverse researchers, and support varied personal circumstances (e.g., career breaks, flexible working). The composition of your team and your approach to partnership building will be scrutinized for EDI principles. - Impact Expectations: A key expectation is the potential for real-world impact in understanding gambling behavior and reducing harms, contributing to a future national strategy on gambling harms. This involves social, economic, and environmental impact. - Innovation: While Phase 1 is for partnership and analysis, the overall program expects innovative, stakeholder-informed responses to gambling-related harms. Proposals are expected to pave the way for actionable solutions in Phase 2.

Compliance & Special Requirements

This grant has several critical compliance and special requirements that applicants must adhere to:

Regulatory Compliance Requirements:
- UK Subsidy Control Act 2022: If your application includes project co-leads from UK businesses or civil society organizations that receive a subsidy (i.e., are engaged in economic activity), you must ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act, which regulates how public funding is used to prevent distortion of competition.
Ethical Standards and Requirements:
- High Ethical Standards: All project activities and research must be carried out to a high ethical standard. This is particularly crucial given the sensitive nature of research on public harm and health issues related to gambling.
- Risk Identification and Mitigation: You must clearly articulate how any potential ethical, safeguarding, and health and safety issues have been identified and how they will be addressed.
- Ethical Approval: All necessary ethical approvals must be secured and risks minimized before the project commences. This is especially important for public engagement activities and when involving people with lived experience.
- Adherence to UKRI's Preventing Harm in Research guidelines is expected.
Data Protection and Privacy: UKRI will process personal data in line with UK data protection legislation. Confidential or sensitive information can be submitted separately to a dedicated email address ([email protected]) to ensure its protection.
Intellectual Property Policies: While not explicitly detailed, the grant emphasizes that engagement with industry partners (especially the gambling sector) must be demonstrably independent, evidence-based, and research-led. This implies that research findings and intellectual property should primarily serve the public interest and the program's objectives, rather than commercial interests that might compromise research integrity.
Risk Management: Your proposal must comprehensively identify any risks to project delivery and clearly outline how these risks will be managed.
Unique Aspects and Strategic Opportunities:
- Two-Phase Competitive Process: This is Phase 1 (seed-corn funding) designed for partnership development and landscape analysis. It is a stepping stone to a larger Phase 2 opportunity (up to £5 million over 4 years) for full project implementation. Your Phase 1 application should clearly demonstrate its pathway to a strong Phase 2 proposal.
- Consortium-Based and Multi-Stakeholder Focus: A key requirement is forming diverse, equitable consortia that include researchers, policymakers, third sector organizations, community groups, industry partners, and crucially, individuals with lived and learned experience of gambling harms.
- Engagement with GHRCC: You are expected to demonstrate a willingness to engage and collaborate with the Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre (GHRCC), which is being commissioned separately. The GHRCC will support GHRIP proposal development during Phase 1 and coordinate activities across the network in Phase 2.
- Strategic Thematic Areas: While broadly open, UKRI has identified priority thematic areas (e.g., intersectionality, structural drivers, lived experience, digital gambling ecosystems, prevention/recovery factors, co-occurring issues) and encourages alignment to support a balanced program portfolio.
- Industry Engagement Scrutiny: Any interaction with industry, particularly the gambling sector, will undergo robust scrutiny. Engagement must be for legitimate research objectives (e.g., data access) and must uphold the independence and integrity of the research, avoiding any undue influence or conflicts of interest.
- Support for Early and Mid-Career Researchers (ECRs): Your core team must include ECRs, and your proposal should outline clear plans for their development, demonstrating a commitment to fostering research talent.
- Responsible Innovation: Applicants are expected to consider both the benefits and potential negative impacts of their proposed activities within the framework of responsible innovation.
- Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I): For international collaborations, applicants may be asked to show how their projects comply with UKRI's TR&I principles, identifying potential risks and mitigation strategies to ensure research integrity and security.
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): UKRI is committed to EDI. Applications should reflect this by encouraging diversity among researchers and supporting varying personal circumstances (e.g., career breaks, flexible working arrangements).
Conflict of Interest: You must adhere to UKRI's conflict of interest policy. Partnerships within your consortium must be equitable and developed without non-compliance with this policy, ensuring the centre's aims are genuinely served.

Grant Details