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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Grant Purpose and Target: STFC Leadership Fellowships in Public Engagement This grant provides funding for experienced individuals to lead and implement extensive public engagement programs focused on the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)'s supported science, technology, and facilities. The core objective is to build capacity for public engagement within host organizations and the broader scientific community, highlight STFC's achievements, and inspire public interest in STEM. This is a SECTOR-SPECIFIC grant, exclusively targeting public engagement activities rooted in STFC's scientific domains and facilities. Target Recipients

Type: Individuals based at eligible UK research organizations (e.g., universities, public research institutes).
Size: Not specified for the individual applicant's team, but the host organization would typically be a larger academic or public research institution.
Geographic Scope: The host organization must be based in the UK.

Key Filtering Criteria

Your work or the proposed engagement must be directly related to STFC-funded science, technology, or facilities.
You must be based at a UK research organization eligible for STFC funding.
You need a strong track record of leadership in public engagement relevant to your career stage.

Grant Context This is a fellowship opportunity, a single funding scheme supporting individuals at both early and established career stages. It appears to be a recurring opportunity, aiming to build a sustained community of public engagement leaders within the STFC umbrella.

Financial Structure

Financial Structure This fellowship offers significant funding with specific cost-sharing requirements. Funding Amount and Range

The maximum full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £225,000.
There is no specified minimum grant amount.

Funding Rate

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) will fund 80% of the full economic cost (FEC) of your project.
This means your host organization is expected to cover the remaining 20% of the FEC. This is a standard requirement for UKRI funding where the lead organization must provide all necessary support, including covering 20% of the total costs.

Eligible Costs

Costs associated with reasonable adjustments for disability, where they directly increase as a result of working on the project, are eligible.
Funding is available for provision of up to 50% of a full-time equivalent (FTE) position for administration and logistics within the overall £225,000 limit.
Costs for project staff, professional enabling staff, significant travel for field work or collaboration (not regular travel or conferences), consumables beyond typical requirements, training costs, and specific 'Exceptions' (where UKRI covers 100% of remuneration) are generally eligible, provided they are justified.

Ineligible Costs

Applications where the proposed engagement plans do not have STFC-related activities at their core will not be funded.
You must not use UKRI funds to repay the cost of support already provided by your host organization for reasonable adjustments.
Costs for 'infrastructure technician' tasks are covered by estates and indirect costs, not typically direct project costs.

Financial Reporting and Guarantees

Detailed financial reporting requirements are not explicitly outlined, but adherence to UKRI terms and conditions and standard financial reporting for grants is implied.
For audit purposes, formal collaboration agreements are required if project partners are included in your application and an award is made.
The host organization's commitment to cover the 20% FEC and provide necessary support acts as a financial guarantee.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for this fellowship, you and your host organization must meet the following strict criteria: Organizational Eligibility

Organization Type: You must be based at a UK research organization eligible for STFC funding. This typically includes universities and public research institutes in the UK.
Geographic Location: Your host organization must be within the UK.

Individual Applicant Eligibility

Employment Contract: You must hold a contract of employment with your host organization for the entire duration of the proposed fellowship (24 to 36 months).
Track Record & Experience:
- Demonstrate a strong track record of leadership in your field and in public engagement, proportionate to your career stage (both early and established career stages are eligible).
- Your expertise must be either:
  - In an STFC-funded area of science and technology; OR
  - As a regular user of STFC’s national or international laboratories and facilities.
Leadership Capability: Evidence your capability to act as an academic leader for public engagement, raise its profile, and develop capacity and networks within your organization.

Exclusion Criteria

Individuals outside of STFC’s academic communities are not eligible.
Anyone not based at an eligible organization within the UK is not eligible.
Applications where the proposed engagement plans do not have STFC-related activities at their core will not be funded.

Inclusivity Considerations STFC is committed to equality of opportunity and encourages applications from diverse backgrounds. They support flexible working arrangements, including career breaks, support for caring responsibilities, and alternative working patterns. Disability and accessibility support is available for applicants and grant holders.

Application Process

Application Practical Information Application Timeline and Deadlines

Publication Date: 30 June 2025
Opening Date: 7 July 2025, 9:00 AM UK time
Closing Date: 16 October 2025, 4:00 PM UK time
Assessment Period: UKRI aims to complete the assessment process within six months of receiving your application.
Interview Period: Shortlisted applicants can expect interviews between 26 January 2026 and 6 February 2026.

Application Procedure

Platform: Applications must be submitted through the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. The Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system is not used for this opportunity.
Process: The fellow (applicant) is responsible for completing the application on the Funding Service.
- Select 'Start application' on the Funding Finder page.
- Confirm you are the fellow.
- Sign in or create a Funding Service account (allow at least 10 working days for new organization registration).
- Complete questions directly in text boxes or work offline and paste answers.
- Upload documents as instructed.
- Allow time for your research office to check your application. Your research office will then submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
No Changes After Submission: Once submitted, applications cannot be changed or returned for amendment. Ensure all guidance is followed to avoid rejection.

Required Documentation and Materials Your application will include several key sections:

Summary (550 words): A plain English summary suitable for public release, identifying experts to assess your application.
Vision (1,100 words): What you hope to achieve, its quality, timeliness, capacity building, advocacy, and potential impacts.
Approach (2,750 words): How you will deliver the work, its effectiveness, feasibility, risk management, methodology, project plan (chart/diagram), and use of previous experience.
Applicant Capability to Deliver (1,650 words): Why you are the right individual, using the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format (1,150 words for R4RI modules + optional 500 words for Additions). Evidence your relevant experience, skills, contributions to research environment, leadership, track record, standing, and public engagement expertise.
Career Development (1,000 words): Why this fellowship is right for your career development and how it will benefit others.
Host Organisation Support (1,000 words): How your host organization will support your fellowship.
Resources and Cost Justification (1,000 words): What you need to deliver the work and its cost, justifying more costly resources.
Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) (500 words): Ethical implications and how you will manage them.
Research involving the use of animals (if applicable): Complete a specific template provided by UKRI.
Evaluation Plan (800 words): How outputs, outcomes, and impacts will be captured, evaluated, and shared, linked to the STFC public engagement evaluation framework.
Project Partners (if applicable): Provide details on collaborating organizations, including their contributions (cash/in-kind). Requires a single PDF with letters/emails of support confirming commitment and value.

Support Offered

Funding: Financial support up to £225,000 (80% FEC).
Disability & Accessibility Support: UKRI offers guidance and support for disabled, long-term health condition, neurodivergent, or learning disabled applicants/grant holders, including reasonable adjustments.
Technical Support: Helpdesk available for system queries (support@funding-service.ukri.org or +44 (0)1793 547490).
Grant-Specific Queries: Direct questions about the funding opportunity to [email protected].

Post-Award Requirements

Compliance: Successful applicants must comply with UKRI terms and conditions and carry out projects in line with organizational policies.
Reporting: Regular reporting on project progress and financial expenditure will be required, aligned with the evaluation plan.
Peer Review: Grant holders may be asked to participate in UKRI peer review in their area of expertise.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria Your application will be assessed by a panel of experts, and if shortlisted, you will undergo an interview. The assessment areas include: 1. Vision

Quality & Importance: How excellent and important is your proposed work within or beyond its field?
Timeliness: Is the work timely given current trends, context, and needs?
Capacity & Advocacy: Will it create additional capacity and promote wider advocacy for public engagement?
Impacts & Beneficiaries: Identification of potential local, regional, and national impacts (direct and indirect) and who the beneficiaries might be.

2. Approach

Effectiveness & Feasibility: How effectively and appropriately is your work designed to achieve its objectives? Is it feasible?
Risk Management: Comprehensive identification of risks to delivery and how you will manage them.
Methodology: Clarity and transparency of the methodology (if applicable).
Impact Generation: How is the project designed to generate local, regional, and national impacts?
Project Plan: Detailed and comprehensive project plan, including milestones and timelines (chart/diagram).
Strategic Context: How you will use previous experience to identify and develop public engagement opportunities and present them strategically.
Team Role: Ability to reflect on your own role in a team and how it increases team effectiveness.
Data Management: A detailed and appropriate plan for acquiring and managing data (if relevant).

3. Applicant Capability to Deliver

Relevant Experience: Evidence of experience (appropriate to career stage) to maximize the fellowship's benefits for career development.
Skills & Aptitude: Right balance of skills and aptitude to deliver the proposed work.
Research Environment: Contribution to developing a positive research environment and wider community.
Leadership/Teamwork: Appropriate team working or leadership skills (appropriate to career stage).
Public Engagement Expertise: Evidence of expertise to undertake extended programs of high-quality public engagement.
Leading Supporter: Capability to establish yourself as a leading supporter of public engagement.
Academic Leader: Capability to act as an academic leader for engagement within your organization.
Profile Raising: Ability to raise the profile of public engagement within your host organization and professional communities.
Research/Technical Achievement: Demonstrable track record of research or technical achievement, including impact.
Standing: Clear evidence of national or international standing within your field.
STFC Context: Experience in an STFC science area or as an STFC facilities user whose proposal prominently involves facility work.
Engagement Understanding: Deep and nuanced understanding of what constitutes high-quality public engagement.
Management/Leadership: Clear evidence of management or leadership in public engagement planning and delivery.
Collaboration: Experience working effectively in collaborative teams.
R4RI Format: Use of the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase skills and contributions.

4. Career Development

Goals: Identification of career development goals appropriate to the fellowship.
Trajectory: How the fellowship provides a feasible and appropriate trajectory for personal development and goal achievement.
Positive Change: How you will instigate positive change in the wider research and innovation community (e.g., EDI, advocacy, policy influence, public engagement).
Host Institution Change: How you will instigate positive and lasting change in the host institution and professional networks.
Skill Acquisition: How the proposed work provides a feasible trajectory for acquiring additional skills (leadership, management, evaluation).

5. Host Organisation Support

Support Evidence: Detailed evidence of how the host will support you, relevant to your career development and the fellowship's vision/approach.
Engagement: Who you have engaged with in your host organization (name and role).
Environment Suitability: How the research environment contributes to success (suitability, strategic relevance).
Time Protection: How the host will ensure your time commitment to the fellowship is protected.
Development/Training: What development and training opportunities are provided, forming a cohesive career development package.
Financial/Practical Support: Financial or practical support (facilities, infrastructure, equipment) and how it strengthens the application.

6. Resources and Cost Justification

Justification: Justify more costly resources (project staff, professional enabling staff, significant travel, consumables, training, 'Exceptions').
Reasonable Adjustments: Costs associated with reasonable adjustments due to direct project work are eligible.
Optimality: Resources are comprehensive, appropriate, justified, and represent optimal use to maximize outcomes and impacts.

7. Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)

Identification & Evaluation: Identification and evaluation of relevant ethical or RRI considerations.
Management: How these considerations will be managed.
Data Implications: For data collection/use, identify legal/ethical considerations (consent, confidentiality, anonymisation, security, reuse) and compliance with formal information standards.
Animal Research: If applicable, completion of the 'Research involving the use of animals' template, addressing severity, approvals, species, experimental design, and 3Rs principles.

8. Evaluation Plan

Methodology: Clear evidence of a detailed evaluation plan, including methodology.
STFC Framework: How the evaluation links to and utilizes the STFC public engagement evaluation framework.
Dissemination: How wider audiences (other practitioners) could benefit through sharing good practice and learning, both during and beyond the fellowship.
Qualitative Means: Qualitative means of evaluating impacts.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Compliance and Special Requirements Regulatory Compliance

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I): UKRI emphasizes integrity in international collaboration. Applicants may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects comply with TR&I principles, identifying potential risks and mitigation controls. This includes adherence to legislation like the UK National Security and Investment Act, Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS), and strategic export controls.
Data Protection: Personal data collected for the application and grant management will be handled in line with UK data protection legislation and managed securely.
Ethical Standards: You must identify and evaluate relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation (RRI) considerations and detail how you will manage them. This includes specific considerations for data collection/use (consent, confidentiality, anonymisation, security) and research involving animals.
Animal Research: If your project involves vertebrate animals or other organisms covered by the Animals Scientific Procedures Act, you must complete a specific template, outlining severity, Home Office approvals, species, experimental design, and measures to minimize pain/distress. UKRI's expectations for responsible animal use are a condition of funding.

Special Considerations

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): STFC is committed to achieving equality of opportunity and encourages applications from a diverse range of researchers. This is a cross-cutting theme and is considered during assessment.
Flexible Working & Career Breaks: STFC supports people working in ways that suit their personal circumstances, including career breaks, support for caring responsibilities, and flexible working patterns. Reviewers will consider the impact of such disruptions on an applicant's capability and career development.
Disability and Accessibility Support: UKRI offers support and reasonable adjustments throughout the application and assessment process (e.g., longer response times, interview support). Eligible costs for reasonable adjustments that increase as a direct result of working on the project can be requested.
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): Use of generative AI tools to prepare applications is permitted, but caution is advised. Applicants are expected to be transparent about their use of these tools. Reviewers and panellists are explicitly not permitted to use generative AI tools for assessment due to confidentiality concerns.
Project Partners: While not mandatory, you can include project partners (collaborating organizations) who play an integral role. Formal collaboration agreements are required if an award is made involving partners.
Public Visibility: The summary section of your application will likely be made publicly available on external-facing websites, so it should not contain confidential or sensitive information.
Feedback: Feedback will be provided with the outcome of your application.

Grant Details