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School of Environment, Education and Development

Pre-award

Find out more about the pre-award stage in the School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED).

1. Intention to apply form

The Faculty ITA form (ITA) aims to streamline and improve the support offered for developing funding applications.

The system ensures that the Research Office can:

  • keep a schedule of grant applications
  • assign research officers to assist with completing the application 
  • appoint internal academic grant peer reviewers to help with finalising the application
  • ensure adequate time for Departmental, School and (where relevant) Faculty and University approval processes

It also assists departmental coordinators to keep an overview of activity and provide additional advice to prospective applicants where that may be helpful.

The form should be completed for every externally or internally funded application requiring costings from the Research Office and submitted prior to the submission or lead applicant deadlines:

  • 4 weeks for applications under £100K;
  • 6 weeks for applications between £100k - £1million;
  • 3 months+ for projects with a FEC value of more than £1million
  • with additional time being allowed for large and/or more complex projects requiring a longer development time.

Please refer to the Faculty of Humanities – Research Funding Application Guidance document, to support your application.

2. Develop your bid

The Research Support Team will work with you to:

  • provide advice about the funder and scheme and make sure that you are aware of all documents required for your application
    • check your eligibility to apply
    • ensure that your bid is submitted in a timely and accurate fashion.

Research Risk Profiler:-

Visit the Research Risk Profiler tool which helps researchers navigate a large range of potentially complex risk and compliance topics when planning a new project to ensure that it can proceed safely and securely by connecting them with specialist Professional Services (PS) colleagues and teams who can support them in navigating risk and compliance processes. Profiled risk areas include Trusted Research themes such as partner assessment, Export Controls, and Intellectual Property (IP), Research Ethics. 

3. Cost your application

  • Your RSO will develop a fEC costing for your application. The fEC costing shows the true cost of your research to the University and is an important element of the School/Faculty approval process.
  • The fEC costing is a University requirement for all external research funding applications, regardless of the level of funds that the sponsor is willing to provide.
  • Alongside the fEC costing, will be the development of the budget to be submitted to the funder. Your RSO will help you determine what costs are eligible to be included in your bid and will ensure that these costs are entered accurately onto your application.  
  • For Research Councils, your RSO will also provide advice on the Justification for Resources attachment.

4. Consider research impact

Research impact is an important part of the research landscape.  All Research Councils, and some other funders, require impact to be embedded in the application.

The SEED Knowledge Exchange and Impact Officer - part of the Humanities Knowledge Exchange and Impact team - is available for advice and support on this.

5. Prepare your data management plan

The University policy on research data management (RDM) has been designed to support you in the management of your research data and to conform to the RCUK Common Principles on Data Policy.

A dedicated University RDM Support Service is available for advice on how to prepare a data management plan for your application, and how to generate an RDM number for your Research Approval Form.

Find out more

6. Internal peer review 

Our SEED Peer Review Policy supports the RCUK's request to establish a rigorous peer review process as a part of the submission of proposals to RCUK calls. It also aims to be instrumental in improving each proposal submitted.

The policy has been created to support an open, fair and helpful review process amongst colleagues in the School. All applications made to external funding organisations will be peer-reviewed at either the Discipline or School level.

7. University approval

All funding applications, whether internally or externally funded, must have the relevant approvals, whether at School level or Faculty/University level. The SEED process is:-

  • RSS team prepare the budget for approval in liaison with the Principal or Co-Investigator.
  • The Principal/Co-Investigator liaise with their Research Coordinator to determine a peer review of the application at the required level.
  • The Principal/Co-Investigator speak to their HOD to notify them of their intention to submit an application.
  • RSS team seek approvals from the HOD and DoR/HoS via the PURE system.

Additional sign-off at Faculty level is required for bids of more than £1million fEC, and at University level for bids of more than £5million fEC.  

Final applications should be with the Research Office at least one week in advance of the sponsor deadline to allow enough time for the approval process. RSOs will not be able to submit applications without full approval.