ARC: Apply for funding

This call is closed to applications

Next application deadline: Autumn 2013

For more detailed information about the scope of the first ARC call and the application and assessment process please see the downloads section.

Guidelines

The objectives of the research proposed must fit within ARC's research challenges and must fall within the remit of BBSRC.
Outline proposals must have been submitted in the first instance
A Call Workshop was held on 30 July in London (see Workshop talks below)
Funding is available for projects up to 5 years in duration
It is likely that the aims of this Club can best be achieved by an interdisciplinary approach. Therefore, collaborative applications which bring together groups with relevant expertise or experience to move research closer to application are particularly encouraged
Total funding of around £4.5M is available from us for this call to support a portfolio of projects at 80% fEC. A second call of a similar value is planned as a future component of this Club

Workshop talks

How to apply

This call is closed to applications.

There is a 2-stage application process (stage 1 for outline proposals is now closed):

Submit an outline proposal through the Je-S system

Read the detailed Call text document in the downloads section
Include CVs for the Principal Investigator and all Co-Investigators
Include a Case for support document (see below)

Successful outline applications will be invited to submit a full proposal

The deadline for full proposals will be 22 January 2013, 4pm
Pathways to impact will be required and these should be formulated to meet the needs of the animal breeding, pharmaceutical and production industry sectors.

Case for support - outline stage

Applicants must supply a case for support document with their applications. It should be submitted as a single document and contain the following sections (see below). Standard font and margin sizes apply.

The whole case for support document should not exceed 5 pages and the "Summary of proposed research" section should not exceed 3 pages. Applicants should note that under no circumstances should their application exceed the page limits described. Any outline submissions which exceed the stipulated page limits will be withdrawn.

Research area
Please refer to the Research Challenges section of this document, which begins on page 3 and identify which challenge(s) your proposal is relevant to

Strategic relevance (approximately 1000 characters including spaces)
Please explain how your research proposal is strategically relevant to the animal breeding, pharmaceutical and production industry sectors and the aims of ARC

Summary of proposed research (approximately 12000 characters including spaces)

Identify the aims and objectives of the proposed research
Summarise the proposed methodology
Explain why the proposed research is of sufficient timeliness and novelty to warrant consideration for funding
Comment on the extent to which the proposed project will provide research training and development opportunities of benefit both to the individual(s) employed, and to the wider science base beyond the completion of the specific project

Impact (approximately 1000 characters including spaces)
Please describe briefly your plan to enhance the social and economic impact of the proposed research

Referees
Please nominate four referees to be used if the proposal progresses to the full application stage

Assessment

Outline proposals will be assessed by the Club Steering Group and will not be externally reviewed. Full proposals will be externally peer reviewed prior to final assessment by the Steering Group. Further details on assessment are as follows:

In order to be considered fundable proposals must demonstrate both scientific excellence and strategic relevance to the animal breeding, pharmaceutical and production industry sectors.
The Steering Group consists of a chair, 7 academic members and 7 industrial representatives.
For assessments conducted by the Steering Group, each proposal is assigned to at least two Introducers. One Introducer is from academia and the other is from industry.
Where there is a conflict of interest (e.g. where a Steering Group member has pre-existing links to an applicant) individuals will leave the room while the proposal is being discussed.
Outline and full proposals may be circulated to company members of ARC that are not represented on the Steering Group to seek their views. Any comments provided by company members will be taken into account by the Steering Group when the proposal is assessed.

Assessment criteria

The primary criteria for assessment are the quality of science proposed and the strategic relevance to ARC. It is expected that any proposal that goes on to be funded through the Initiative will be competitive against comparable international work and will demonstrate alignment with the initiative's aims. Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria:

Scientific excellence
The extent to which the proposal meets the highest international standards of current research in its field. High performance against this factor will indicate a project of the highest standard, competitive with the best activity anywhere in the world, demonstrating originality and innovative potential.
Strategic relevance to ARC
Demonstrated alignment with the Club's aims and research challenges. Relevance to the animal breeding, pharmaceutical and production industry sectors. Plans to enhance the impact of the research. Balance of the overall research portfolio of the Initiative.
Timeliness and promise
The extent to which the proposal is particularly appropriate at the present time, or offers longer-term benefits over and above the direct value of the research.
Economic and social impact
The extent to which the output of the research will contribute knowledge that shows direct potential for economic return or societal benefits to the UK.
Value for money
The extent to which the resources requested, relative to the anticipated scientific gains, represent an attractive investment of BBSRC funds.
Staff training potential of the project
Where resources are requested for postdoctoral or other research staff the extent to which the proposed project will provide research training and development opportunities of benefit both to the individual(s) employed, and to the wider science base beyond the completion of the specific project.

Eligibility

Standard BBSRC eligibility rules, as described in the section 3 of the Grants Guide (see related links), apply to this call. In addition, the contribution from the Scottish Government means that all Main Research Providers (MRPs) to the Scottish Government are also eligible to apply for funding from this call. This includes the Moredun Research Institute, The James Hutton Institute and Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS).

Special conditions

Recognising the financial support for the programme from industrial members of the Club, it should be noted that special conditions will be attached to any research grants from the Club. A letter from the institution's technology transfer office or equivalent, acknowledging that the institution is able to accept those conditions, will be requested at the full proposal stage. The conditions are as follows:

Grant holders will be expected to liaise with the external coordinator of the Club, making available progress reports as requested and participating in meetings with both industrial members and other participants
To respond to requests from us regarding project outcomes as required, following the end of the award

Early access
Industry members are entitled to early access to results from research funded by the Club. To ensure this grant holders must:

Give a minimum of 6 weeks' notice of an intention to publish, outside of the Club, results from research funded by a Club grant. The material for proposed publication should be submitted to the Club coordinator along with the notice of intent to publish. The coordinator will distribute a copy of the same to each of the industrial members within seven days of receipt; who shall then have 5 weeks to inform the coordinator if in their view the proposed publication may:
i) Dilute or prejudice the value of proprietary information of an industrial member or
ii) jeopardise the application for resulting IPR protection or
iii) otherwise inhibit future exploitation of the results and whether an industrial member has an interest in exploiting those results.
The coordinator will feedback comments to the grant holders who will be expected to consider the advice with their technology transfer officer. If an industry member wishes to enter into negotiations with a grant holder regarding exploitation of IP, these negotiations may be pursued as outlined in paragraph 12
Produce annual progress reports. A form will be provided for the grant holder to complete annually and the grant holder will be notified in advance when the final report will be due
Attend and present the results and progress of Club funded research at 6-monthly Club dissemination events. Grant holder will be notified of the dates and format of their presentation
Give advance notification of any opportunities to exploit intellectual property arising from their grant to the industrial members

Access to resulting IPR
Industry members are entitled, if they wish, to engage in good faith negotiations with the grant holders for terms of access to the resulting IPR to allow further development or commercial exploitation of results, such access rights preferably to include the right to sublicense. This must be offered before access to resulting IPR can be offered to third parties outside the Club. An interested Industrial member can exercise its option right by giving notice to the grant holder within one month of the date of receipt of notice of results or resulting IPR.

Good faith negotiations
Good faith negotiations imply a willingness to reach agreement with industry members on the terms and conditions of a commercial licence, to desist from publishing results or making offers to third parties while negotiation with industrial members are ongoing and, if such agreement is not reached within a reasonable period (for example four months from the exercise of the option) that the grant holder will not seek to enter into negotiations with third parties on terms substantially more favourable to such third parties.

Background IP
Should an instance arise where an industry member wishes to contribute background IP or offer in-kind services, these must be offered on the understanding that the terms and conditions of grant, including the dissemination of results and commercial opportunities will remain the same, unless agreed otherwise by the funders and industry members.

Contact

Faith Smith, Animal Health Research Club
faith.smith@bbsrc.ac.uk
tel: 01793 442802