Demand management is not currently being applied to this funding opportunity. However, should the level of interest exceed what can be managed within the assessment process, UKRI may introduce limits on the number of applications that can be submitted. Further details will be clearly communicated where this is the case. UKRI encourages organisations to support applicants in preparing well-planned, high-quality applications that are competitive for funding relative to the funding opportunity.

This funding opportunity is part of the UKRI IS8+ Priority Programme for Advanced Manufacturing.

The aim of this funding opportunity is to support research projects that will convert world-class research into repeatable, cost-effective and flexible manufacturing capabilities, delivering tangible impact for UK industry, accelerating innovation and enabling business growth.

For companies to scale and grow they must produce and incorporate new technologies and processes at scale and pace.  Projects supported through this funding opportunity will research how to overcome technical challenges and barriers to enable UK businesses to scale up and implement the manufacture of new technologies and embed new processes that will enable UK industry ‘to win’ in internationally ambitious markets.

It is not the aim of this funding opportunity to develop new technologies or products; it is to scale up the production of recently developed new technologies or processes.

Successful scaling requires an integrated approach spanning materials, processes, systems and manufacturing. Success depends on bridging the lab-to-factory gap, embedding digital tools, cutting edge process technologies and designing technologies for manufacturability, flexibility, and sustainability from the outset. Broader manufacturing system integration issues must be addressed including successful routes into and integration with supply chains to ensure outcomes are adopted by industry.

This funding opportunity seeks to support projects that target real industrial barriers and create a seamless pathway from research to production to bridge the ‘industrialisation gap’, enabling the UK to move from world-leading discovery to world-leading manufacturing at scale.

To aid this, applications must show that they have access to industrial scale manufacturing environments to ensure real world applicability, either in the research environment or in a company. The industry project partners must be central to the framing of the research challenge as well as in the application of the research outputs. This must be evidenced with appropriate letters of support. All applications must have matched funding committed by project partners from the beginning.

Applications must state the national, regional and local implications of their research on UK industry.

The UK has set ambitious manufacturing growth targets across frontier industries.  Achieving these and other UK growth ambition will require the rapid, large-scale deployment of new technologies, digital, materials and manufacturing processes within an intensely competitive global landscape. This funding opportunity focuses on two of the frontier industries; Aerospace and Automotive.

On 30 October 2025, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) published more detail on its plans to allocate its budget for the SR period. Including a new more agile model, and set out three research and development priorities supporting:

• curiosity-driven, foundational research
• strategic government and societal priorities
• innovative companies

As part of this directive at portfolio level, investments must target an average leverage ratio of at least £3 of private investment for every £1 of public investment, with higher ratios when investing to support innovative companies, supporting increasing long-term benefits to society.

We therefore expect, at application, a leverage ratio in the order of 1:1, that is, matching non-public money to UKRI money.  Additionally, your application must include a credible and realistic plan for unlocking additional leverage of non-public money over the lifetime of the grant contributing towards the 3:1 overall portfolio target.

The plan must also include provision for how the grant will lead to further activity beyond the grant to develop the work further and bring in further support.

The aerospace and automotive sectors are in remit of this funding opportunity. Proposals must address the scale up challenges faced by one or both of these sectors.

The UK’s ambitions in aerospace and automotive depend on overcoming shared challenges in translating innovation into high-volume/bespoke, cost-effective and sustainable manufacturing. Key research priorities in applications will focus on bridging the gap between discovery and industrial scale production, improving productivity, de-risking large capital projects and ensuring global competitiveness.

Demand for high-rate, low-cost, sustainable production of complex, safety-critical components with faster certification have been identified as key areas by the sector.  Specific needs include, but are not limited to:

• scalable additive manufacturing and advanced composites processing
• robotics and AI-enabled automated assembly in smart factories
• materials with improved manufacturability and rapid qualification
• multiphysics simulation and AI-driven design to shorten certification timelines

Achieving high-volume production and transition to electrification and connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) requires industrialisation of fast emerging technologies and closing the technology readiness level (TRL) and manufacturing readiness level (MRL) gap. Sector identified challenges include, but are not limited to:

• robust, high-yield manufacturing processes and cost optimisation
• digital manufacturing (AI, digital twins, integrated data systems)
• scalable production of electrified propulsion systems, motors, power electronics)
• whole-system integration and design for manufacturability

Applications could also consider the following cross-cutting challenges:

• flexible manufacturing systems to avoid obsolescence and enable modular upgrades
• advanced automation, including robotics and human–robot collaboration
• end-to-end digitalisation, digital thread integration and sector transferable data management frameworks
• deployment of sensors and measurement methods in multi-environments to support new features and scale up
• low-carbon, resource-efficient manufacturing aligned with net zero goals
• alignment through whole UK supply chain to enable end product on time delivery at quantity, quality and cost point

This list is not exhaustive, and applicants are encouraged to develop innovative approaches that respond to the needs of the automotive and aerospace sector scale-up challenges.

A separate funding opportunity for a coordination body or Network Plus will be running in parallel with this funding opportunity: Manufacturing Scale-up Network Plus. Successful application to this funding opportunity will be required to fully engage with the Network Plus once it is set up.

Details of the Manufacturing Scale-up Network Plus funding opportunity can be found in the ‘Related opportunities’ section.

To reflect the breadth of the possible challenges we are seeking applications for large projects of up to four years duration (£4.5 million to £5.8 million FEC) and smaller projects of up to two years duration (up to £600,000 FEC). It is our intent to fund up to two large projects and up to ten small projects, subject to peer review.

The duration of projects should be appropriate to the particular scale up challenge being considered including the pace at which the research findings will need to be deployed.

Awards made via this funding opportunity will have a start date of 1 September 2027 or earlier.

The FEC of your project can be between £4.5 million and £5.8 million for up to four years duration for large projects, and up to £600,000 for the smaller projects that can be for up to two years in duration.

UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC.

Requested funds from UKRI may include:

• staff costs
• costs related to impact
• travel and subsistence
• small items of equipment under £25,000 per item and other items required to carry out the project
• equipment between £25,000 and £400,000 per item

Quotes for equipment do not need to be included in your application, but please retain quotes for equipment costing more than £138,000 as we may ask for these at post-panel stage before releasing funds. For details of how to include equipment in your application see Equipment on research grants.

We will not fund research into new technology or products as this funding opportunity is for driving the scale up of manufacturing of newly developed technologies and processes. We will not fund applications that fall outside the remit of this funding opportunity, or applications that do not have the required industrial participation.

Any manufacturing process research must be targeted at those processes that drive the scale up of production from lab scale to factory scale.

The large projects funded through this funding opportunity must establish and run an independent advisory board, or equivalent body, to oversee the running of the project and provide advice on the strategic direction and activities of the project. The terms of reference and membership of this group (at least 50% independent membership and an independent chair) should be agreed with UKRI.

The UKRI project officer will also be expected to attend and participate in advisory board and other appropriate meetings for the duration of the grant.

It is expected the first advisory board meeting will be held within four months of the start date of the project and there will be two meetings a year with contact outside of the meeting when appropriate.

You must make reference to UKRI and include the UKRI and relevant branding on all online or printed materials (including press releases, posters, exhibition materials and other publications) related to activities funded a successful grant.

As this funding is through the IS8 Advanced Manufacturing Priority (AMP) Programme the recipients of grants will need to comply with AMP Programme specific monitoring and evaluation expectations. A detailed list of performance metrics and instructions for reporting will be agreed with the grant holder upon commencement of a successful grant. You are responsible for providing and publishing annual progress reports against non-financial performance metrics.

You should have established an appropriate management structure with clear lines of responsibility and authority to oversee the day-to-day running of the project. This should be in place within three months of the start date of the grant. The terms of reference and management structure, including the project lead, co-lead/s and any other senior staff involved must be approved by us in advance, as must any changes to this structure.

The project officer will be our main contact with the project and must receive all meeting minutes of the management committees. We reserve the right to attend any meetings.

Adequate resourcing to support an appropriate management structure, as specified in the funding opportunity documentation, should be costed within the grant.

If you intend to apply as lead applicant, your research organisation must complete this survey by 11 November 2026. You will not be permitted to apply to the funding opportunity if your research organisation has not completed the survey.

For further details, and the link, see the ‘How to apply’ section.

UKRI has a long-standing and continuing commitment to supporting and enabling safe and effective collaboration in research and innovation. UKRI is equally committed to ensuring that this takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks.

Our Principles and expectations set out the principles that UKRI applies to TR&I and our general expectations of the research organisations (including businesses, research institutes, and research technical organisations) that we support. Organisations supported by UKRI should be able to provide evidence that their internal controls and processes meet these expectations.

See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where you can find additional support.

You must complete an Intent to submit (ItS) form by 4:00pm on 11 November 2026 to be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.

Applications from applicants who have not previously submitted an ItS will not be considered. ItS information will not be formally assessed and is only required by UKRI for planning purposes. You are not required to have finalised the details of your application when the ItS form is completed and submitted to UKRI.

We recognise that information provided in the proposal, including the names of the project co-leads, may differ from the information provided in the ItS form.

The form will ask you to provide the following information:

• name of project lead
• name(s) project co-lead(s) at the time of ItS submission. This list can change prior to outline submission deadline
• project lead email address
• project lead UK academic host institution
• project partner organisation name(s). This list can change prior to submission deadline
• proposed project draft title
• the UKRI Funding Service application reference number. You will need to begin an application on the Funding Service to get this number but will not be required to complete the submission process until the closing date stipulated on the Funding Service

We are running this funding opportunity on the new Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page:

1. Confirm you are the project lead.
2. Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password.
3. Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
4. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
5. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
6. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.

Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant.

Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

When including images, you must:

• provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit).
• insert each new image onto a new line.
• use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format.

Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include:

• sentences or paragraphs of text
• tables
• excessive quantities of images

A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:

• how applicants use the Funding Service
• how research offices use the Funding Service
• how reviewers use the Funding Service

References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.

Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:

• references are easily identifiable by the assessors
• references are formatted as appropriate to your research
• persistent identifiers are used where possible

Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.

Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.

For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment.

UKRI must receive your application by 9 December 2026 at 4:00pm UK time.

You will not be able to apply after this time.

Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.

Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

If an application is withdrawn prior to peer review or office rejected due to substantive errors in the application, it cannot be resubmitted to the funding opportunity.

UKRI will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.

We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email TFSchangeEPSRC@epsrc.ukri.org

Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include:

• individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
• declaration of interest
• additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
• conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
• the application is an invited resubmission

For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.

There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.

This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

EPSRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at EPSRC Funding Applications Outcomes.

If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.

Word limit: 550

In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.

We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:

• opinion-formers
• policymakers
• the public
• the wider research community

Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:

• context
• the challenge the project addresses
• aims and objectives
• potential applications and benefits

List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:

• project lead (PL)
• project co-lead (UK) (PcL)]
• project co-lead (international) (PcL (I))
• specialist
• grant manager
• professional enabling staff
• research and innovation associate
• technician
• visiting researcher
• researcher co-lead (RcL)

Only list one individual as project lead.

UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.

Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.

Create a document that includes your responses to all criteria. The document should not be more than 8 sides of A4, single spaced in paper in 11-point Arial (or equivalent sans serif font) with margins of at least 2cm. You may include images, graphs, tables. You can have an additional page for a diagrammatic workplan.

For the file name, use the unique Funding Service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘Vision and Approach’.

Save this document as a single PDF file, no bigger than 8MB. Unless specifically requested, please do not include any sensitive personal data within the attachment.

If the attachment does not meet these requirements, the application will be rejected.

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.

What are you hoping to achieve with and how will you deliver your proposed work?

For the Vision, explain how your proposed work:

• will deliver the aims of the opportunity in delivering scale up of new manufacturing technology and processes in the aerospace or automotive sectors.
• will align research capability with industrial need and enable the research community to deliver real world outcomes that address industry driven scale up challenges
• is of excellent quality and importance within the remit of the funding opportunity
• has the potential to advance current understanding, generates new knowledge, thinking or discovery and enable its application within or across the scope areas to deliver tangible benefit for UK industry
• is timely given current trends, context and needs
• impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment
• enhances the UK’s research and innovation capabilities through local and or regional activity

For the Approach, explain how you have designed your work so that it:

• meets the aims of the opportunity as described in the ‘What we are looking for’ section
• will address a critical scale-up challenge facing the aerospace or automotive sector
• delivers outputs that will be taken up by Industry in order to overcome their scale up challenges
• is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
• is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
• uses a clear and transparent methodology
• summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed
• has been designed so that it will generate local, regional and or national impacts
• will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
• describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place, and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work
• addresses how the leverage and matched funding requirements will be met and managed

References may be included within this section.

Word limit: 500

How will you manage the award to successfully deliver its objectives?

Explain how the proposed award will be managed, demonstrating that it:

• will be effectively governed, including details about advisory structures
• will be effectively and inclusively managed, demonstrated by a clear management plan
• has clear appropriately resourced leadership team roles and responsibilities
• will manage and encourage partnerships with non-HEI organisations across government and, industry. and civil society
• has plans for monitoring your progress as well as self-evaluation throughout the lifetime of your award
• will put in place appropriate governance and administration to deliver the range of devolved funding opportunities
• has equality, diversity and inclusion embedded in plans for convening and engaging with their community and the allocation of the awarded funds

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Word limit: 1,650

Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:

• the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work
• the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work
• the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others
• contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

The word count for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.

Use the R4RI format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.

Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed. Use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI. You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member brings:

• contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
• ability to co-create and deliver with business to accelerate routes to successful manufacturing scale up targets
• the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
• contributions to the wider research and innovation community
• contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit

Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).

Complete this as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.

References may be included within this section.

Word limit: 1,000

What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular:

• project staff
• significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences)
• any equipment that will cost more than £25,000
• any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
• all facilities and infrastructure costs
• all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’

You can request costs associated with reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on the project. For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders. Where a funding limit is imposed on the opportunity, requested costs for reasonable adjustments may exceed the maximum funding amount.

Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources. Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:

• are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
• represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
• maximise potential outcomes and impacts

What are the ethical and RRI considerations, implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.

Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated:

• the relevant ethical and RRI considerations, including both the research or topic area itself and the design and delivery of the project
• the wider implications of the proposed work, and how you will maximise the positive societal, environmental, and economic benefits arising from the project, while minimising unintended negative impacts, such as research misuse or accidental harm
• how you will manage these considerations throughout the lifecycle of the project

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Please refer to the UKRI position statement on funding ethical research and Responsible innovation for more information around our expectations on ethical and responsible research and innovation.

You must complete this section about how your proposed project will involve or impact animals.

If your project does not involve or impact animals, you must confirm this on the next page.

You may be asked about:

• what animals you are involving
• the severity of the procedures you are using
• where the procedures will take place
• welfare standards you aim to meet
• the relevance of your project to the development, validation or dissemination of the 3Rs

You may also need to download, complete, and upload at least one set of additional questions. You will be told how to do this towards the end of this section.

To complete this section and check whether your project is in the scope of the questions, refer to the UKRI policy for research and innovation involving animals.

UKRI policy relates to all animals in the Kingdom Animalia, including vertebrates and invertebrates.

You must complete this section if your project will include genetically modified organisms or genetic technologies.

If you project does not involve genetically modified organisms or genetic technologies, you must confirm this on the next page.

You may be asked about:

• the type of organism your project will involve and the procedures your project will include
• the intended use of the organism or genetic technology
• the genetic, biological and environmental risks of your project

For more information, see UKRI’s guidance on genetic technologies.

You must complete this section about whether your project will include human participation.

If your project does not involve human participation, you must confirm this on the next page.

You may be asked about:

• what type of human participation your project includes
• the project design for human participation
• the phase of the clinical trial
• whether the project will be in an NHS setting, if so, how the project will be registered
• whether diversity and inclusion will be considered

For more information, see UKRI’s guidance for human participants in research.

Add details about any project partners’ contributions. Project partners contributing matched funding are required for this opportunity.

A project partner is a collaborating organisation who will have an integral role in the proposed research. This may include direct contributions for example cash, donated equipment and resources, or staff seconded to the project, or indirect and in-kind contributions for example use of project partner’s equipment, datasets, or facilities. Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU.

Add the following project partner details:

• the organisation name and address (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable)
• the project partner contact name and email address
• the type of contribution (direct or indirect) and its monetary value

If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partners’ section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.

Enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box. Each letter or email you provide should:

• confirm the partner’s commitment to the project
• clearly explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the work to them
• describe any additional value that they bring to the project
• the page limit is three sides A4 per partner

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply

Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the ‘Project partners’ section.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Do not provide letters of support from host and project co-leads’ research organisations.

Word limit: 500

Describe how your project will source additional leverage over the lifetime of the project and beyond with an ambition of 3:1 leverage (private : UKRI funds)

• Include a plan for how the project will source additional leverage over the lifetime of the project and beyond
• You may find it helpful to include a timeline / workplan style diagram to illustrate the plan but this is not essential.
• Include descriptions of the processes for updating, monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the plan through the project.
• The plan needs to be credible, specific and detailed. Having an acceptable plan in place is a requirement for funding.

Word limit: 250

Does your proposed research require the support and use of a facility?

The ARCHER2 service will end on 21 November 2026, and UKRI is currently transitioning to a new compute landscape. Until details of new compute provision are confirmed, applicants who require HPC resources beyond November 2026 have been advised to select ARCHER2 at application and to describe their compute requirements in full.

Other compute investments to be aware of include:

• EPSRC Tier 2 facilities ended in March 2026
• Isambard 3 is currently funded until March 2027
• National Compute Resources will come online in 2026 (Recent announcement: New national computing resources to open doors for researchers)
• the Next National Supercomputing Service is expected to be delivered in late 2027/early 2028
• UK researchers can apply to EURO HPC European High Performance Computing JU | EU

If you will need to use a facility, follow your proposed facility’s normal access request procedures. Ensure you have prior agreement so that if you are offered funding, they will support the use of their facility on your project.

For each requested facility you will need to provide the:

• name of facility, copied and pasted from the facility information list (DOCX, 43KB)
• proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility information list
• confirmation you have their agreement where required

Facilities should only be named if they are on the facility information list above.

If you will not need to use a facility, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

Trusted Research and Innovation is the protection of the UK’s intellectual property, sensitive research, people, and infrastructure from potential theft, misuse, and exploitation.

Organisations receiving UKRI funding are obliged to act in line with UK government legislation. They are also expected to undertake appropriate due diligence assessment of organisations involved in research partnerships, collaboration agreements, and commercial contracts.

You will be asked about:

• which areas of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act your project relates to
• who you intend to collaborate with and how
• if your project requires an export control licence

Your answers may affect the T&Cs of your funding agreement if you are successful. We may use your answers to determine that our current T&Cs are sufficient or if additional T&Cs are required.

We will assess your application using the following process.

Applications will be assessed by an expert peer review panel only.  There will be no postal peer review.

In the event of this funding opportunity being substantially oversubscribed as to be unmanageable, UKRI reserve the right to modify the assessment process.

We will invite an expert panel to review your application independently, against the specified criteria for this funding opportunity.

You will not be able to nominate reviewers for applications on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service.

The expert panel will assess the applications prior to the panel meeting using the standard UKRI assessment criteria.  These pre-meeting reviews by the panel members will be fed back to you so that you can respond to the panel comments prior to the panel meeting. The responses will be considered by the panel when ranking the proposals.

We reserve the right to review the comments and scores for each application provided by the expert panel in advance of the prioritisation meeting with the intention of shortlisting applications should the number of applications be high. Shortlisted applications will go to the prioritisation panel who will make a funding recommendation.

The expert panel will discuss your application and rank it alongside other applications after which the panel will make a funding recommendation.

For more information on how we prioritise applications for funding please visit How we make decisions.

We aim to complete the assessment process by June 2027. The grants funded through this funding opportunity will have a fixed start date of 1 September 2027.

We will not give feedback with the outcome of your application.

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making.

Generative AI may be used only for the purpose of language refinement during application assessment. When using generative AI to refine the language of a review, expert reviewers and panellists must ensure that:

• no part of the application being assessed is entered into a generative AI tool
• no personal information from the application is disclosed
• generative AI is not tasked with understanding, summarising or evaluating the application’s content

Expert reviewers and panellists must also:

• comply with relevant intellectual property and data protection legislation
• not take into account or speculate within their assessment whether generative AI has been used to develop the application

For more detail see our policy on the use of generative AI.

The assessment areas we will use are:

• Vision and Approach
• Governance
• Applicant and team ability to deliver
• Resources and cost justification
• Leverage/Industry engagement
• Ethics and responsible innovation

Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.

If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page

The helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding Finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility, content or remit of a funding opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.

For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.

EPSRC is managing the processing of this opportunity on behalf of UKRI.

For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact sustainablemanufacturing@epsrc.ukri.org

Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.

Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org

Phone: 01793 547490

Our phone lines are open:

• Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm
• Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.

For further information on submitting an application read How applicants use the Funding Service.

Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment; to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.

We will hold a webinar on 10 November 2026. This will provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions.

Register for webinar

Equality impact assessment (PDF, 163KB)