Neuromod+ members can bid for funding for projects that support our aim of instigating new collaborative research partnerships and developing novel new technologies and approaches.
Funding call 2 (Nov 2023) NOW OPEN
Deadline 18 Dec 2023 (17:00)
£240,000 is available in our second call to fund feasibility studies and other projects that support our network aims and activities. See details below.
Funding available
1. Multi-investigator feasibility study awards: max project cost £80,000 (at 100% FEC)
These should aim to investigate potential new neuromodulation techniques or applications, or improve our understanding of the neuroscience underpinning existing techniques. Three available per call | up to 12 months duration | staff costs can be included
2. Smaller flexible awards: max project cost £20,000 (at 100% FEC)
These may cover research costs for a small pilot study, or fund another activity towards the network aims, such as a public engagement project, networking activity, or demonstration. Three to six available per call (£60K total per call) | up to 12 months duration | staff costs can be included
Scope
Proposals must address the remit of Neuromod+: to address the challenge of minimally invasive treatments for brain disorders, and should align with the network’s priorities. Research to be carried out must also be within the EPSRC remit. In support of the network’s aim of co-creation, we encourage proposals that involve a mix of network members, eg clinicians, academics, industry, charity, public/patient groups, as well as researchers at different career stages.
For further guidance on scope, see our About Us page, check our previously funded projects, read the FAQs below and check the guidance notes attached to the Neuromod+ funding call application form.
Eligibility
Please read the EPSRC eligibility criteria before applying
- Applicants must be based at a UK institution and be eligible to apply for EPSRC grant funding. However projects will ideally involve collaboration with a range of colleagues (eg clinicians, early career researchers, those from industry/charity/patient groups, those with lived experience) who may not meet these criteria. Please include these contributors in the “Collaborators” section of your proposal. Please visit our members directory to find colleagues you may wish to work with
- Postdocs (or equivalent) may be eligible to be co-investigators if they meet the EPSRC researcher co-investigator criteria. Please check the EPSRC eligibility criteria for full details (see also FAQs). They can otherwise be included as collaborators
- We encourage early career researchers who are not eligible to lead a proposal or be included as researcher co-investigators to discuss with their academic line manager about how they can be involved as collaborators.
- Applicants can be involved in a maximum of three proposals per funding round and can lead only one
- The call is open to Neuromod+ members only. Non-members can sign up for free
Funding rules and guidelines
- Projects are expected to cost no more than £80,000 (multi-investigator) or £20,000 (flexible) at 100% FEC, but will be awarded at 80% FEC (ie for a project costing £80,000, Neuromod+ will award £64,000)
- Investigators must complete their institution’s standard costing process and have their costings approved before submitting the proposal
- Funds are awarded by Neuromod+ to the lead investigator/institution only. They are responsible for distributing funds to co-investigators (where relevant), therefore co-investigators who are expecting to receive funding from the award should also discuss with their RO/finance team before submission
- A collaboration agreement will usually need to be drawn up between participating institutions before funding can be transferred
How to apply
Please download and complete the Neuromod+ funding call application form and email to Kate Hobson by 18 December 2023 (17:00).
Review process
- Proposals will be reviewed and ranked by a panel of Neuromod+ members comprising the PI team plus additional members chosen to ensure diversity of experience
- Applications will be evaluated on the problem being proposed, project plan, project team, impact, EDI plans and fit to the network aims
How to apply
Please download and complete the Neuromod+ funding call application form and email to Kate Hobson by 18 December 2023 (17:00).
FAQs
The cost of your project at 100% FEC should be max £80,000. Neuromod+ will award at 80% FEC, ie for a project costing £80,000, we will award £64,000. Your institution will be expected to cover the additional 20% of the cost.
No, the awards of up to £20K only require one investigator.
We welcome involvement from our non-academic members (eg those in industry, charity, patient representatives, etc) on proposals as collaborators. Unless you are eligible to apply for standard EPSRC grant funding you cannot be a named investigator or directly receive funding.
Lead investigators must meet the <a “=”” href=”http://www.ukri.org/councils/epsrc/guidance-for-applicants/check-if-you-are-eligible-for-funding/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>EPSRC eligibility criteria. If you are in receipt of a fellowship above postdoc level, there may be flexibility for you to lead on a proposal but please get in touch with EPSRC/us to check. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, we would suggest that you discuss with your line manager who could be lead investigator.
You may be able to be included on the proposal as a Researcher Investigator. Please check the qualifying criteria for this on the UKRI funding page. Note in particular that if <50% of your time is costed on the proposal, you must include in your application justification as to how you will be significantly contributing towards the proposal and research.
Funding is awarded to the lead investigator’s institution and they are responsible for distributing any funding to co-investigators. If you are a co-I and are expecting to receive funding, you must discuss the proposal with your own Research Office/finance team to ensure there is a mechanism in place for you to receive your share of the funding.
You can be involved in up to 3 proposals but only lead one per round.
Neuromod+ will fund at 80% of FEC, therefore your institution will need to cover the additional 20%.
If staff time (either Directly Allocated PI time, or Directly Incurred staff time) is included in your proposal, this will normally generate overheads to cover the remaining 20%.
If staff time is not included, you/your department will need to cover the additional costs from another source.
Projects awarded in call 2 should start by 1 April 2024 and must be completed within 12 months (maximum) of their start date.
When deciding your start date please factor in time for the award to be set up (including contract preparation where required and transfer of funds by the lead institution to other members of the team as required) and any recruitment of new staff.
We may be able to consider such a proposal, if it can successfully argue that investigating the periphery could lead to an understanding or modulation of the central nervous system, but otherwise it would be outside the remit of the network.
Yes this is allowed, as long as the process follows your standard institution rules and you can provide a breakdown of costs.
Yes, certainly! We encourage collaboration with colleagues from industry/companies. As mentioned though, non-EPSRC eligible members cannot be lead investigators or receive funding directly from the grant but can be listed as collaborators.
If you need to make changes to your submitted form, please contact Kate Hobson.
No, costs related to students cannot be included (under EPRSC regulations for this funding).
Yes, there will be a third funding call, launched in 2024.
No, these costs would need to come from your institution’s block grant, as with standard EPSRC proposals.