Our funding events ending in September 2012 are shown below.

• TSB: Design for Future Climate – Climate Resilient Infrastructure

  

  Deadline: 6th September 2012

  Early Stage Funding Sources

  This Defra SBRI call aims to invest in projects for the development of proposed actions, innovations and associated feasibility studies that will increase the resilience of UK infrastructure to a changing climate. Projects may be for potential future infrastructure projects or to retro-fit existing infrastructure assets. The competition seeks innovations which can demonstrate a ‘route to market’ and can be put into practice as viable business and environmental propositions.

  Proposals must address risks identified within the Climate Change Risk Assessment (http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climate/government/risk-assessment/). In particular proposals that take into account the systemic nature of infrastructure, or in some way address risks arising from infrastructure interdependencies, will be welcomed.

  Funding: Defra will invest up to £200,000 in this first round of the competition. Individual contracts will be for between £40,000 and £100,000 to fund a feasibility study.

  Eligibility: Applications will be accepted from single companies, academia or from consortiums. Projects must begin by 03 December 2012.

  Registration deadline: 29 August 2012
  Deadline: 06 September 2012
  

• BBSRC: Animal Health Research Club Programme – Outline proposals

  

  Deadline: 5th September 2012

  Early Stage Funding Sources

  The Animal Health Research Club (ARC) is a £9.5M, 5 year partnership between a consortium of leading companies from the animal breeding, animal health and farming sectors, the Scottish Government and the BBSRC, designed to support research that improves our understanding of resistance to pests and diseases in farmed animals. The ARC invites proposals that fit within the research challenges and that are within the remit of the BBSRC. The ARC Research Challenges are:

  • Understanding the basis of resistance/resilience to pests and diseases in farmed animal species.
  • Developing novel tools for defining disease biomarkers and phenotypes to inform breeding strategies for subclinical diseases and increased disease resistance.
  • Understanding variation in vaccine responsiveness, immune-competence at different developmental stages and disease outcomes.
  • Determining the effects of selection for production traits on immune function.

  Funding: Funding is available for projects of up to 5 years in duration. Total funding of around £4.5M is available in this call to support a portfolio of projects at 80% fEC.

  Eligibility: Standard BBSRC eligibility rules apply to this call. Collaborative and interdisciplinary applications are particularly encouraged.

  Special Conditions: Due to the financial support provided to the ARC by industrial members, special conditions are attached to any research grants, which are explained in the full call document. A letter from Cambridge Enterprise will be requested at the full proposal stage to acknowledge that the institution is able to accept those conditions. All applicants are advised to contact both their Research Operations Office team and Cambridge Enterprise (paul.thomas@enterprise.cam.ac.uk) before applying to the ARC and well in advance of the deadline date.
  

• MRC /ESRC: Extending working lives - research partnership awards - expressions of interest

  

  Deadline: 5th September 2012

  Collaborative arrangement

  The MRC and ESRC seek proposals to the extending working lives – research partnership awards, aimed at informing strategies and investigating critical issues that will better prepare the UK for an ageing workforce. The awards will be given to partnerships of academics and public/private employers or stakeholders to address research challenges and employer needs associated with an ageing workforce, within a workforce or policy setting.

  Proposals are sought in the areas of:
  • Understanding the determinants of working later in life: e.g. factors influencing workforce participation and retirement including ill heath, caring responsibilities and cultural/social expectations; training and skills development in older workers.
  • The relationship between health, work and wellbeing of older workers: e.g. managing chronic conditions in an ageing workforce; understanding the impact of working later in life on older employees and employers; evaluating workplace interventions that promote health, wellbeing and productivity of older workers.

  Funding: Applications can range from small scale analyses of workforce data to large scale evaluation of workplace interventions, up to a maximum of £2.5M (at 80% fEC) and 5 years in duration. Applicants may apply for funding to cover staffing and other costs associated with the collaboration, including research, travel, subsistence and equipment costs.

  Eligibility: Applications must be led by an academic researcher and involve a partnership with a public or private sector employer(s), or stakeholder organisation(s). MRC eligibility rules apply.
  In order to help build collaborative partnerships the Research Councils are hosting a ‘Partnership Building Workshop’ (8-10 October 2012) for those who make expressions of interest. Attendance is not mandatory to apply for funding.

  Deadline for EoIs to attend workshop: 5 September 2012 (16:00)

  Outline application deadline: 4 December 2012 (16:00)