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Apply for up to £5,000 to work with a company on a collaboration to explore transforming urban food systems to make them more culturally diverse, sustainable, secure and healthy.
About the grant and what can be funded
The aim of the grant is to help you work with a company taking part in the Future Industries Demonstrator (FID) to apply either existing insights or new research and development to transforming urban food systems.
Your project should focus on knowledge exchange (two-way exchange of expertise/knowledge between UCL and non-academic organisations/communities), or translational or impact acceleration activities.
Projects could include:
- strengthening or exploring the development of a partnership
- designing and delivering workshops or events where you’re working with non-academic collaborators
- informing public policy
Your project will need to align with a research area included in the EPSRC portfolio.
You can apply for up to £5,000.
Projects must be no longer than 6 months. The earliest your project can start is 17 February 2025.
Participating companies
The collaboration must be with one of these companies:
If you require an introduction to one of the companies listed above, please email Anya Lyon (a.lyon-fraser@ucl.ac.uk).
Eligibility
To be eligible:
- the lead applicant(s) must be members of staff or doctoral students at UCL. This includes part and full-time researchers and academics from any discipline. (Honorary lecturers, undergraduate and master’s students cannot apply.)
- the application must be developed in partnership with a company that's part of SHIFT’s Future Industry Demonstrator, in either the second cohort (May to October 2024) or third cohort (October to December 2024).
- the proposed project must align with a research area included in the EPSRC portfolio.
Costs and activities that can be funded
Direct costs (directly allocated or directly incurred, of any type) can be covered. This includes salaries, consumables, travel and subsistence, etc.
The following costs and activities cannot be covered:
- Indirect, estates and generic administrative costs
- Costs associated with the protection of intellectual property
- The purchase, or contribution towards the purchase, of a single item of equipment valued more than £10,000
- Research activity (e.g. any activity that could normally be funded through research grants)
- Public engagement activities that do not involve a two-way exchange of knowledge (e.g. one-way dissemination or broadcast)
How to apply
Before you apply, you should read the guidance (below) and the terms and conditions.
To apply, you must complete the application form (on MS Forms) by 9 December 2024, 23.59.
Only one person can access the form. Any changes made to the application form cannot be saved. If you navigate away from the form or experience a loss of internet connection, you'll need to begin the application process again.
If you need an alternative application format, email a.lyon-fraser@ucl.ac.uk
Guidance on completing your application
The lead applicant must be a UCL academic, researcher or doctoral student.
Postdoctoral researchers may be named as PI if they have approval from their line manager and Head of Department. For doctoral students applicants, their doctoral supervisor will need to be the project’s PI.
It’s the lead applicant’s responsibility to make sure that:
- all the information provided in the application is correct
- your proposal meets the eligibility criteria
In the application form, you'll need to include:
- details of your proposal (600 words) including:
- the project scope
- how there will be a two-way exchange between researchers and the company (this can be in form of workshops and meetings)
- 3 to 5 project outcomes with specific deliverables (600 words)
- how your project meets the EPSRC research priorities (200 words)
- how the grant money will be spent (300 words)
- how you'll report on the project impact (500 words)
- a project timeline (300 words)
- a brief public description of your proposal (200 words)
- any additional information about the proposal (300 words)
- how you are embedding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in your proposed activity
Your application must show:
- how your research will contribute to helping solve a challenge in ‘transforming urban food systems to make them more culturally diverse, sustainable, secure and healthy’
- why your research is best placed to solve the challenge
- the roles your partner may play, and how you’ll collaborate and exchange expertise/knowledge between UCL and non-academic organisations/communities
Your application will not be considered if:
- it's submitted outside of the published dates (there will be no extensions to the deadline)
- you have not completed all sections on the application form
- you do not have a company partner participating in Future Industries Demonstrator programme
- the proposed area of work does not align with the EPSRC portfolio
- your application is not submitted on the official application form or approved accessible format
- you apply for more than £5,000
- the proposed duration of your project exceeds 6 months
After you apply
Your application will be reviewed by a UCL selection panel. Applicants who best match the criteria will be notified of the outcome week commencing 16 December 2024. If you're unsuccessful, you'll be notified via email from a member of staff from UCL Innovation & Enterprise.
If you're successful, you’ll receive an email with details of how the grant will be released by Award Services at Research and Innovation Services.
The earliest your project can start is 17 February 2025 (to allow time for the award to be processed).
Successful candidates will receive further mentoring throughout the project from UCL Innovation & Enterprise, including support from UCL Business, Innovate UK EDGE and the Business & Innovation Partnerships team. You must spend the grant within 6 months of receiving funds.
If UCL Innovation & Enterprise are unable to find a suitable applicant for the grant, a further challenge will be advertised later in 2025.