Concept papers are designed to make the solicitation process as efficient as possible for applicants. By soliciting short concept papers (no more than three pages), ARIA reviewers are able to gauge the feasibility and relevance of the proposed project and give an initial indication of whether we think a full proposal would be competitive. ARIA will provide feedback to encourage or not encourage submission of a full proposal; however, proposals can be submitted regardless of the concept paper feedback received.
\nMost but not all ARIA programme calls include a concept paper.
Opportunity seed calls don't include concept papers.
This step requires you to submit a detailed proposal including: project & technical information to help us gain a detailed understanding of your proposal: information about the team to help us learn more about who will be doing the research, their expertise, and why you/the team are motivated to solve the problem; administrative information to help ensure we are funding R&D responsibly; information relating to budgets, IP, potential conflicts of interest, etc. Each application is scored against selection criteria, detailed in the solicitation.
"},{"label":"3","title":"Project review and selection process","text":"All proposals are evaluated against the criteria outlined in our call documents, and we expect proposals to spike against our criteria and have different strengths and weaknesses. Final selection is based on an assessment of the programme portfolio as a whole, its alignment with the overall programme goals and objectives and the diversity of applicants across the programme.
\nExpert technical reviewers (both internal and external to ARIA) evaluate proposals to provide independent views and inform decision-making. Programme Directors make robust selection decisions in service of their programme’s objectives, ensuring they justify their selection recommendations internally for consistency and fairness prior to final selection.
"},{"label":"4","title":"Agreements are finalised and awards are made","text":"At this stage you will be notified if you have or have not been selected for an award subject to due diligence and negotiation. If you have been selected for an award (subject to negotiations) we expect an initial call to take place between ARIA’s Programme Director and your lead researcher within 10 working days of being notified. We expect contract/grant signature to be no later than 8 weeks from successful/unsuccessful notifications.
"}]},{"type":"spacer-comp","cssSizeClass":"medium","height":0},{"type":"standout-copy","title":"Application portal ","text":"See a step-by-step guide for our application portal
","link":{"isActive":true,"text":"Download the walkthrough [PDF]","href":"/media/xtoly3g5/aria-applicant-walkthrough-of-the-good-grants-portal-2.pdf","title":""},"color":"000000","isWhiteText":true,"fullWidth":false},{"type":"standout-copy","title":"Accessibility support ","text":"If you are disabled or have a long-term health condition, ARIA can offer support to help you with our funding application process or when you are carrying out your project.
","link":{"isActive":false,"text":"Find out more ","href":"/funding-opportunities/accessibility-support","title":"about ARIA's accessibility support"},"color":null,"isWhiteText":false,"fullWidth":false},{"type":"spacer-comp","cssSizeClass":"medium","height":0},{"type":"quick-link-anchor","anchorName":"eligibility"},{"type":"accordion","title":"Eligibility","intro":"We welcome solicited applications from across the R&D ecosystem, including individuals, universities, research institutions, small, medium and large companies, charities and public sector research organisations. We are keen to explore structures not typical in academic research, such as supporting early career researchers as project leads or funding large (>80%) proportions of senior academics’ time so that they can focus fully on their ARIA project.
","items":[{"title":"Who is eligible to apply for ARIA funding?","text":"Scientific and technological breakthroughs often rely on a mix of academic and industrial capabilities that can be hard to find in a single organisation, so our programmes will deliberately reach across disciplines, sectors and institutions.
\nWe are keen to explore structures not typical in academic research, such as supporting early career researchers as project leads or funding large (>80%) proportions of senior academics’ time so that they can focus fully on their ARIA project.
\nApplicants may submit multiple proposals to a funding call, provided each represents a distinct project, though they can be complementary. Each submission will be evaluated independently based on the call’s criteria, with no disadvantage to the applicant.
\nApplying for an opportunity seed does not prevent you from applying to other ARIA funding calls or programmes.
","links":[]},{"title":"Screening, compliance and due diligence","text":"There are some eligibility restrictions. All proposals pass through an initial screening and compliance review. At this stage we carry out some checks to verify your identity, review any national security risks and check for any conflicts of interest (ARIA staff and/or their family members are ineligible to apply for any ARIA funding. Any entity in which an ARIA staff member and/or their family member is a Board Director or a person of significant control (as defined by gov.uk website) is also ineligible to apply). Non-compliant or non-eligible proposals will be rejected at this stage.
\nIf you are successfully selected for award of funding we’ll then conduct some further due diligence, as part of this we may ask for some additional information. Other than the restrictions highlighted above we will not apply any specific constraints. Instead we’ll consider each potential recipient based on the complexity of the scope, value of the potential funding and any associated risks.
","links":[]},{"title":"Do I need my organisation's consent to apply?","text":"Ideally you should have your organisation’s consent prior to submission of your proposal. We realise this isn’t always possible, so we don’t require it at concept paper stage. As part of the full proposal application, if you wish to conduct the research at your organisation we will require confirmation of your organisation’s consent. If your application is successful and you wish to conduct the research at your organisation, we will need their consent to formally agree the funding.
","links":[]}],"link":null},{"type":"quick-link-anchor","anchorName":"fundingoutsidetheuk"},{"type":"accordion","title":"Funding outside of the UK ","intro":"Unless otherwise stated in each funding call, our primary focus is on funding those who are based in the UK. For the vast majority of applicants, we therefore require the majority of the project work to be conducted in the UK (i.e. >50% of project costs and personnel time). \n
","items":[{"title":"When will we fund projects outside of the UK? ","text":"We can award funding to applicants whose projects will primarily take place outside of the UK if we believe it can boost the net impact of a programme.
\nIn these instances, you must outline in proposals any proposed plans or commitments in the UK that will contribute to the programme within the project's duration. If you are selected for an award subject to negotiation, these plans will form part of those negotiations and any resultant contract/grant.
\nWhere you intend to create a subsidiary in the UK, the subsidiary does not necessarily need to be in place prior to the commencement of any funding. You must however outline a credible plan for achieving this within the project’s duration. If you are successfully selected for an award, subject to negotiations, this plan will form part of those negotiations and any resultant contract/grant.
","links":[]}],"link":null},{"type":"quick-link-anchor","anchorName":"costs"},{"type":"accordion","title":"Costs","intro":"Since we aim to attract applicants from diverse sectors, our cost sheets are designed to be generic and are not tailored to specific types of institutions such as universities or companies.
","items":[{"title":"Estimating costs","text":"You are encouraged to include the estimated costs for everything you require to deliver the proposed project, however there are some restrictions on what you can include, guidance on this can be found in our Eligible Expenditure Guidance.
\nThroughout the solicitation process we only ask for the level of information we need at each stage of the process. This means the amount of information required can range from a high level figure at the outset of a funding call, through to a full cost breakdown if you are shortlisted for the final stages.
\nSince we aim to attract applicants from diverse sectors, our cost sheets are designed to be generic and are not tailored to specific types of institutions such as universities or companies. When filling out the cost sheets, third-party collaborators should be identified as subcontractors or sub-grantees in the cost sheet, with only the lead applicant's indirect costs included under indirect costs.
\nHow you contract with these organisations is up to you, whether through collaboration agreements, service contracts, partnership agreements, or other arrangements.
","links":[]},{"title":"Third-party collaborators","text":"When filling out the cost sheets, third-party collaborators should be identified as subcontractors or sub-grantees in the cost sheet, with only the lead applicant's indirect costs included under indirect costs.
\nHow you contract with these organisations is up to you, whether through collaboration agreements, service contracts, partnership agreements, or other arrangements.
","links":[]},{"title":"UK academic institutions","text":"ARIA was established to introduce new, agile modes of supporting breakthrough R&D, so we expect our funding will often support activities that push the limits of the typical pace and incentive structures within universities. As such where required ARIA will fund 100% of eligible costs including Full Economic Costs (FEC). 100% FEC allows the full cost for UK universities to be claimed for ARIA work to ensure alignment with our objectives. It also helps ensure equitable access to our funding opportunities since universities across the UK vary in the degree to which they can cross subsidise.
\nThat said, it is permissible to propose a budget at less than 100% FEC. We welcome contributed funding in cases when such funding will strengthen the potential success or the UK benefit of a project. Where you or your organisation wish to fund elements of the proposed project this should be identified in your proposal. This should not be included in the cost breakdown of funds requested from ARIA. In these cases, this funding contribution will be considered as part of the overall strength of the project proposal.
\nFor non academic institutes and non UK academic institutes ARIA will allow 100% of eligible costs.
","links":[]},{"title":"Overheads","text":"There are two options for allocating overheads:
\n25% of labour costs and 5% on external costs;
\nCompany calculated overhead rate. If this option is selected then evidence of your overhead rate will be required for agreement by ARIA
\nGenerally, where you receive a Research Agreement:
\nVAT will apply, however you should obtain your own VAT/tax advice. ARIA is not registered for VAT and is not able to recover VAT, your overall project value should include VAT if it is applicable.
\nA profit margin should be included in your overall project value. This should range form 2 to 10%.
\nWhen collaboration is expected between ARIA funding recipients, ARIA will clearly specify this in the funding call, including any relevant template collaboration agreements that may apply.\n
","items":[{"title":"Joint applications","text":"For joint applications, applicants should designate a lead applicant (and organisation, if applicable) to submit the application, listing all other collaborators (e.g. researchers outside your university or company) as proposed subcontractors or sub-grantees to the project. If successful, ARIA will fund the lead organisation, which will then be responsible for entering into agreements with third-party collaborators and distributing funds to them as needed.
","links":[]}],"link":null},{"type":"quick-link-anchor","anchorName":"fundingagreements"},{"type":"accordion","title":"Funding agreements","intro":"If you are successful, the type of funding agreement you will receive is dependent on two factors: the activity being funded and the type of recipient.
","items":[{"title":"Which funding agreement will I receive?","text":"Where the activity being funded is considered basic research (experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view/TRLs 1-3) and you are an Enterprise, ARIA will provide funding via a Basic Research Grant Agreement.
\nWhere the activity being funded is considered to be more technologically mature but still research and development (TRLs 3-6) and you are an Enterprise, ARIA will provide funding via a Research Agreement.
\nWhere the activity being funded is between TRLs 1-6 and you are not an Enterprise (e.g. a university or individual), ARIA will provide funding via a Standard Grant Agreement or Research Grant Agreement to an individual.
\nThis framework of agreements has been developed to ensure compliance with the Subsidy Control Act.
","links":[]},{"title":"Copies of our agreements","text":"Standard Grant Agreement [PDF]
\nResearch Agreement [PDF]
\nBasic Grant Agreement [PDF]
\nIndividual Grant Agreement [PDF]
","links":[]}],"link":null},{"type":"quick-link-anchor","anchorName":"confidentiality"},{"type":"accordion","title":"Confidentiality ","intro":"Subject to the conditions of each call, ARIA will treat your proposal confidentially.
","items":[{"title":"How much information should I include in my proposal?","text":"You should provide enough information to allow us to evaluate your proposal, but you should not submit potentially patentable information before a patent application is filed or commercially sensitive information. If there is information that would support your application, but that you do not wish to disclose because you believe it may be patentable or commercially sensitive, please make this clear in your application.
\nWe may enter into an NDA where you have been shortlisted and you want to discuss potentially patentable or commercially sensitive information.
","links":[]},{"title":"Evaluators","text":"ARIA does use external evaluators as part of its programme solicitation review process. Any external evaluators will be subject to non-use restrictions, confidentiality agreements and conflicts of interest checks.
\nWe will not use evaluators that present a conflict of interest.
\nARIA Board members and advisors are not part of the decision making process for ARIA research funding; as such, they will not have access to proposals.
","links":[]}],"link":null},{"type":"quick-link-anchor","anchorName":"postaward"},{"type":"accordion","title":"Post award","intro":"ARIA has a flexible approach to project management, recognising that managing projects across various fields and disciplines requires diverse methodologies.
","items":[{"title":"Project management","text":"Our project management approach consists of three core components:
\n1. Project Initiation - We will ask you to document your project delivery plan, outlining your approach to project management, project plan, and key risks and opportunities you anticipate. These will be agreed upon between the Creators and programme teams, forming a baseline for the project and its delivery.
\n2. Quarterly Reviews - At the end of each quarter, we will ask for:
\nMilestones Updates - Progress against specific contractual milestones.
\nProject Updates - A general update on your learnings, decisions, highlights, priorities, challenges, new collaborations, and team changes.
\nRAG Status - A simple way to communicate the project's health or status.
\nWe want the quarterly review process to be mutually beneficial and provide you with ongoing support. Therefore, each quarterly review will include a meeting where we assist with problem-solving and addressing any challenges you may encounter. The programme team will provide written feedback based on the work to date.
","links":[]},{"title":"Annual metrics","text":"Once a year, we will ask you to complete a metrics template, asking a set of standard questions which will help us measure ARIA’s long term impact.
\nOur standardised approach is flexible, allowing us to assess each project individually and tailor our methods to the project's size and scope. While low-value projects follow the same standard components, we apply a lighter touch. This means we won’t ask for your project management approach, project plan or risks and opportunities, but will focus on contractually defined information, leaving the rest up to you. Similarly, quarterly reviews will request only the most critical updates on milestones and project progress.
\nSeed projects, which are not tied to specific programmes, do not need to align with an overall programme trajectory. Quarterly check-ins may be conducted by programme team members instead of the Programme Director, aiming to provide creators with the support they need and foster the development of the ecosystem around the opportunity space.
","links":[]},{"title":"Termination, pivots and unavoidable costs","text":"Project reviews will be conducted at specified intervals to consider the Creators’ progress against agreed outputs and the milestones (negotiated at the start of the project).
\nFollowing a review Programme Directors may, in consultation with the Creator, adjust grant funding amounts, redefine outputs. Where the Creator fails to make progress against the milestones (or identify alternative paths to contribute to programme success) we would choose to end the agreement on performance grounds.
\nThere are a number of other reasons why we might choose to end an agreement, these include: if a key individual departs without an acceptable replacement, material breaches, reputational damage, provision of misleading information, or change of control posing national security risks.
","links":[]}],"link":null},{"type":"spacer-comp","cssSizeClass":"small","height":0},{"type":"cards","title":"Related pages","link":null,"isCarousel":false,"items":[{"image":null,"title":"Funding opportunities","text":"Learn about how we fund and explore our current and past funding opportunities.","link":{"target":"","isActive":false,"text":"Find out more ","href":"/funding-opportunities","title":"about ARIA's funding opportunities"},"color":"[\n \"yellow\"\n]","date":"","tag":"","fullImage":false,"fontWhite":false},{"image":null,"title":"The Creator Experience","text":"What you can expect as a recipient of ARIA funding. ","link":{"target":"","isActive":false,"text":"Learn more ","href":"/funding-opportunities/the-creator-experience","title":"about being an ARIA Creator"},"color":"[\n \"yellow\"\n]","date":"","tag":"","fullImage":false,"fontWhite":false},{"image":null,"title":"FAQs","text":"From funding to applications, find all the information you need in our FAQs.","link":{"isActive":false,"text":"Learn more ","href":"/funding-opportunities/faqs","title":"Visit ARIA's FAQs"},"color":null,"date":"","tag":"","fullImage":false,"fontWhite":false},{"image":null,"title":"Q&A","text":"Antonia Jenkinson – ARIA’s approach to funding.","link":{"target":"_blank","isActive":true,"text":"Read the Q&A ","href":"https://ariaresearch.substack.com/p/q-and-a-antonia-jenkinson-arias-approach","title":"on ARIA's Substack"},"color":"[\n \"yellow\"\n]","date":"","tag":"","fullImage":false,"fontWhite":false}]},{"type":"spacer-comp","cssSizeClass":"medium","height":0}],"scriptsAtTop":" 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