Research Infrastructure Renewal (Grant)

Apply for funding to renew, replace and enhance existing research infrastructure and facility capabilities that are demonstrably available to the wider environmental science community. You must be based at an eligible UK research organisation. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) would not expect to receive more than one application from each facility or infrastructure. NERC will fund 100% of the full economic cost (FEC) of projects. Awards should be in the range of £300,000 to £1,000,000 (see ‘Funding Available’). Projects can last for three to 12 months, and applicants must demonstrate readiness for delivery within the required timescales. Demand management Demand management is being applied to this funding opportunity. Further details are provided in the ‘additional information’ section. Aim The aim of this funding opportunity is to support targeted capital investment that renews, replaces and enhances capabilities for environmental science within existing research infrastructures and facilities. Through this investment, NERC aims to ensure that researchers and innovators can maintain and strengthen nationally important capabilities that are accessible to the wider environmental science community, ensuring that researchers and innovators can continue to access the facilities, infrastructure and services needed to deliver world-class research and innovation in support of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s mission. Scope Applications may seek funding for targeted capital investment that renews, replaces or enhances existing capabilities for environmental science within existing research infrastructures and facilities that are essential to current and future research and innovation. Applications must be submitted on behalf of the infrastructure, facility, platform or capability that will receive the investment, rather than an individual research project or research group. Applications should deliver one or more of the following to deliver UKRI priorities: • renew or replace infrastructure that is critical to research delivery • strengthen the long-term resilience, sustainability and value of existing infrastructure capabilities, including by addressing health, safety or operational risks • enhance existing infrastructure to improve performance, reliability, resilience or accessibility All applications must demonstrate that the infrastructure capability is accessible to, and delivers significant benefit for, the wider environmental science community beyond the host organisation. Applications must provide a clear plan for community access and use. We would also encourage applications which increase the utilisation and sharing of research infrastructure, and strengthen shared, multi-user or multi-institution infrastructure capability and access arrangements that maximise the use, visibility, accessibility and value of existing infrastructure assets. Eligible investments may support physical, digital or hybrid infrastructure assets. This may include investment in digital or physical facilities, laboratories, collections, archives, platforms or other infrastructure assets. Applications must demonstrate that the proposed investments are sufficiently mature and readily available to enable expenditure within the required timescales of this funding opportunity. ALERT: Applicants proposing investments that affect UKRI-owned or supported facilities, estates or operational infrastructure are encouraged to contact NERC before submitting an application. Early discussion will help ensure that deliverability, operational sustainability and any estate or resource implications can be appropriately considered. Duration Awards may last for three to 12 months. Projects must start by 1 February 2027 Funding available NERC will fund 100% of the FEC. Successful applicants must demonstrate that proposed investments are sufficiently mature and deliverable to enable implementation within the required timescales of the funding opportunity. Applicants will be required to provide a delivery schedule and expenditure profile as part of their application. Awards must commence by 1 February 2027 and we expect most of the expenditure to occur before 31 March 2027. Initial expenditure is likely to include the major purchase of relevant infrastructure, and applicants should demonstrate that procurement and implementation plans are aligned with the delivery timescales of the funding opportunity. NERC will accept proposals requesting between £300,000 and £1,000,000 at 100% FEC. In exceptional cases, projects wishing to request funding amounts outside of these limits should submit a request to NERC via email by 21 September 2026 ( researchfacilities@nerc.ukri.org ) and must have NERC approval prior to submitting the application. What we will fund This funding opportunity supports capital investment and associated capitalisable costs that are directly required to renew, replace, or enhance existing research infrastructure capabilities. Se

You can only apply for this funding opportunity if your organisation is eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding. This funding opportunity is open to organisations with standard UKRI eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible . Who is eligible to apply Each individual based at an eligible organisation may submit only one application as project lead and one application as project co-lead. Applications must be submitted on behalf of the infrastructure, facility, platform or capability that will receive the investment. NERC expects a single coordinated application from each infrastructure, facility, platform or capability seeking investment through this funding opportunity. Applications are welcomed from facilities and infrastructure capabilities that support users from across the UK research and innovation system, including researchers funded by multiple UKRI councils, government, industry and other relevant users where appropriate. Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers. We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes: • career breaks • support for people with caring responsibilities • flexible working • alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Click here to start an application on the UKRI Funding Service https://funding-service.ukri.org/OPP1337/apply/1365 We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) 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. To apply Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page. • Confirm you are the project lead. • Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. • 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. • Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office. • Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing. • 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 on 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 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 applic