New funding opportunity and updates from the scoping project

Message from UKRI: New funding opportunity
Note: We are sharing this announcement on behalf of the funders. Please attend their webinar on Friday 8th March to learn more.

UKRI are pleased to announce a new £3.5m funding opportunity, Net zero digital research infrastructure coordinator and network – UKRI. The aim of this funding opportunity is to support a net zero digital research infrastructure (NZ DRI) coordinator to develop and lead an NZ DRI network, to build connectivity across different disciplines and ultimately accelerate the path towards NZ DRI in the UK.

This is the first of a two-stage process:

  • stage one: funding is available for a coordinator to write an application for an NZ DRI network (six months). The full economic cost (FEC) can be up to £150,000
  • stage two: funding will be available for the coordinator to develop and lead the NZ DRI network (up to £3.35 million, ending by 31 March 2028) UKRI will fund 80% of the full economic cost.

The first phase of funding is now open for applications. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding.

Key information for the first stage of this funding opportunity:

  • Funding amount: £150,000
  • Duration: 6 months
  • Deadline for applications: 16 April 2024, 4:00 pm UK time
  • Applicants may be from any discipline

Please join us for a webinar on 8 March 2024 (15.30-16.30) to learn more about this opportunity and ask any questions that you may have. If you are not able to make the webinar a recording will be made available on the Funding Finder page along with a list of questions and answers.

The background and scope will be outlined by Andrea Sharpe (Head of Digital Infrastructure & Data, NERC), Richard Gunn (Programme Director for Digital Research Infrastructure, UKRI), Tom Griffin (Director of Scientific Computing, STFC) and Sarah Campbell (Senior Programme Manager for Digital Infrastructure & Data, NERC).

Please register for the event and you will be asked to submit any questions in advance.

Scoping project updates