Funding Opportunities

M2D Funding Guidance Notes

The M2D feasibility fund comprises of four funding schemes from which eligible network members can bid for funds. We will operate a continuous open call for applications throughout the lifetime of the network, but projects will be assessed by the Expert Panel at regular meetings, occurring at three monthly intervals. The network will support high impact proposals which encourage multidisciplinary researcher engagement and a high level of end user involvement, under one or more of the Network themes.

Please note the following for this round.

This is likely to be our last Funding Call.

We are no longer accepting applications for 6 month Pilot Projects.

We will accept applications for 3 month projects to our Embedded Research and Early Career Researcher Schemes, and also applications to the workshops, sandpits and short courses scheme.

All applications submitted must be capable / able to fully complete their 3-month project or workshop before 31st December 2018.

Next Expert Panel Meeting: Mid-late September 2018

Applications received by the Friday, 31st August 2018 (Midnight GMT) will be reviewed at this meeting.

The fund can support EPSRC fundable members of the network. The four funding schemes are:

The pilot project scheme will fund innovative projects expected to lead to a grant application. These should have investigators from at least two disciplines and engagement with decision makers. We will only fund PI salaries in exceptional circumstances. Funding limit: £25k. Maximum duration: 6 months.

The early career researcher scheme will fund early career researchers to work up an idea that could lead to a first grant or fellowship application. Funding limit: £10k. Maximum duration: 3 months.

The embedded research scheme will fund network members to spend a short period working in a different discipline or with a non-academic partner. Funding limit: £10k. Maximum duration: 3 months.

The workshops, sandpits and short courses scheme. Proposals for workshops, sandpits and short courses (max length 3 days) will need to demonstrate the following:

That they are addressing current topics of relevance.
A need from end users / decision makers.
Is a multidisciplinary event.
Maximum size 50 participants (smaller events are also fine).
That 50% of the attending delegates will be Early Career Researchers.
That non-academic involvement and inclusion in the event is highly encouraged.

Funding limit: £5k. Maximum duration: 3 days.

Sandpits: In exceptional and well justified circumstances, funds of up to £10K may be requested.

To qualify for this additional funding support, all the above criteria must be met to a high standard. In addition, it must be clearly demonstrated within the proposal that the event intends to generate novel ideas and collaborations that will lead on directly to small [fundable] pilot projects.

As a guide: Of the total funding requested, up to £5k might be spent on organising the event, while the remaining funds may contribute towards the support of a small (3 month) pilot project, as generated by the Sandpit.

*In very exceptional circumstances, the panel may be able to consider slightly higher amounts for sandpits and their outputs. If this is something that you would like to explore, please get in contact with Emma Clarke at to discuss.

We strongly encourage the submission of proposals that seek to:

bring together researchers from different disciplines covered by the network.
make the work of the network more accessible to end users and stakeholders.
identify the current challenges of researchers and end users, which then could be addressed in follow-up studies.
analyse or generate new data or model output.
undertake initial research on a topic relevant to the network.
do the ground work to develop a full research proposal, which then would be submitted to EPSRC, ESRC, NERC and AHRC at a later stage.

If you have any queries regarding the M2D Feasibility Funding opportunities please contact us at , please also refer to our FAQ page for answers to some frequently asked questions.