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Royce Materials Challenge Accelerator Programme (MCAP)
Funding Call
Deadline to complete intent to submit: 1 September, 17:00
Final deadline to apply for funding: 3 October, 17:00
Project completion date: 31 March 2023
Read FAQs here
Q&A session: Watch a recording of the session here, or view presentation slides here
The Royce Materials Challenge Accelerator Programme (MCAP) aims to provide short term funding to progress priority areas for innovation identified in the Royce National Materials Challenge roadmaps and landscape documents. It is open to all those working in higher education institutions, research technology organisations, and SMEs in the UK. Awards will be made to support materials-related research and technology development satisfying the requirements of this call with demonstrable potential to deliver substantial impact in UK science or society.
The research can be undertaken by individual groups or in collaboration with other organisations. Where appropriate we strongly encourage engagement with and use of Royce’s capabilities through its technology platforms located around the UK.
Funding must be used to cover staff time, supporting consumables, and travel (this is not a capital investment call).
Funding is up to £100,000 per project and up to 80% of the full economic cost (total project cost) will be covered by Royce. Funding will be awarded to the lead applicant. Additional funding support will be viewed favourably during the review stage. Royce facilities access costs, if applicable, will be remunerated at 100%.
The project must be completed by 31 March 2023. There is no opportunity for delayed claims beyond this date.
Scope
Royce has instigated and progressed a number of National Materials Challenges in collaboration with the UK Materials community over the past two years. The intent of this funding programme is to address the findings summarised in the published landscapes/roadmaps by stimulating ambitious materials research projects which are directly linked to high priority themes identified therein.
The available short-term funding is targeted at research, development, and innovation projects developing novel techniques, approaches or technologies that have the potential to enable transformative step changes in materials research impact.
In your proposal you must clearly demonstrate how your research will advance the priority areas outlined in one of the following roadmaps:
- Materials for the energy transition
- Materials for end-to-end hydrogen
- Materials for fusion
- Degradation in structural materials for net-zero
- Materials 4.0
Applications
Eligibility
The call is open to applications from higher education institutions, research technology organisations, and SMEs in the UK either individually or as a group.
Intent to Submit Closed
Intent to Submit applications for the Materials Challenge Accelerator Scheme have now closed.
For further information please contact: info@royce.ac.uk
Application Form
If you have provided an Intent to Submit form before the deadline, you must apply using the online application form and costing form. We recommend you start your application early. Before completing this application form, please ensure you have had confirmation from your institution of the project costings.
It is not possible to save the application form during completion or on submission. A Word version of the form can be downloaded here for reference.
Projects must have a single lead submitting the proposal. They will be the only recipient of the funding and hence also responsible for distribution of any allocation to collaborating organisations.
Deadline
Royce must receive the final application by 17:00, 3 October. You will not be able to apply after this time.
Frequently Asked Questions (will display shortly)
How we will assess your application
The project must align with one of the 5 published roadmaps (or subsequent related articles put out by Royce) to be eligible.
Your application will be assessed by an independent panel made up of experts in the field against the following criteria:
- SMART objectives and the expected impact on delivering transformative innovation
- The evidencing of the provision of value for money;
- Ability to complete by 31st March 2023;
- Ability of team to deliver a high impact project
Timeline
- 1 August: Call Opens
- 11 August: Launch webinar and Q&A session. View the slides here. A recording of the session is available here
- Deadline for ItS submission: 17:00, 1 September
- Deadline for application: 17:00, 3 October
- 30 October: announcement of outcome
- 6 November: Projects may start
Get in touch about MCAP
Contact one of the Research and Business Engagement team or info@royce.ac.uk
Terms and conditions for funding
It is not a requirement to collaborate with a Royce partner but the use of Royce capability is encouraged where appropriate and will be funded at 100%.
Project costs will be funded up to 80%; it is expected that the remaining project costs will be funded either by in-kind or cash contribution from participating organisations. Funds for each project will only be distributed to the lead applicant. For audit purposes, any SMEs awarded >£50k as a project lead must submit an Independent Accountants Report (IAR). The IAR will include details of:
- Labour (time sheets, payroll etc.)
- Subcontractors
- Overheads
- Travel and subsistence
- Material expenditure
A Statement of Expenditure (SoE) signed by a senior director is sufficient for any SME awarded <£50k as a project lead.
Successful applicants from private organisations will need to comply with the Subsidy Control Provisions (formerly Sate Aid) as outlined in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and UK). SMEs, spinouts and microbusinesses must complete a Subsidy Control declaration.
Collaboration agreement
Successful applications which include more than one organisation (academic or non-academic) must have a collaboration agreement signed between all organisations. A copy should be sent to Royce within one month of the start of the project. Such agreements should include how the generation of any intellectual property should be managed.
Example model research collaboration agreements that may be used as a basis for specific agreement between partners have been developed through the Lambert toolkit for collaborative research and can be found here.