Enter a distinct title for your application, this may be published.

Application title (must be fewer than 150 characters, including spaces).

In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>opinion-formers</li>
<li>policymakers</li>
<li>the public</li>
<li>the wider research community</li>
</ul>
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>context</li>
<li>the challenge the project addresses</li>
<li>aims and objectives</li>
<li>potential applications and benefits</li>
<li>relationship with MRC priority areas or highlights</li>
<li>alignment with MRC mission</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

This will be used to help select the most appropriate panel assessors for your application.

Summary

Explain how the proposed equipment:
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<li style="list-style-type:none">
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<li>is timely, given current trends and context</li>
<li>delivers an unmet need</li>
<li>meets national needs by establishing or maintaining a unique, world leading activity or both</li>
<li>meets community demand and need from a diverse and inclusive user base</li>
<li>enhances and complements existing research capability at a local, regional, or national scale</li>
<li>meets the strategic aims of UKRI or the government</li>
<li>will help deliver MRC&nbsp;<a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/mrc/who-we-are/what-we-do/">MRC mission</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Please describe alternative plans for how the research would be achieved should the equipment not be funded. The plans should reflect:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>host organisation strategies for this equipment</li>
<li>host organisation commitment to the equipment landscape</li>
<li>a summary of existing facilities beyond the host organisation, including identification of similar instruments overseas or in industry, outlining reasons why they cannot be utilised for the intended research</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

What is the equipment, why is it needed, and why should UKRI support it? 

Purpose

Explain how the proposed equipment will:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>enable high quality, novel or transformative research</li>
<li>offer training opportunities for the wider community</li>
<li>if applicable, have measurable&nbsp;impact beyond the immediate team, including on world-leading research, society, the economy, or the environment</li>
<li>has the potential to advance current understanding and generate new knowledge, thinking or discovery including mechanistic understanding of human disease</li>
<li>is relevant to identified stakeholders, including users</li>
<li>identifies the potential local, regional and or national impacts, both direct and indirect, and who the beneficiaries might be</li>
<li>enhances the UK&rsquo;s research and innovation capabilities through local and or regional activity</li>
<li>be of international importance (if applicable)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Please also provide a detailed plan of research which includes a description of the projects that will be supported by the equipment, with sufficient experimental detail to allow the panel to assess the quality of the research, including preliminary results where possible.
Important: the below guidance applies to all questions that permit references and images.
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 application.
Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>references are easily identifiable by the assessors</li>
<li>references are formatted as appropriate to your research</li>
<li>persistent identifiers are used where possible</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
Use of images
When including images, you must:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>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)</li>
<li>insert each new image on a new line</li>
<li>use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
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 may be rejected if you include:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>images of sentences or paragraphs of text</li>
<li>images of tables</li>
<li>excessive quantities of images</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
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.
Your application may be rejected if images are provided without a descriptive legend in the text box, or are used to replace text that could be input into the text box.

What are you hoping to achieve with the proposed equipment?

Vision

We expect you to show how your approach:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>is feasible, identifying any risks to delivery and citing appropriate mitigation</li>
<li>provides details of access and usage estimates, particularly where a culture of equipment sharing may extend use to external users</li>
<li>provides long-term technical support which will be available for the requested equipment</li>
<li>provides training and development of technical staff</li>
<li>describes how the research environment (in terms of the place, its location, complementary expertise, facilities and relevance to the proposal) will contribute to the successful utilisation of the equipment</li>
<li>has been designed so that it will generate local, regional or national impacts&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Complete and paste the Timeline and Usage tables (see &lsquo;Supporting documents&rsquo; in the &lsquo;Additional information&rsquo; section) into the text box. These should be pasted in separately
Including &lsquo;References&rsquo; and &lsquo;Images&rsquo;
You are permitted to include &lsquo;References&rsquo; and &lsquo;Images&rsquo; within this section. If you choose to include these, you must refer to the guidance within the &lsquo;Vision&rsquo; section. Failure to follow the guidance may result in your application being rejected.
Please also provide a plan for prioritising access to and maximising usage of the infrastructure. This should include any application and assessment processes and an estimate for the balance of users from the host institution, academics from external institutions and industrial users.
Guidance
Your approach to managing the equipment will be a key consideration in the assessment of your application. You should give due consideration to the technical support that will be in place to support the equipment and engage technical staff in putting together the application.
When outlining the usage for your application, you should ensure that your figures are realistic and based on user demand. The usage figures should be based on this specific equipment and specification and not broader use of the facility. Ensure that you have sufficient users that need the specifications of the requested machine.

What are your plans to manage the proposed equipment?

Approach

For the sustainability, explain how the proposed infrastructure:
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<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>is as economically, environmentally and socially sustainable as possible</li>
<li>delivers large scale societal, environmental and economic benefits</li>
<li>will have its lifetime maximised, including stating what the expected lifetime is and, where relevant, how the asset will be sustainably decommissioned</li>
<li>will address the priority areas and objectives set out in the&nbsp;<a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-environmental-sustainability-strategy/">UKRI environmental sustainability strategy</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Within the Sustainability section we also expect you to explain:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>how long-term operational and maintenance costs, including staffing, will be supported</li>
<li>how the proposed asset will be integrated into an existing UKRI service, facility, equipment pool, or similar</li>
<li>how the proposed asset is complementary to UKRI or host institute carbon reduction targets</li>
<li>if relevant, how the proposed asset contributes to a broader approach to environmental sustainability, such an enhancing biodiversity or clean air, as well as reducing carbon emissions</li>
<li>your plans for sustainability and legacy beyond the end of UKRI funding. These could include cost recovery models, securing additional funding, development or expansion after the initial period of funding</li>
<li>how you have considered equality, diversity and inclusion, including equitable access, in the design and planned use of the asset to maximise benefit to the UK environmental sciences community</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Guidance
The equipment requested will hopefully run for many years. This will have cost implications for regular maintenance and consumables. Show you understand the cost implications of having the equipment and have put in place good practice to manage it.
Environmental sustainability will be one of the assessment criteria and applicants must show that they have provided due consideration to a move towards lower impact solutions and that the choice of equipment and the proposed management plans will aim to minimize the environmental impact of the equipment. You should ensure that your plan addresses the specific considerations for this equipment and not just the broader environmental strategy of the facility or department.

What steps have you taken to ensure the sustainability (economic, environmental and social) of your proposed asset?

Sustainability

Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage)</li>
<li>the right balance of skills and expertise</li>
<li>the appropriate leadership and management skills and your approach to develop others</li>
<li>contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Including references, embedded tables, embedded images within this section.
You are permitted to include &lsquo;References&rsquo; and &lsquo;Images&rsquo; within this section. If you choose to include these,&nbsp;you must refer to the guidance within the &lsquo;Vision&rsquo; section. Failure to follow the guidance may result in your application being rejected.
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
The word count for this section is 2,200 words: 1,700 words to be used for R&eacute;sum&eacute; for Research and Innovation (R4RI) modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.
Use the R4RI format to showcase the range of relevant skills you, and if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on), have and how this will help to deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals&rsquo; specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.
Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed below. You should use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the&nbsp;<a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/develop-your-application/resume-for-research-and-innovation-r4ri-guidance/" target="_blank">UKRI guidance on R4RI</a>. You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the following key skills each team member brings:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge, this may include your previous funding and key outputs such as publications</li>
<li>the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships</li>
<li>contributions to the wider research and innovation community</li>
<li>contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit, including public partnerships  &nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Additions
Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).
You should complete this section as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.
<a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.ukri.org/publications/roles-in-funding-applications/">The roles in funding applications policy</a> has descriptions of the different project roles.

Why are you the right individual or team to procure and manage the proposed equipment.

Applicant and team capability to deliver

Provide a Statement of Support from your research organisation detailing why the proposed equipment is needed. This should include details of any additional support that might add value to the investment.
The committee will be looking for a strong statement of commitment from your research organisation.
You must also include the following details:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>a significant person&rsquo;s name and their position</li>
<li>office address or web link</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Guidance
Additional support can include where the equipment will be housed, it&rsquo;s local environment, training, services costs and staff time to run and maintain the equipment.

Provide details of support from your research organisation.

Your organisation’s support

What supporting statements we are looking for
We are looking for you to provide letters or emails of support from all your identified project partner(s).
What supporting statements we are not looking for
We don&rsquo;t want any other letters (or emails) of support, from people who are not your identified project partner(s), such as those simply expressing general support for your project. If these are included by you, they will be ignored by us and will not be used in the assessment process.
Important information
You should only provide letters or emails of support from people you have identified in the project partner section of your application, who will have an integral role in your proposed research. Vendors should be included as project partners.
What each project partner letter or email of support must include
Each project partner letter or email you provide should:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>include the name of the project partner organisation and contact information</li>
<li>explain the project partner(s) commitment to the project</li>
<li>explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the proposed contribution, to them</li>
<li>describe any additional value they will bring to the project</li>
<li>not exceed two sides of A4 per project partner</li>
<li>include the received quotation for the proposed equipment</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Project partner(s) letters and emails of support are not required to be on headed paper or include handwritten signatures (electronic signatures are acceptable).
Project partner(s) from industry or a company
Industry or company project partners other than equipment vendors are required to download and complete the&nbsp;<a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.ukri.org/publications/mrc-industry-collaboration-framework-additional-documents">industry or company letter of support template</a>.
Agreement with your project partner(s)
Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the &lsquo;Project partners&rsquo; section.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Completing this section
Enter the words &lsquo;attachment supplied&rsquo; in the text box, when you have uploaded your single PDF file to complete this section.
If you are not uploading a letter or email of support to this section, you must enter &lsquo;N/A&rsquo; in the text box.

Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partners’ section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.

Project partners: letters (or emails) of support

Provide a data management plan which should clearly detail how you will comply with MRC&rsquo;s published&nbsp;<a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/mrc/our-policies-and-standards/research/data-management-and-sharing/">data management and sharing policies</a>, which includes detailed guidance notes.
Provide your response in the text box following the headings in the&nbsp;<a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.ukri.org/publications/data-management-plan-template/">MRC data management plan template</a>. You are not required to upload the document to your application.
The length of your plan will vary depending on the type of study being undertaken:
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li style="list-style-type:none">
<ul class="govuk-list govuk-list--bullet">
<li>population cohorts', longitudinal studies, genetic, omics and imaging data, biobanks, and other collections that are potentially a rich resource for the wider research community: maximum of 1,500 words</li>
<li>all other research, less complex, the plan may be as short as 500 words</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Guidance
You should demonstrate you understand the data challenges the new equipment will present and how you will mitigate these. The expert panel includes data experts who will consider likely data requirements and you provide a plan based on realistic calculations of the data requirements.

How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed research?

Data management and sharing

If your application is not related to another, you should indicate 'N/A' within the text box and mark the section as complete.
If your application is related to another, state your previous reference number and explain how this new application is related to the other application.
If the related application was submitted to another funder, you should identify the name of the funder and when you applied.
Resubmissions
Going forward, we will not accept uninvited resubmission of unsuccessful applications that were submitted after 1 August 2026 to MRC, the rest of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) or any other funder. Uninvited resubmissions will be rejected.
If your unsuccessful application was submitted before 1 August 2026 to a previous funding round, this is eligible but included in the organisation application limit.
Where relevant confirm the details of your previous application and describe how this application differs
Duplicate submissions
You can only apply to us at the same time as another funder to support the same equipment purchase if the other funder is outside UKRI, also allows duplicate submissions and the application is time sensitive. You must explain the time sensitivity of the proposed equipment based on its urgency or feasibility and justify why a duplicate submission is necessary.
The end of a grant or contract is not considered justification for duplicate submission. If there isn&rsquo;t a clearly justified time sensitive research need, your application will be rejected.
For more information see&nbsp;<a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/develop-your-application/submitting-your-application/">Submitting your application.</a>

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