Step by step guide to applying for funding

This page is designed to act as a brief guide for researchers in the preparation of research grant applications for submission to external funding bodies, including the internal Oxford procedures and requirements. A more detailed guide is available to download.

These procedures also apply to outline/preliminary applications and proposals made by external collaborators with an Oxford component.

Please note that Research Services requires five working days to review and approve your application and we recommend that you contact your departmental administrator/finance officer at an early stage to discuss your project and to ensure you can meet any departmental requirements including Head of Department approval.

Step 1 - Identify a potential funder and scheme

Please see our Find Funding section for information and advice, including details of ResearchProfessional.com, a searchable, online research funding opportunities database and information service.

Issues to consider when selecting a funder are:

  1. Programme of work - is the area of research within the funder's area of interest/funding remit and/or does it meet a particular scheme's requirements?
  2. Eligibility - are you personally eligible to apply? Is the University eligible to hold the award?
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Step 2 - Once you have identified the funder and scheme:

  1. Read the guidelines.
  2. Note any deadline for submission. Do you have enough time to prepare the application and meet departmental and Research Services deadlines (for Research Services this is at least five working days)?
  3. Application route. Is the application electronic or paper? If electronic, do you need to create a user account?
  4. Internal ranking/selection. Where funders limit the number of bids by an institution for a particular call, or require that the University ranks its proposals, internal selection/ranking procedures will apply and are posted on the Co-ordinated Bids section of this website.
  5. Preliminary/Outline applications should be routed through your department and Research Services in the same way as for full applications.
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Step 3 - Plan the resources required

The staff (including your time and that of any co-applicants) and equipment/materials/expenses resources for a particular project should be driven by the research requirements. You are normally required to justify why you are requesting them.

Are any other Oxford departments or external organisations collaborating on the programme?
Please provide confirmation from them that they support the application.

Consider how you will manage your data at the pre-application stage.  Your chosen funder may require that research data produced as part of the funded project be made publicly available and/or require you to prepare a data management plan or a data sharing plan as part of the application. See the Funder policy section of the Research Data Management website for an overview of the major funders’ requirements around data management. Consider making a research data planning checklist at this stage.  This will save you time in the long run.  There are facilities and services available at the University to help you evaluate your data needs and comply with funder requirements. Further guidance is available on the Research Data Management website.

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Step 4 - Consider whether any ethical review and approvals will be necessary

for example research involving human participants or animals.

Will you be utilising or likely to create valuable intellectual property in the project? It can be important to speak with Research Services or Isis Innovation prior to completing the proposal as some funders' terms may restrict the use of intellectual property.

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Step 5 - Prepare the X5 costing with your finance officer/departmental administrator

X5 is the research costing, pricing and approval system which provides the necessary FEC costing and generates the price charged for the research. Your finance officer should be able to assist you interpreting the figures and completing the financial sections of the application form.

Key information to supply to your department contact includes: who the funder is, estimated start date and duration of the project, staff details, equipment and other resources required.

If not approving the costing in X5, please sign the X5 Grant oversheet .

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Step 6 - Writing the application

Throughout this process you should write and refine the case for support outlining the proposed research project and addressing any specific points requested by the funder.

  1. Note the selection criteria for the call, including the weight applied to each, and how your proposal will be assessed (and by whom).
  2. Ensure that the proposal is well-structured and addresses the expectations and selection criteria of the funder.
  3. Use the advice and expertise of colleagues, especially those who have had successful proposals with the funder - it can be helpful to ask colleagues who are both expert and non-expert in your field to read and comment on your application. Many funders also provide application writing guides/hints and tips on their website.
  4. The University was successful in gaining the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award in 2012. Please display the HE Excellence in Research Award logo and/or refer to the award in your grant application wherever appropriate. 
  5. Care must be taken to ensure the case for support meets the funder's particular requirements, such as page limit, font style and size.
  6. In addition, you should ensure that any other documentation required is properly prepared in accordance with the funder's specifications: e.g. CVs, justification of resources, knowledge exchange or impact statements, letters of collaboration, quotations, etc.

    Most funders reject back applications which default on issues such as page length, font size and lack of supporting information - in many cases they will not permit subsequent revisions (even if the application deadline has not yet passed) and the proposal will not be considered.

  7. Medical Sciences applications only: The Research Services Medical Sciences team is aware that the process for gaining approval for the submission of research grant applications is, in some cases, becoming more complex, particularly when:
    1. The application involves clinical research (research involving patients, healthy volunteers or human tissue) and therefore requires Sponsorship by the University of Oxford.
    2. The application includes costs for the Oxford University Hospitals Trust (OUHT).
    3. The application includes costs for the University but requires submission by OUHT.
    Please see our guidance document Internal approval process and contacts for medical research grant applications (109kb) for these cases.
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Step 7 - Research Services reviews and authorises the application on behalf of the University

Forward your application via your department to Research Services for review and authorisation on behalf of the University at least five working days before the funder's deadline or the date you require the application to be approved/returned to you. Research Services will liaise with you and your department about any agreed changes/modifications to be made prior to University approval. Once the application has been approved Research Services will let you know to collect hard copy applications or that the e-submission has gone ahead.

Please note that grants under £20K with no associated staff costs do not need to come through Research Services at application stage.

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Contacts

Documents

Related links

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