1. SAgE RC Funding Panel Info Day, June 2014 NERC strategy and the funding process Peter Clarke Civil Engineering and Geosciences Peter.Clarke@newcastle.ac.uk

2. SAgE RC Funding Panel Info Day, June 2014 Points to consider How is NERC scientific research strategy formed? – SPAG and SISB How does NERC manage strategic research? – ‘Highlight Topics’ and ‘Strategic Programmes’ How does NERC strategy affect Standard Grants? – it doesn’t!

3. SAgE RC Funding Panel Info Day, June 2014 NERC’s overall strategy Launched November 2013 – benefiting from natural resources – resilience to environmental hazards – managing environmental change – “discovery science” http://www.nerc.ac.uk/latest/ publications/strategycorporate/strategy/

4. SAgE RC Funding Panel Info Day, June 2014 SPAG and SISB Strategic Programmes Advisory Group – formed May 2014 – 12 members; mix of university / NERC centre / stakeholder – collates and prioritises ideas from community for: Highlight Topics (up to £4M over 5 years) Strategic Programme Areas (£5M — £20M) Science and Innovation Strategy Board – NERC Council’s main source of science strategy/advice – 18 members, all from academic community

5. SAgE RC Funding Panel Info Day, June 2014 Proposing strategic research First call for SPAG consideration 31 st August 2014 – SPAG will prioritise and work successful ideas into strategic programmes recommended to SISB/Council – calls for proposals within programme then issued – lead time ~12 months Thereafter two calls per year expected http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/portfolio/strategic/ideas/

6. SAgE RC Funding Panel Info Day, June 2014 Discovery Science Independent Research Fellowships Standard Grants, £65k — £1.2M – New Investigators subdivision Large Grants, £1.2M — £3.7M – outline proposals March, full proposals November Urgency Grants, up to £65k, up to 12 months – unexpected & short-lived research opportunities http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/available/researchgrants/

7. SAgE RC Funding Panel Info Day, June 2014 Old proposal assessment procedure Submit proposal PRC reviews Filter (secretariat) Expert reviews PI response ~50% Panel ranking ~30% ~20% Introducers / readers

8. SAgE RC Funding Panel Info Day, June 2014 New proposal assessment procedure Submit proposal Expert reviews Filter (panel) PI response >80%15-20% Panel ranking ~60% ~20% Introducers / readers