Changes to Responsive Mode schemes
The NERC Responsive Mode Action Plan (RMAP) provides a vision for the responsive mode funding stream. Two specific activities from the 2010 RMAP were:
- to review NERC's demand management policies (Action 2010-2), and
- to consider the balance of funding between schemes and review the need for, and level of, financial limits (Action 2010-3).
The NERC Delivery Plan 2011-2015 includes the following targets for Responsive Mode:
- reduce demand for research grants,
- consolidate RM schemes and processes, and balances between them, to deliver NERC strategic needs.
Following consultation with the community via working groups, and discussions at SISB, NERC Council has approved changes to the portfolio of responsive mode grant schemes. Important aspects of the changes relating to the availability and timing of funding opportunities are given below.
In this context decisions have been taken to focus resources on schemes that are of greatest importance in achieving strategic aims for responsive mode and where NERC makes a unique contribution to the funding landscape. These changes are not due to a reduction in the proportion of NERC's budget allocated to responsive mode.
Small Grants
The NERC Small Grants scheme will close following completion of the 2011 competition. The closing date for submission of small grant proposals to the final call is 1 September 2011.
It will remain possible to submit proposals for small discrete projects, proof-of-concept studies and pump-priming exercises to the Standard Grants scheme, if they exceed the minimum scheme funding level.
The Urgency Grant scheme will continue in a revised format following the closure of the Small Grants scheme.
Consortium Grants
The Consortium Grants scheme will be modified to operate via one grant round per year rather than two, and an outline stage assessed by members of the Peer Review College will be introduced. The final closing date for submissions to the Consortium scheme in the current format will be 1 December 2011 (concept notes to be submitted by 1 September 2011).
From 2012 additional resources will be committed to the Consortium Grants scheme.
Detailed information on the new format for the Consortium scheme from 2012 and information about other changes planned for responsive mode will be released in autumn 2011
For further information please contact the Funding Manager:
Dr Sarah Collinge
Tel: 01793 411936