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The Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund is now closed to applications. The last round of applications funded from the current block grant from Wellcome was in Michaelmas Term 2020 (deadline 14 October 2020). Future rounds will be dependent on the receipt of further funding from Wellcome. 

Applications must be submitted online via the Internal Research Award Management System (IRAMS)

Guidance in the form of quick reference guide documents for applicants, departmental approvers and administrators can be found on Research Support pages.

Note that some departments may have set an earlier internal deadline so please check with your local admin team and prepare your application well in advance of the date advertised above. Applications must be reviewed online by departmental approvers and, where approved, submitted for review by the Committee before the deadline. 

Applications, scores and reviewer comments may be shared with other internal University panels to ensure maximum value for money.

Guidance for Completing the Business Case for Interdepartmental Strategic Initiatives (Purchases of Major Equipment) Form

Any application that involves the purchases of major equipment or equipment that will contribute to a shared facility should fill in Part II of the application form. A further 2 pages may be used to do this, giving a total page limit of 6 pages for Part I and Part II. Detailed guidance on Part II is detailed below:

Item: Name and specific model (if relevant) of the item of equipment

Vendor: If a preferred vendor is known, this should be stated along with the reasons why. In any case, the mechanism that will be used to identify the preferred supplier should be articulated.

Description: Briefly describe the item of equipment and its primary functions. Please explain how the specifications of the instrument make it different from other similar equipment available for use. The capability of the proposed equipment should be established at this stage: this should be informed by discussion with your user community/industry/vendor.

Timescales: Please describe the timescales associated with procurement of the equipment and when you anticipate you will spend any capital provision made.

Costs: Please ensure the costs are as accurate as possible, and where applicable include dates of quotes from suppliers.

Usage: Indicate the proportion of equipment time that will be available for use by the group managing the equipment, other groups at the same institution, and if applicable, researchers at other institutions. What plans are in place to ensure usage will be maximised, and is there evidence of strong demand? Indicate how additional users of the equipment will be identified and how all users will be prioritised. Information should be provided on the anticipated demand, indicating the likely main users and where they will be based. You should describe how you plan to interact and/or collaborate with key groups or shared facilities in your research area.

Support & Sustainability: Please indicate how the item of equipment will be supported and maintained for the duration of any current or proposed research funding including any costs that would be recouped through charging. In addition, it explains how the item will be replaced at the end of its life.

Strategic Case: Please describe the research enabled by the equipment and/or the value added to existing research programmes. Indicate which of the Departments/Divisions strategic priorities are met by the research enabled by this equipment. Describe how these priorities are met. Explain how the purchase of this item of equipment will compliment or enhance Departmental/Divisional research capability. If an Equipment Roadmap exists for the type of equipment requested, please explain how this item relates to the roadmap.

Ensuring Maximum Value: Explain how the requested equipment will fit with other items of equipment, infrastructure and people support already within your Department and/or Division.

Contribution from Other Sources: Please describe what contributions to the cost, operation or maintenance of the item of equipment will be found from other sources.

Alternatives: In the case that the proposal for equipment is not supported, describe the alternative options for using existing equipment of different specification or at other locations.