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Simpler and Better: issue 2, February 2023
The newsletter from the UKRI Simpler and Better Funding Programme
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UKRI is developing a new funding service. Our Simpler and Better newsletter will keep you up to date on progress and give you opportunities to engage and provide feedback.
In this issue:
This newsletter is a gateway for you to learn more about the programme, with links to further information on areas we think you will find of interest.
If you’d like to see something covered in future issues, let us know. We’d also like your feedback so we can bring you the most relevant topics. Please send us your ideas or tell us what you think via: support@funding-service.ukri.org
You can unsubscribe from this newsletter anytime.
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Council transition plans in 2023 |
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Over 2023 all research councils will transition from the Joint Electronic Submissions system (Je-S) to The Funding Service. This means that all applicants, grant holders, research support staff, reviewers and panel members will begin using the new service.
We are currently working with all councils and rolling out opportunities on the new service.
For responsive mode opportunities which are ‘open’ all the time, UKRI is giving researchers and research organisations information to plan for the transition to the Funding Service. This will include timelines for closure of these opportunities in Je-S and their re-opening on The Funding Service. Where feasible, we aim to give 8 weeks’ notice to changes to ‘open all the time’ opportunities.
The agile design of the service may mean that we need to adjust timelines to accommodate the implementation of new digital features. Councils will keep you updated of any changes to timelines.
Find out more about each council’s transition plans and the associated changes to their responsive mode funding opportunities.
Opportunities launching on the Funding Service
From January 2024, all council opportunities will be launched and managed in The Funding Service.
In 2023, we will still run opportunities in Je-S while simultaneously running increasing numbers of opportunities on the new Funding Service. This will allow us to work with councils to test the core capability of the service and refine standard templates and questions.
So far, we have launched 16 pilot opportunities, of which 4 are currently open for applications.
We are currently considering up to 18 new opportunities to launch over the next 3 months. All other funding opportunities will still be launched on Je-S.
All opportunities that have launched or are launching soon, together with information about how to apply on the Funding Service, are published on the Funding Finder.
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SBF’s vision is to reduce the burden of finding, applying for and managing research funding.
We are contributing to UKRI’s work to reduce research bureaucracy. This work includes reducing the level of variation between opportunities and councils to increase standardisation and ensure requirements are simple and consistent. As such, the SBF programme is part of UKRI’s work to address the recommendations of the independent review of research bureaucracy, led by Professor Adam Tickell.
Some key recommendations from the review include reducing the burdens for applicants through the information required in the application process and standardising the use of language and questions asked.
One way we are doing this is by simplifying and standardising peer review and grant policies and processes. For example, by introducing standard application questions and assessment criteria, and guidance across different types of funding opportunities, we are giving applicants and reviewers a more consistent and predictable experience.
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Harmonising application questions and assessment criteria |
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We want to make applying for funding simpler and better for researchers. One way we are doing this is by simplifying and standardising the questions we ask applicants to explain their ideas.
These have been developed from question sets and assessment criteria previously used in funding opportunities across UKRI. When you use the new Funding Service, you will recognise many similarities in these new questions to those currently used by councils.
The first type of opportunity to reflect these changes will be councils’ standard responsive mode grant opportunities.
How we have developed a core question set for Standard Research in Responsive Mode
The new Funding Service will use a more intuitive question and answer format, making it easier for you to explain your idea, and easier for assessors to review it. Central to this format is the ‘core question set’, which is intended to be generic enough to apply to all councils and nearly all funding opportunity types.
The question set reflects the basic criteria against which applications will be assessed. Applicants may also be asked to answer additional questions, such as the make-up of the team, resources and/or references, where these are relevant. Wherever possible, these too will be standardised.
To help you during the transition to the new Funding Service, councils may append specific guidance relevant to your area or field.
Find out more on harmonised core assessment criteria in the Funding Service.
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Benefits for expert reviewers |
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Expert reviewers are critical to the success of grant funding therefore we are putting in a lot of effort to make their job easier and more efficient.
The new funding system will capture expert reviewers’ pre-scores and comments rather than having to send this information via email to the panel convenor.
Some examples of improvements you will see in The Funding Service compared to Je-S include:
- Being able to read the whole application on a single, easy-to-navigate screen or print as a PDF
- Requiring applicants to attach fewer documents - the application only captures attachments that are essential for review
- Having all guidance documents in one place
So far, we have delivered the functionality to enable expert reviewers to access the relevant application information within the digital system, without the need to download multiple attachments - all easily navigable in the system.
A participant in our user research said:
" …It does look a lot better than the old version, which is really quite clunky, as you know. And I think for new reviewers too, this would be much easier for them to acclimatise to, it's clear, it looks nicer, and you don't have those separate documents all over the place.
“Sometimes you think, well, I'll just read the case for support and then I'll read the application. And sometimes when you're looking for evidence, when you're doing your review, you can't remember whether it's in one document or the other one, so that that does make a difference.”
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Our quarterly webinars aimed at Research Office directors, administrators, and research management professionals at all levels are continuing. We had a great response to our webinar in November 2022 which was attended by almost 800 people.
You can find a recording of the webinar and slides here.
Sign up now for our next webinar for Research Offices on Thursday, 16 March 2023, at 1pm.
We will continue to update you about how SBF is developing the new Funding Service, and about the new functionality that is becoming available for Research Offices.
Can you help us with our user research?
This quarter we’re researching:
- Images in applications – for applicants and expert reviewers
- Adding teams, costs, and resources into applications – for applicants, Research Offices and expert reviewers
- Managing user and organisation settings – for Research Offices
We’re also looking at how Research Offices find and are informed about applications including deadlines and status. Find out how to sign up for user research below.
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Keep abreast of the latest developments in the Funding Service through future editions of Simpler and Better.
See the links to further information below to keep up to date with our latest news.
Additional resources and training on transitioning to the new Funding Service will become available on our website over the next 3 months. Further details will follow, so watch this space.
Send us your feedback about Simpler and Better by email: support@funding-service.ukri.org or phone: 01793 547490. We look forward to hearing from you.
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