Opportunity Information: Apply for 20 510
The NSF Directorate for Engineering (ENG) and the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are offering a joint "Lead Agency" pathway designed to make US-UK engineering collaborations easier to run. The central idea is to remove common administrative and review hurdles in international projects by letting a single, jointly prepared proposal be submitted and evaluated through one review process, rather than requiring parallel submissions and separate reviews in each country.
This opportunity supports collaborative research that sits at the intersection of NSF ENG divisions and EPSRC priority themes. On the NSF side, eligible topic areas must align with one or more of these divisions: Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET); Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI); and Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS). On the UK side, the work must fit within EPSRCs Engineering, ICT, and/or Manufacturing the Future themes. In practice, that means projects should clearly connect to both agencies scopes, with a coherent plan showing how the US and UK teams contribute complementary expertise and how the collaboration advances the underlying engineering and physical sciences.
A defining feature of the program is the choice of a lead agency. The collaborating teams decide whether NSF or EPSRC will act as the lead reviewer for the proposal. The lead agency conducts the full merit review using its established standards and procedures, and the non-lead agency agrees to rely on that review and the resulting decision, recognizing the rigor of the process. If a team wants EPSRC to be the lead agency, they are directed to follow EPSRCs specific instructions posted on its website. Regardless of which side leads, the intent is a single coordinated decision that enables each agency to fund its own researchers without duplicative evaluation.
Budgeting and project duration are expected to follow the normal rules of the specific NSF programs and EPSRC themes that will ultimately support the work. The solicitation does not specify a universal award ceiling, because funding levels depend on the relevant program norms and the scope of the proposed research. Proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis (no fixed deadline listed), and the opportunity anticipates making around 10 awards. The funding instrument is a grant, categorized under science and technology research and development (CFDA 47.041), and eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details to be confirmed in the full program guidance.
To prepare a competitive submission, teams are expected to consult the detailed program descriptions for CBET, CMMI, and ECCS to confirm fit on the NSF side, and to review EPSRC theme guidance to confirm alignment on the UK side. Successful proposals will typically make the case for strong technical novelty, clear intellectual merit, meaningful broader impacts, and a well-structured collaboration plan that justifies why the partnership requires integrated US-UK effort rather than parallel, loosely connected work.Apply for 20 510
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF Directorate for Engineering - UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Lead Agency Opportunity" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 31, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Proposals accepted anytime. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is a joint US-UK "Lead Agency" pathway offered by the NSF Directorate for Engineering (ENG) and the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). It is intended to make US-UK engineering research collaborations easier to submit and manage by using a single, coordinated proposal and one review process.
2) What is the main purpose of the Lead Agency pathway?
The purpose is to reduce common administrative and review hurdles in international projects. Instead of preparing separate proposals and going through separate reviews in each country, the teams prepare one jointly developed proposal that is reviewed once by the selected lead agency.
3) How does the single review process work?
The collaborating teams choose one agency (either NSF or EPSRC) to be the lead. The lead agency conducts the full merit review using its established standards and procedures. The non-lead agency relies on that review and the resulting decision, recognizing the rigor of the lead agency's process.
4) Who can be the lead agency for review?
Either NSF or EPSRC can serve as the lead reviewer. The US and UK collaborators decide which agency will lead for a given joint proposal.
5) What happens if EPSRC is chosen as the lead agency?
If EPSRC is the lead agency, teams are directed to follow EPSRC's specific instructions posted on the EPSRC website. (The opportunity description indicates those instructions exist, but does not reproduce them.)
6) What happens if NSF is chosen as the lead agency?
If NSF is the lead agency, the expectation is that NSF conducts the merit review using its standard procedures. The opportunity description emphasizes a single coordinated decision, with each agency funding its own researchers without duplicative evaluation.
7) What kinds of research topics are eligible on the NSF side?
On the NSF side, the topic must align with one or more NSF ENG divisions listed as eligible: Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET); Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI); and Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS).
8) What kinds of research topics are eligible on the EPSRC side?
On the UK side, the work must fit within EPSRC priority areas described as the Engineering, ICT, and/or Manufacturing the Future themes.
9) Does a project need to align with both agencies' scopes?
Yes. Projects are expected to clearly connect to both agencies' scopes, with a coherent plan showing how the US and UK teams contribute complementary expertise and how the collaboration advances engineering and physical sciences.
10) What is meant by "collaborative research at the intersection" of NSF and EPSRC priorities?
It means the proposed work should simultaneously fit within eligible NSF ENG division areas (CBET, CMMI, and/or ECCS) and align with EPSRC's Engineering, ICT, and/or Manufacturing the Future themes, rather than being a project that only fits one side.
11) Is there a single, universal award ceiling for this opportunity?
No. The solicitation does not specify a universal award ceiling. Funding levels are expected to depend on the norms of the relevant NSF programs and EPSRC themes, as well as the scope of the proposed research.
12) How long can a project last?
Project duration is expected to follow the normal rules of the specific NSF programs and EPSRC themes that ultimately support the work. The opportunity description does not provide a single standard duration.
13) What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
14) What CFDA number/category is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized under science and technology research and development, CFDA 47.041.
15) Is there a fixed deadline to apply?
No fixed deadline is listed. Proposals are accepted on an ongoing basis.
16) Approximately how many awards are expected?
The opportunity anticipates making around 10 awards.
17) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," and the description notes that additional eligibility details are to be confirmed in the full program guidance.
18) How should teams confirm whether their topic fits NSF ENG?
Teams are expected to consult the detailed program descriptions for CBET, CMMI, and ECCS to confirm fit on the NSF side.
19) How should teams confirm whether their topic fits EPSRC themes?
Teams are expected to review EPSRC theme guidance to confirm alignment on the UK side (Engineering, ICT, and/or Manufacturing the Future).
20) What proposal qualities are emphasized as important for success?
Successful proposals are expected to make a strong case for technical novelty, clear intellectual merit, meaningful broader impacts, and a well-structured collaboration plan.
21) What should the collaboration plan demonstrate?
The collaboration plan should show how the US and UK teams provide complementary expertise and should justify why the work requires an integrated US-UK effort rather than parallel, loosely connected activities.
22) Does the non-lead agency still fund researchers in its country?
Yes. The intent is a single coordinated decision that enables each agency to fund its own researchers, without duplicative evaluation.
23) Does this pathway eliminate the need for separate reviews in each country?
Yes. The central idea is to avoid parallel submissions and separate review processes by relying on one review conducted by the chosen lead agency.
24) Are applicants expected to follow standard NSF and EPSRC rules for budgets and duration?
Yes. Budgeting and project duration are expected to follow the normal rules of the specific NSF programs and EPSRC themes that will support the work.
25) What are the NSF divisions specifically named as in-scope for this pathway?
The named NSF ENG divisions are CBET, CMMI, and ECCS.
26) What are the EPSRC themes specifically named as in-scope for this pathway?
The named EPSRC themes are Engineering, ICT, and Manufacturing the Future.
27) What is the intended benefit for applicants?
The intended benefit is a smoother US-UK collaboration process by reducing administrative burdens and avoiding duplicated proposal review, while still allowing both agencies to support their respective researchers.
28) What should a team do first when planning a submission?
Based on the opportunity description, teams should first confirm scope alignment by reviewing NSF program descriptions for CBET/CMMI/ECCS and EPSRC theme guidance, then decide whether NSF or EPSRC will be the lead agency for review.
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