Restricted call: EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure (internal deadline: 21 October 2025) 

Restricted call: EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure (internal deadline: 21 October 2025)

EPSRC’s Strategic Infrastructure scheme offers funding to purchase strategic infrastructure, including equipment, resources, or a combination of both. The funding aims to improve UK scientific capability and enable cutting-edge research of high priority to EPSRC. The minimum funding threshold is £400,000 at full economic cost (FEC).  More information on EPSRC’s definition of strategic infrastructure can be found here.

University Internal selection:

The scheme operates as a rolling, open-ended opportunity with no set submission deadlines – however, EPSRC expects no more than six applications from each institution in their annual cycle, which begins each June. Due to increasing interest in this call at Cambridge, it will now be managed according to the University’s restricted calls procedure. Your Department’s Research Grants Team and/or Departmental Administrator (or equivalent) must be made aware of your internal application, and a support letter signed by the Head of Department is required.

To take part in this new annual internal selection, please complete our online form (NB: if asked to log-in, please use your crsid/Raven details; note that a Form cannot be saved and returned to) by 21 October 2025.

If you wish to submit an application to EPSRC before 21 October 2025, please complete the online form and contact us directly to discuss your proposal and the timeframe for internal assessment.

You will need the following documents and information to complete the Form:

• A summary document (max. 800 words) covering the following:

• 1. Purpose & vision: Why is this infrastructure needed and what transformative research will it enable that cannot be achieved elsewhere? How will it enhance and complement the existing regional or national research capability and what is the evidence of user demand? (approx. 250 words)
  2. Approach, accessibility and sustainability: Summarise what professional/technical support will be in place, and outline the proposed approach to financial, technical and environmental sustainability. How will users be identified, prioritised and supported? (approx. 300 words)
  3. Applicant and host institution capability to deliver: What experience does the team have in managing strategic infrastructure and why is the University of Cambridge the best place to host the proposed infrastructure? (approx. 250 words)

• Letter of Support from the Head of Department, indicating that the department is aware of and supportive of the application.
  • Provide an indication of institutional support agreed or in discussion and how the department will use its existing capacity to best complement the proposed infrastructure. Contributions can come in many forms e.g. direct contribution towards the infrastructure; in-kind investigator time; funding a research technical professional; contributing refurbishment costs.
• Approximate value of the infrastructure required (quotes not required for this internal EoI).
• Target submission date for the application to EPSRC.

We encourage applicants to speak to relevant teams in advance of their EoI, for help with initial planning. These include the West Cambridge equipment sharing team (wcsp@admin.cam.ac.uk), the Research Relations team (cdb29@cam.ac.uk), and for applicants from the School of the Biological Sciences the Scientific Research Facilities Strategic Lead (stc46@cam.ac.uk), as well as any local research facility leads in their department.

Review and Selection:

• If more than six applications are received by the stated deadline, a full internal selection process will be undertaken. The six selected applicants will receive advice on next steps for developing the application for submission to the funder. Proposals deemed suitable but not selected for submission in the current year (June 2025-June 2026) will be carried forward to the next annual selection cycle.
• If fewer than six applications are received by the internal deadline, they will be reviewed at that point, and applicants will be offered feedback and guidance on how to proceed. The internal deadline will then be extended, and additional applications will continue to be considered on a rolling, case-by-case basis.

Internal Assessment Criteria:

Please note that the assessment of internal applications will focus on the following core funder criteria:

• Purpose and vision
• Approach, accessibility and sustainability
• Applicant and host institution capability to deliver

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us at researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk

Posted on 11/07/2025