Strategic Research Project

The INT strives to be as flexible as possible to ensure the success of your research project. If you are unsure about eligible costs, please ask. 

Trustees prefer to fund staff costs for people involved in research activities, rather than managerial costs. They are sympathetic to the need to fund some non-staff costs, for example, for items such as workshops and events, but expect the emphasis in applications to be on staff costs rather than non-staff costs.  

Staff costs:

• National Insurance, Pension, and Inflation (as set at time of application).
• Postdoctoral Research Associate salary costs up to spine point 044.
• Research Assistant salary costs.
• Technician or other support costs, only if specifically required by the subject of the project.
• Other key staff salary costs.
• Trustees would not normally expect project staff members to be paid at a higher spine point than 044. It is expected that any difference in salary is met using alternative funding. If this is not possible, a convincing case would need to be made to Trustees.
• Staff may work on a part-time or full-time basis. If project staff members are working part-time, this cannot be used as justification to pay salary costs higher than spine point 044 or extend the project further than 5 years.

Non-staff costs:

• Equipment or consumables essential to project success. It is expected that a quote, or other evidence, is provided as part of your application. Other sources of funding should be approached and contribute to the overall cost. If this is not possible, full justification must be provided.
• Facility access costs. Usage should be charged at the 'internal' rate wherever possible and the applicant's Head of Department should specify why the usage cannot be paid for by the Department.
• Public engagement event costs, including material printing
• Travel expenses, in line with the University travel expenditure policy
• Seminar, workshop or conference hosting
• Visitors, network development and convening costs
   

• Apprenticeship levy
• Overheads and indirect costs
• ‘Buying out’ PI time or contributions to PI salary
• Publication and open access costs
• Relocation or Visa costs
• Studentships

Please contact the Director in the first instance to discuss your proposal.

The named applicant should be a Head of Department or Chair of School. 

Applications must be completed with the assistance of your departmental Research Grants Administrator. Calculating staff costs in a Worktribe standalone budget is recommended.

You will be asked to upload: 

1. The project academic case. This should be no longer than 4 sides of A4, including references. All text within your academic case should be no smaller than font size 11, Calibri, Aptos, or Arial. All A4 margins should be set at a minimum of 1 inch. This should outline the academic aspects of the project and explain how the requested funding meets the remit of the funding call. Please include any graphics you feel contribute to this case. In relation to your proposed project, please cover:  
   - The aim/vision
   - The strategic fit
   - An outline project plan
   - The expected impact and outcomes
   - The plan for long term sustainability of the project
2. A completed Financial Summary Table. Please download the Financial Summary Table template here
3. Equipment or access quotes as necessary
4. A letter of support from the Pro-Vice-Chancellor or Chair of School
5. A copy of the applicant CV and the CV of any named staff the application requests costs for. CVs should be no longer than 4 pages

Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full stage application. Instructions regarding the submission process of a full stage application will be sent with this invitation.

All decisions are made at Trustee meetings, which happen once a term on the dates given below. Please note that the INT will not consider applications made between the advertised funding rounds or by those from outside of the University of Cambridge.