Grant policy updates

From 1 october 2013

Changes to travel to meetings allowance for principal investigators

Travel to meetings allowance for principal investigators (and co-investigators who receive their salary on the grant) increased from £1500 per annum to £2000 per annum. Further details.

1 July 2013

Changes to maternity/paternity/adoption/sick leave entitlement

Changes to entitlement and supplementary funding. Further details.

From 1 April 2012

Changes to grants awarded from 1 April 2012 onwards

Compound inflation is now calculated at 1.3 per cent per annum, applied from Year 2 onwards. Further details.

From 1 October 2011

Changes to grants awarded from 1 October 2011 onwards

Flexible Funding Allowance now only provided on studentships and training and intermediate fellowships. Further details.

From 1 March 2011

Changes to grants awarded from 1 March 2011 onwards

Compound inflation is now calculated at 1.7 per cent per annum, applied from Year 2 onwards. Further details can be found here.

From 1 November 2009

Changes to grants awarded from 1 November 2009 onwards

Applications can now be costed in the currency that, in the view of the applicant(s), best enables the activity on the grant to be undertaken. Further details can be found here.

From 1 May 2009

Changes to grants awarded from 1 May 2009 onwards

The Flexible Funding Allowance (FFA) and inflation allowance are now provided as separate allowances.

FFA is normally equivalent to 2.5 per cent of the total award and is provided at the discretion of the Trust.
A separate allowance for compound inflation is calculated at 1 per cent per annum, and is applied from Year 2 onwards.

The following costs should be excluded from funds requested:

Building depreciation costs from the charge-out rates for animal house facilities
Depreciation costs for access charges for equipment and facilities

From 1 October 2007

Changes to grants awarded from 1 October 2007 onwards

All new grants will be awarded in US dollars, pounds sterling or euros. Grant applicants from outside the UK will be asked to select which of these three currencies they would like to use.

The inflationary allowance and inflation/flexible funding allowance (FFA) will be consolidated into one allowance. The value of this allowance will be determined by the Trust based on the value of the award and the duration of the grant

From 1 April 2006

Changes to grants awarded from 1 April 2006 onwards

The full Directly Incurred Costs of the research will be funded. Under this definition, certain costs types previously funded via the inflation/flexible funding allowance (FFA) (e.g. recruitment, licences, non-salary inflationary costs) can now be specifically applied for .

FFA will be calculated as a fixed 2.5 per cent of the total grant budget.

Salary enhancement policies for UK basic science fellows and postdoctoral research staff will be updated.The host institution will specify the appropriate salary to be paid to a fellowship holder, on top of which the Trust will provide a fixed 'fellowship supplement' determined by the seniority of the fellowship.Supplements will be set at:

£2500 p.a. for 'training' or 'junior' fellows
£7500 p.a. for 'intermediate' fellows
£12 500 p.a. for senior research fellows.

Principal research fellows will receive a 'Distinction Award' of £20 000 pa, £30 000 pa or £50 000 pa, based on the individual's standing and performance.

Given the increasing trend towards local salary settlement for non-clinical postdoctoral assistants, the Trust will now fund the appropriate salary requested by the institution and will not apply an additional enhancement premium.

From 1 October 2005

Changes to grants ending from 1 October 2005 onwards

The final 10 per cent of total transferable funds budget is to be retained and will not be released until a completed End of Grant Report Form has been returned.

From 1 October 2004

Changes to grants awarded from 1 October 2004 onwards

Grants are cash-limited at the point of award, with an inflationary allowance built in for salary increases. Grant funds will only be supplemented in specific circumstances.

Funds are awarded under 'transferable' and 'ring-fenced' budget subheadings. Ring-fenced funds cover the salary and personal support costs of Wellcome Fellows and students.All other grant funds (e.g. materials, animals, travel, equipment) are classed as transferable funds, and these funds can be freely moved between budget headings at the grantholder's discretion.

Salary support for research staff is based on the costs requested in the application, following scrutiny by referees and the funding committees. 'Levels' funding for research assistants is discontinued.

Inflation/flexible funding allowances (FFAs) are introduced, replacing contingency, personal academic expenses, recruitment and research allowances. FFA budgets are determined by the number of research staff employed on the grant.

Equipment procurement monitoring arrangements are no longer applied.

Changes to grants awarded before 1 October 2004

Existing budgets are grouped under 'transferable' and 'ring-fenced' budget subheadings. Ring-fenced funds cover the salary and personal support costs of Wellcome Fellows and students.All other grant funds (e.g. materials, animals, travel, equipment) are classed as transferable funds, and these funds can be freely moved between budget headings at the grantholder's discretion

Equipment procurement monitoring arrangements are no longer applied.