URIs Seed Corn Funding: Infectious Diseases, Climate Change and Decision Making - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This seed corn funding scheme supports innovative, early-stage interdisciplinary research at the University of Bristol that explores the links between infectious diseases, climate change and decision making. The aim is to generate new collaborations, pilot data, methods, partnerships and evidence that can lead to larger external funding opportunities.

Projects should:

• Address challenges relating to infectious diseases, climate change and decision making.
• Demonstrate collaboration/interdisciplinarity.
• Add significant value to researchers, research communities or external stakeholders.
• Create opportunities for future external grant applications.
• Support decision makers in managing infectious disease risks under climate uncertainty.

Yes. Projects that involve international collaborators, including co-authored publications, are particularly welcome.

Any research-active University of Bristol staff member can apply.

Early career researchers, including:

• Postdoctoral Research Associates (PDRAs)
• Research Fellows
• Lecturers

are particularly encouraged to apply.

No. Students, including PhD students, cannot be lead applicants or co-applicants.

However, PhD student time can be included and costed within a project budget.

Yes. Applicants must hold a contract that extends beyond the end date of the award period.

Professional services staff are welcome to be a co-applicant but we would expect the lead applicant to be an academic member of staff. 

Applicants can request up to £10,000 per project.

Funding can support activities such as:

• Piloting or refining methods and algorithms
• Testing methods with decision makers
• Re-analysing existing datasets
• Developing innovative visualisations
• Building collaborations with external organisations
• Employing PDRAs
• Funding PhD student time
• Purchasing data access
• Research IT support
• Cloud computing resources (with justification)
• Consumables

If your project requires funding to support international collaborators, please contact Patty Holley (p.holley@bristol.ac.uk)

Yes. Small amounts of funding (up to £2,000) may be requested for:

• Workshops
• Networking meetings
• Data dives
• Similar collaborative activities

The fund cannot be used for:

• Conference attendance
• Training courses
• Open access publication fees (e.g. Gold OA)
• IT equipment such as laptops
• Indirect costs
• Estates costs
• DA staff costs

Yes, but you must explain why existing University computing resources are not suitable for the proposed work.

All funding must be spent by Friday 16 July 2027. Goods and services must be receipted by this date.

Applications must be submitted by:

Wednesday 14 October 2026 at 5:00pm

Please use this online form to submit your application. 

Successful applicants will be notified during the week commencing 26 October 2026.

Not necessarily. However, if your project involves human participants, you should describe how you will obtain the necessary ethical approvals.

Yes. Every application must include a fully costed and approved Worktribe budget.

Yes. The costing must be approved by the applicant's Head of School before submission.

Award holders must:

• Create a PURE project record before funds are released.
• Participate in a showcase event during Bristol Data Week (7-11 June 2027).
• Acknowledge URI funding in outputs.
• Spend all funds by 16 July 2027.
• Provide updates on longer-term project impacts if requested.

Yes. Prospective applicants are encouraged to discuss ideas and potential collaborations before applying.

Contact:

Jim Evans
jim.evans@bristol.ac.uk