Work with Brazilian researchers: NERC–FAPESP lead agency
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) · International
Collaborative funding mechanism allowing UK researchers and researchers in the State of São Paulo, Brazil to submit joint research proposals under existing NERC funding opportunities through a single review process.
Summary
Deadline
Rolling
Complexity
Medium
Time to apply
20-60 hours
Updated
9 Jun 2026
Collaborative funding mechanism allowing UK researchers and researchers in the State of São Paulo, Brazil to submit joint research proposals under existing NERC funding opportunities through a single review process.
Eligibility
Applicant types
Research, Public Sector
Business size
Research organisation
Industries
Environmental and natural environment research areas within the remit of NERC.
Match funding
Needs verification
Requirements
UK-based principal investigators who are residents in the UK and employed at eligible UK research organisations such as higher education institutions, research council institutes, recognised independent research organisations or public sector research establishments at lecturer level or above. São Paulo-based partners must be employed at eligible higher education or research organisations in th...
Eligible applicants
UK-based principal investigators who are residents in the UK and employed at eligible UK research organisations such as higher education institutions, research council institutes, recognised independent research organisations or public sector research establishments at lecturer level or above. São Paulo-based partners must be employed at eligible higher education or research organisations in the State of São Paulo.
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
Determined by the relevant NERC funding opportunity used (such as Pushing the Frontiers or Large Grants).
Total fund available
Not specified
Funding intensity
NERC typically funds 80% of Full Economic Cost for UK applicants, while equipment may be funded at 100% FEC.
Payment type
Grant (typically 80% FEC in arrears)
Eligible scope
Collaborative research proposals submitted under existing NERC programmes such as Pushing the Frontiers and Large Grants schemes.
Eligible expenses
- Directly incurred costs such as staff salaries, travel, subsistence and consumables
- directly allocated costs including investigator time and facilities
- indirect costs
- and equipment funded at full economic cost according to NERC rules.
Ineligible costs
- Costs not eligible under NERC lead agency bilateral funding opportunity terms.
Application and risks
Application platform
UKRI Funding Service for the UK application and SAGe system for the São Paulo partner submission to FAPESP.
Competitiveness
Open (Rolling assessment)
Decision timeline
The review and decision process typically takes around six months but may take longer.
Assessment process
Applications are assessed by NERC on behalf of both agencies using standard peer review procedures with involvement from FAPESP-nominated experts.
Application sections
- Sections follow the standard structure of the NERC funding opportunity used for submission, including project description, collaborators, resources and supporting documentation.
Application components
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if collaboration requirements are not met, budgets are not clearly differentiated, or the proposal does not align with the relevant NERC funding opportunity.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
Not specified
Project duration
Determined by the NERC funding opportunity used for submission
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
- São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
Collaboration rules
- Applications must represent an integrated collaborative project between UK and São Paulo researchers and be submitted to both agencies in parallel.
- Mandatory collaboration between UK researchers and researchers based in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Consortium requirements
- Projects must include UK and São Paulo research partners working collaboratively.
Additional guidance
[{"label":"Research Category","value":"Environmental science and interdisciplinary research within the remit of both NERC and FAPESP."},{"label":"Subcontractors","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Interview Stage","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Key Requirements","value":"Applications must be submitted in parallel to both NERC and FAPESP and clearly identify the collaboration under the NERC–FAPESP partnership agreement."},{"label":"Renewal Rules","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Important Notes","value":"The UK application must identify the collaboration by prefixing the title with “NERC-FAPESP”. Budgets for the UK and São Paulo components must be clearly separated and comply with the respective funding rules of NERC and FAPESP."}]
Quick facts
- Status
- Open
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Funding amount
- Determined by the relevant NERC funding opportunity used (such as Pushing the Frontiers or Large Grants).
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Grant (typically 80% FEC in arrears)
- Audience
- Research Innovation, Public Sector, Mixed
- Industry
- Environmental and natural environment research areas within the remit of NERC.
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2026
- Published
- 5 May 2022