Impact in research grant applications
UKRI
UKRI
UKRI have removed the requirement to provide a “Pathways to Impact” plan or complete an “Impact Summary” in grant submissions. For further information go to:
BBSRC: Investments, impacts and engagement
ESRC: Demonstrating support for impact in your research proposal
EPSRC: Research outcomes and impact
MRC: Guidance for Applicants - Impact
STFC research outcomes and impact
Impact summaries
When writing an impact summary you need to address two key questions;
Who might benefit from your research?
How might they benefit?
Top tips
- Ensure that the impacts are specific to your research.
- If there is more than one beneficiary put them in order of priority.
- Write simply and clearly, where possible avoid jargon - this will make it easier for reviewers from related fields to grasp the benefits of your work.
- Do not include confidential information as impact summaries can be used for publicity.
- Do not include academic impact.
Pathways to impact
When writing your pathway to impact the most important question to answer is:
What will you do to ensure that potential beneficiaries have the opportunity to engage with your research?
Top tips
- Be as specific as you can in who the possible beneficiaries of your research are.
- Write about the routes to impact you intend to use, where appropriate show that you consider them to be a two way process of knowledge exchange. (For more information about possible routes please look at our routes to impact pages).
- Make sure your planned routes to impact are appropriate for your beneficiaries/audience.
- Consider a timescale for impact – when you might do activities and who will be responsible for organising them.
- Include the costings for routes to impact. If possible mention how you intend to evaluate and gather evidence of impact.
- Try to write concisely ensuring only relevant information is included – don’t be tempted to try and fill all the available space if you don’t need to.
Other external funders
Other external funders
Research at the University of York is also supported by a variety of other external funders. A growing number of these are taking an interest in research impact including;
- Horizon 2020, the current research and innovation framework programme of the European Union, has a guiding theme of tackling societal challenges, for more information please look at the EU research funding pages.
- The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is committed to ‘adding value in research’, for more information about their funding process please look at the NIHR research funding pages and adding value in research pages.
You may find the advice given for RCUK pathways to impact is a helpful starting point when doing other applications. But it is critical to check the guidelines provided by the funder you are applying to. If you have any more questions try one of our useful contacts.
Impact funding opportunities - for information about funding schemes specifically for impact activities please look at our impact funding opportunities pages.