Overheads policy

Applicants can ask for overheads if their grant will be based at a:

• higher education institution, healthcare organisation or research institute outside the UK
• UK research organisation that does not receive core funding for overheads
• charity, non-profit or non-governmental research organisation
• social enterprise or small or medium-sized commercial organisation

Overheads can include:

• estates, for example, building and premises
• non-project dedicated administrative and support staff
• administration, for example, finance, library, and room hire

UK universities and large commercial organisations cannot ask for overheads.

Sub-awarding

Applicants can also ask for overheads on any part of the grant that is sub-awarded to any of the organisations listed above. Applicants who are based at a UK university cannot ask for overheads for sub-awarded activity if their university will include the sub-awarded funding in its annual report to the Charity Research Support Fund, or equivalent fund in the UK.

The total cost for overheads should be no more than 20% of the direct research costs.

These costs must directly support the activity funded by the grant.