BIV Funding

Business Interaction Vouchers

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL APPLICANTS FOR FUNDING

From 22 February 2024, BBSRC has revised the BIV grant conditions for the six OIRC Hubs. From now on, please follow the information and instructions for BIV funding provided on this updated webpage and use the new downloadable forms and guidelines therein. Thank you.

The Biofortification Hub Manager

Business Interaction Vouchers

The Biofortification Hub offers funding to support innovative research via Business Interaction Vouchers (BIV) to encourage and support collaboration between academics and industry in the area of biofortification.

The vouchers will help resource small, confidence-building activities between an academic partner and industry-based partner(s) that are likely to:

- Instigate an interaction

- Test the potential for a substantive interaction

- Lead to new research technology transfer projects

2025 BIV Funding call:

OPEN 01 February 2025

DEADLINE to submit proposal 25 April 2025 (18:00 GMT)

2025 FUNDING CALL THEMES: in addition to research projects focusing on the Biofortification of food, feed and fodder, this funding call will also welcome applications focusing on the social and policy aspects of crop and food biofortification in two main areas: Consumer education focused on the benefits of Biofortification and Inclusion of Biofortification in institutional meals.

Please ensure that you are using the latest BIV application form and guidelines (dated October 2024 or later). The version of each downloadable document is indicated in the file name, The latest version of each document is available on this page. If in doubt, please contact biofortification.hub@nbi.ac.uk.

Application forms as well as the additional information requested (see PoC guidelines) should be sent to biofortification.hub@nbi.ac.uk

BIV funding summary:

- Award up to £50K (£20K recommended)

- Project duration: up to 6-9 months

- Eligible costs include Directly Incurred costs (excluding equipment) and Directly Allocated costs (excluding estate costs)

- The Biofortification Hub aims to support primarily research activities and encourages proposals with Directly Incurred (DI) costs representing 80% or more of the total grant costs. This criterion will be considered during the review process

- Projects are funded at 100% Full Economic Cost (fEC) by BBSRC/Biofortification Hub

- Cash or in-kind contribution from an industrial partner(s) based in the UK is expected (Business partner contribution examples are available from the Hub Manager)

- Funding is only available to UK institutions and principal applicants who are both eligible to BBSRC funding

- Membership of the biofortification hub is encouraged but not mandatory to apply for BIV funding. You can become a member simply by filling the form online.

- Detailed guidelines about BIV funding and how to apply are available in the download section.

BIV funded projects:

- Successful applicant(s) will provide a public summary of the project (150 works)

- All successful applicants (including co-investigators and industry partners) must join the Biofortification Hub network. It only takes two minutes to apply for membership online.

- The academic applicant(s) and industrial partner(s) will agree a start date and will need to have a signed agreement in place prior to the project commencing

- A formal “Funding Offer Letter” and “Award Agreement” (summarising the “Terms and Conditions”) will be issued to the successful applicant

- A short report (authorised by the industrial partner for use in the public domain) and an expenditure statement (authorised by the applicant’s Institution) should be sent to the Hub Manager within one month of project ending