FMA Funding

The Biofortification Hub offers funding to encourage and support mobility between academia and industry via Flexible Mobility Awards (FMA). 

These awards are up to £20K and for a maximum duration of 3 months for work or in an organisation involved in biofortification.

If you are interested in applying for a FMA placement and would like to find an industry or academic partner, find an FMA partner through our Researcher Meets Industry scheme.

Beneficiaries of FMAs can be either Early Career Researcher (ECR) from academia wishing to explore work in a company or a private organisation, or staff from industry (including technicians, specialists, engineers, researchers etc…) wanting to further their career progression with through work experience in a public research organisation. Check your eligibility to receive funding using our quick online test. Please contact biofortification.hub@nbi.ac.uk if in doubt about who is eligible to apply for FMAs.

FMA call (2023): Open call (all year)

Applications can be submitted anytime

Application will be reviewed every 2 months

Review date for 2023 are: 01-06-2023, 01-08-2023, 02-10-2023, 01-12-2023

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

FMA funding summary:

• Award up to £20K
• Project duration: up to 3 months
• Award covers 100% of salary (3 months)
• Award covers 100% of travel, subsistence and accommodation expenses
• Award provides £3K to the host organisation to cover own costs/consumables etc.
• Projects funding at 80% Full Economic Cost (fEC) by BBSRC means that applicants can receive up to £13K per month to cover their salary + all expenses at 100% (see FMA guidelines) 
• Funding is available to staff and researchers from any UK public or private organisation with any activity in the area of biofortification
• Membership of the biofortification hub is encouraged but not mandatory to apply for FMA funding. You can become a member simply by filling the form online.
• Detailed guidelines about FMA funding and how to apply are available in the download section.

FMA funded awards:

• Successful applicant and host organisations must join the Biofortification Hub network. It only takes two minutes to apply for membership online.
• The applicant and host organisation will agree a start date and will need to have, if applicable, a signed Collaboration Agreement (CA) and a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place prior to the project commencing
• A formal offer letter (including award Terms and Conditions) will be issued to the successful applicant
• A short report (authorised by the industrial partner for use in the public domain) about the placement should be sent to the Hub Manager within one month of the placement ending
• Funds will be transferred from BBSRC to Quadram Institute Bioscience then to the applicant and host organisation as agreed.