Match Funding Policy

Principles

The broad principle governing match funding of research proposals includes the following and applies to all research and research-related funding (including EU and ERDF):

• Matched funding should normally not exceed 10 per cent of the total funding coming to Aston. If a higher contribution is explicitly required by the funder this should be discussed with the Executive Dean and PVC Research in advance and justified clearly in the application form.
• In the case of collaborative bids there is an expectation that all partners are contributing proportionately in line with the level of grant funding they expect to receive.
• In addition, all match funding for capital will be allocated from the £2m research capital budget. All requests for match funding (capital) must be reviewed and approved by the PVC Research, with the financial authority limits set out below:
   

Decisions will be made taking into account the strategic priority of the request within the context of College and University budgets. There is not an automatic commitment to match fund bids and the request needs to be justified as follows:

• Evidence of explicit or implicit criteria in the call that institutional contributions are required.
• Demonstration that the call generates sufficient margin to justify the level of institutional contributions
• Clarity with respect to cash and in-kind contributions.
• Clarity with respect to the source of institutional cash contribution (College/Department/University Research Institution, Strategic Investment Fund, collaborating partners.

In-kind and aligned contributions should be in line with the requirements of the Policy for Approval of Industrial Funders and Donors. Collectively all these contributions should be presented in the strongest possible way to enhance the case for the proposal. Colleges will use the information gathered through the applications for match funding to log and monitor commitments and allocations associated with successful awards.

There is an expectation Pls/Cls benefitting from College or Institutional match funding also engage fully with Aston's Peer Review Process.

College Contribution

Identification of requirements for College contribution

The PI of the bid should flag to the Strategic Funding Manager, Associate Dean Research and Executive Dean as soon as possible that matched funding will be requested from the College. In line with the University’s Financial and Legal Authority Limits, applications for College contributions are capped at £250k. Requests for funding above these limits should be discussed with the Executive Dean, ADR and PVC Research prior to the formal request being submitted to the University Executive for approval.

Request for College contribution

A formal request for College commitment should be agreed no later than 10 working days before the submission deadline, alongside the Letter of Support using the College Match Funding Application below.

College Matched Funding Application Form582.42 KB

This should clearly state:

The need for matched funding from the College. What the matched funding will be spent on, phasing of the spend and why this will enhance the project.

 

Completed business cases and draft letters of support should be submitted to your Strategic Funding Manager and Executive Dean a minimum of ten working days before the call deadline. For high value, multi-partner bids, applicants will need to engage with their Strategic Funding Manager and Associate Dean Research as early as possible in the bid development process. Requests submitted at short notice may not be considered.

• The ratio of internal investment to award value eg £10,000 of College commitment will leverage £100,000 of external income.
• What in-kind and existing investments will be aligned to the proposal.
• The fit of the proposed project to the research strategy (how will the proposed research deliver against the four priorities of the University Research Strategy – impact, excellence, collaboration, sustainability).
• Approval from Associate Dean Research/Executive Dean re the share of contribution.
• Letters of support accompanying bids must be approved by the appropriate delegated person in line with the University Financial Authority Limits.

Institutional Contribution

Identification of requirements for institutional contribution

PIs who are requesting a large-scale central institutional contribution as part of a bid should discuss this with the Executive Dean, ADR and PVC Research as early as possible in the process.

Request for institutional contribution

A formal request for institutional commitment should made using the College Match Funding Application Form (below), alongside the Viability Report extracted from the ARCP system and the draft letter of support of the proposal. 

College Match Funding Application Form582.42 KB

This should clearly state:

The need for institutional matched funding The fit of the proposed project to the University Research Strategy (how the proposal will achieve the four goals of the research strategy – excellence, impact, collaboration, sustainability – and (where applicable) alignment to relevant URIs or Centres)

 

Where possible completed business cases and draft letters of support should be submitted to the Executive Dean and PVC Research a minimum of ten working days before the call deadline. For high value, multi-partner bids, applicants will need to engage with their Strategic Funding Manager and Associate Dean Research as early as possible in the bid development process. Requests submitted at short notice may not be considered.

• The leverage i.e. £10,000 of University commitment will leverage £100,000 of external income
• What the institutional match will be spent on and why this will enhance the project
• What in-kind and existing investments will be aligned to the proposal
• Approval from Executive Dean/Associate Dean Research for the College’s share of contribution where relevant.

Approval of institutional contribution

Approval will be given on the basis of fit to Research Strategy (demonstration of Excellence, Impact, Collaboration and Sustainability; fit to University Strategy (delivery for Beneficiaries); Financial Case (availability of budget, return on investment)

Following approval

Final versions of the business case and letter of support should be attached to the project in the ARCP (documents tab)