The BBSRC Brazil Pump-Priming Award (FAPPA) supports pump-priming interactions between UK researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and scientists supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) in Brazil.

Overview

This award is designed for BBSRC-supported research groups to establish and develop new collaborations with FAPESP-funded scientists in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The programme aims to foster joint research activities that add value to existing BBSRC and FAPESP research, promote collaboration between UK and Brazilian researchers, and create opportunities for early career scientist exchanges. Applications must be made by a project lead who is currently in receipt of relevant BBSRC research funding.

Funding and Benefits

Maximum award: £35,000 at 100% full economic costing (FEC) over a maximum duration of two years.

Funding may be used for:

• Travel and subsistence
• Collaborative activities such as workshops or exchanges
• A modest level of direct research costs, including consumables and access to specialist equipment to gather preliminary data for new applications under the UKRI-FAPESP agreement

Direct research costs may not account for more than 50% of the total value requested from BBSRC, and the grant must primarily have a non-research focus. Brazilian counterparts should apply for equivalent funding directly from FAPESP.

Funding cannot be used for salary costs, overheads, or equipment costs.

Applicants may also request additional care costs to support people with caring responsibilities for visits, meetings, and overseas travel undertaken as part of the supported activity. These costs should be reasonable and outlined in the directly incurred costs section of the application.

Eligibility

Who can apply:

• Holders of a current BBSRC research grant
• Researchers in a BBSRC strategically supported institute working on projects supported through Institute Core Grant Awards (e.g., Institute Strategic Programme Grants, Core Capability Grants, National Bioscience Research Infrastructures)
• Applicants must meet standard BBSRC eligibility rules

The application must be made by a project lead, though the project lead does not have to be the person travelling. Applicants may only apply after their BBSRC grant has started, and there must be at least six months remaining on the project from the start of the FAPPA Award.

Who is not eligible: Students are not eligible to apply.

International applicants: These awards are jointly funded with the project lead in São Paulo. The Brazilian applicant must be currently in receipt of a FAPESP research grant as a project lead or project co-lead. Brazilian counterparts should contact chamada-bbsrc-fappa@fapesp.br directly for current eligibility advice.

Application Process

Applications are submitted via the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service. The UK project lead must submit a single joint application to BBSRC that includes a budget request to BBSRC for the UK partners and a budget request to FAPESP for the São Paulo-based researchers. São Paulo researchers must also submit the same proposal to FAPESP via the SAGe system alongside all other requested documents.

Key application sections include:

• Purpose (2,500 words): Explain why the travel and joint research is needed, including added value, promotion of collaboration, future joint research, skills development, and timing.
• Resources and cost justification (500 words): Justify travel, subsistence, collaborative activities, and research costs.
• Ethics and responsible research and innovation
• FAPESP SAGe online form: Must be downloaded and uploaded as a PDF attachment.
• Your organisation’s support (500 words): Provide a Statement of Support from the research organisation.
• Data management and sharing (500 words)

Applications should be self-contained. Hyperlinks may only be used to link directly to reference information.

Deadline and Timeline

Status: Open – no closing date.

Publication date: 29 July 2026

Opening date: 29 July 2026, 9:00am UK time

Applicants must submit their application at least 12 weeks before the intended start of the project. A decision will be communicated following internal review by BBSRC and FAPESP.

Contact Information

For questions related to this funding opportunity, contact Sania Afzal, Assistant Portfolio Manager, BBSRC International at bbsrc.iru@bbsrc.ukri.org, including ‘FAPPA’ in the subject header.

Brazilian counterparts should contact FAPESP for eligibility advice at chamada-bbsrc-fappa@fapesp.br.

For system or submission queries, contact the UKRI Funding Service helpdesk:

• Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org
• Phone: 01793 547490 (Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm, Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm)