This page provides a list of frequently asked questions and answers that relate to the EPA Research call and Green Enterprise call.
Can researchers from outside Ireland apply?
A core principle of the funding provided under the EPA Research Programme is that it promotes the development of research capacity on the island of Ireland. Therefore, applications for funding will only be considered where the lead applicant organisation is located on the island of Ireland.
Whilst co-applicant organisations located in other jurisdictions may participate in projects funded by the EPA Research Programme (as Co-applicants), they are restricted in terms of the categories of expenditure considered eligible for funding. Further details are provided in the EPA Research Programme 2021-2030 Guidelines and Terms & Conditions
Do I need to be registered with an organisation to create an application?
Yes. When registering as an applicant on the EPA's Grant Management and Application Portal you will need to include the details of your organisation. Organisations must be approved by the EPA – if your organisation has not been approved by the EPA you will not be able to submit an application.
Can I apply for more than one project?
Yes, you may submit more than one proposal but you may only submit one application for any one Call Topic Identifier, as stated in the Technical Description Document. Please note that if you submit multiple applications, they must be distinct in terms of the content of the application and you must have the capacity to deliver should multiple projects be successful.
I am on a temporary contract. Is it possible to submit an application that includes my salary?
Applicants do not need to be permanent members of staff to submit an application but do need to have a contract with the lead organisation at the time of application. Additionally, at the point of award, they will need to confirm that they have a contract for duration of the project. Only salary costs that can be demonstrated as being used for the specific purpose of performing relevant work packages of the proposed project are eligible. For publicly funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) and other Public / State Body Organisations, buy-out of time for salaried staff members is not permitted.
Those on a temporary contract should consult their Organisation’s policy on whether those on temporary contracts are permitted to apply for Research funding as a lead applicant. This should include confirmation that they will have access to the necessary resources, e.g., equipment, office space, research space, etc., to conduct the project, if funded.
Is it permitted to request Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow Salary Scales?
Salaries for team members at the level of Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow may be requested and should be included in the budget template under the category “Senior Postdoc”. Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow are considered to be senior team members with significant responsibility in the context of the research project. Requests for these salary scales must be sufficiently justified in this context. Applicants should refer to the role descriptions in the IUA Research Career Framework for more information.
If a Lead Applicant has been awarded a grant under a previous call can they submit an application under the new call?
Yes
Can a Lead Applicant be the lead on more than one live project?
Yes
Is it possible to have two Lead Applicants on one project?
No. For the purposes of applying using the EPA's Grant Management and Application Portal only one person can complete the online application form and be listed as the Lead Applicant. All other applicants should be invited and listed as Co-applicants.
Is it required that I include a co-applicant in my proposal?
No. The project team should reflect the necessary expertise and experience required to successfully deliver the project. It is expected that a co-applicant provides an essential intellectual and/or technical contribution to the proposed research. Co-applicants from a host organisation located on the island or Ireland may or may not receive funding through the Grant.
Can I submit or participate in a proposal for a call topic which my organisation is co-funding?
No. Researchers may not apply for or participate in projects which are to be co-funded by their organisation, even if their organisation would not be in receipt of funding.
Are all activities listed in the Project Scope for each Call Topic expected to be addressed?
Innovative research proposals are invited to address the scope of the topics included in the call. Proposals should therefore cover/address (but are not limited to) all aspects as listed in the Topic Scope.
If an applicant has not previously been funded by the EPA, how will their past performance be taken into account in the evaluation process?
In the evaluation process, all applicants will be assigned a past performance score of 1.0, unless they have not met the EPA’s reporting requirements. As such, applicants who have not been previously funded by the EPA will receive a 1.0. This is detailed in the Evaluation Process document.
Does the call allow partnership with NI?
Yes. Organisations from Northern Ireland are eligible to apply for funding as a lead applicant. They can also be funded as a co-Applicant on applications submitted by another organisation located on the island of Ireland.
Does an application require engagement from TTO?
No. Given the focus of EPA Research on providing evidence relevant to the development and implementation of environmental policy, this is not usually necessary. However, if your application includes information where management of intellectual property rights may be relevant or important, you may wish to engage with your TTO. You should also review the EPA’s intellectual property and open access policies, as detailed in the EPA Research Guidelines and Terms & Conditions document.
Where can I find out more about the application process and eligibility requirements?
Full details are provided in the EPA Research Programme 2021-2030 Guidelines and Terms & Conditions
What is the difference between a co-applicant and an advisory role for a proposal, and, are both eligible for funding?
The make-up of a project consortium will depend on the specific objectives of the proposal. It would be expected that a co-applicant provides an essential intellectual and/or technical contribution to the proposed research. Note that funding rates for co-applicants will depend on the organisation type and as set out in the Guidelines, Terms and Conditions.
If you elect to have an advisory role only, you would not be eligible to receive funding.
Note that while project teams should endeavour to have the necessary skills to carry out the work to be performed as part of their proposal, it is recognised that it may therefore be necessary to obtain external assistance in the form of sub-contract or consultancy services for certain aspects of a project subject to the provision of a clear explanation as to why the project team could not have provided these skills. External assistance must be contracted in line with National and European Public Procurement Guidelines. Full details are provided in the Guidelines, Terms and Conditions.
Where can I find more information on budget and financial eligibility rules?
Full details are provided in the EPA Research Programme 2021-2030 Guidelines and Terms & Conditions
Can a 4-year PhD student participate as part of a 3-year project?
This is possible, however it must be noted that funding related to the PhD will only be reimbursed in relation to the period that they are working on the project. For example, if the project is of 3 years duration and the PhD student is not recruited until the end of month three, funding will only be reimbursed for 2 years and nine months.
For universities, should requests for salary costs include the pension contribution?
In respect of DPER Circular 28/2016 the EPA recognise the confusion in regard to pension in the Higher Education and wider Public Sector and understand there is ongoing dialogue between DPER and representative bodies of Public Service employers on the matter. In recognition of this fact the EPA will allow HEIs to budget for pension in accordance with IUA pay scales, however funding in respect of all such budgeted amounts and the associated overhead will be ringfenced and will only be eligible for inclusion on claims for reimbursement when revised and specific guidance on the matter has been issued from DPER to the EPA. Should revised guidance not be issued prior to the completion date of affected projects then the funding allocated to pension (and associated overhead) based on the budget submission for the project will be decommitted. Reallocations of such funding will not be permitted under any circumstances.
Please refer to the EPA Research Programme 2021-2030 Guidelines and Terms & Conditions
Can salary costs or buy-out hours be requested for permanent staff?
No. Salary costs or buy-out hours for permanent staff are not eligible costs.
For a small company, such as a start-up, who is the appropriate person to authorise submission of an application?
For a small company this would normally be the Managing Director or equivalent.
How can I access the portal?
The EPA's Grant Management and Application Portal can be accessed by clicking on the following link: https://epa.smartsimple.ie/s_Login.jsp
I can't find my organisation on the portal, what do I do?
If your organisation has made an application previously, it should appear when you start typing in the ‘Organisation Name’ box.
If not, clear your internet history and refresh your application. If the problem still persists try moving to a different browser.
If your organisation is not registered on our system you will need to submit a registration request – click on the Applicants Register Here button on the portal login page.
Before registering please refer to the User Registration Guide and the instructions at the top of the registration page.
Where can I find guidance on using the portal?
Guidance on using the EPA's Grant Management and Application portal can be found on the Grants Management page of the EPA Website, or accessed when logged into the portal.
Invalid session message or frequent time-outs - I can't access the system.
The system will automatically log you out after 60 minutes of inactivity. If you are experiencing invalid session messages, or are frequently being logged out of the system after less than 60 minutes of inactivity please follow these steps to try and resolve the issue:
If the above actions do not resolve the issue please contact your IT support team.
Invalid username or password
If you have attempted to login several times using incorrect login details you will be temporarily locked out of the system - please wait at least 10 minutes before trying again. If invalid username or password messages continue to appear on the screen, before attempting to login again please:
What if my query is not listed as an FAQ?
All queries which are not covered in the Call Documents or the User Guides should be directed to research@epa.ie.
Some of the themes are very general and have a very broad scope. Do proposals need to aim to deliver on every expected outcome?
No. Themes are deliberately broad to allow applicants to submit innovative proposals. The Theme provides background and potential areas where applicants may consider developing a proposal. A proposal may address one or more-than-one outcome, or elect to submit a proposal that addresses the Theme in a different way.
Can the mental health impacts of climate change be included in proposals under: Further Understanding the Health Impacts of a Changing Environment?
Proposals with a focus on any health impacts of climate change, including mental health, will be considered for evaluation under this theme. It is noted that proposals must aim to address knowledge gaps and inform solutions, policies and actions in areas relevant to those outlined in the scope, as detailed in the Technical Description Document.
Under the Zero Pollution Theme, should proposals be limited to specific environments or are integrated approaches permitted (e.g. water-air-land)
Proposals addressing either individual or multiple environmental spheres will be considered for evaluation under the theme “Towards Zero Pollution”. Proposals should aim to advance knowledge and inform solutions and policies in areas relevant to those outlined in the scope, as detailed in the Technical Description Document.
Under the Zero Pollution or Health Impacts of a Changing Environment Themes, are proposals that focus on indoor air permitted?
Proposals with a focus on advancing knowledge and informing solutions and policies in areas relevant to the themes of “Towards Zero Pollution” or the “Further Understanding the Health Impacts of a Changing Environment”, including indoor air pollutants, will be considered for evaluation. Proposals should address the scope outlined for the theme, as detailed in the Technical Description Document. Please note that if you submit applications under multiple themes, they must be distinct in terms of the content of the application and you must have the capacity to deliver should multiple projects be successful.
Are proposals focusing on developing solutions to specific environmental pollution issues permitted under the theme “Towards Zero Pollution”?
Yes. Proposals with a focus on any pollution issues relevant to the Zero Pollution Action Plan, in an Irish context, and addressing any of the areas outlined in the scope, as detailed in the Technical Description Document, including developing interventions and remediation technologies, will be considered for evaluation.
Does the scope of the theme “Chemicals that are Safe and Sustainable by Design”, or any of the other themes, include the development of new materials.
A primary objective of EPA Research Programme is to address current and future policy priorities relevant to environment, climate and sustainability. The assessment of novel materials may be relevant in the context of “Chemicals that are Safe and Sustainable by Design”.
Applicants should consider the following guidance from the Technical Description Document: It is expected that, in their proposal, applicants clearly demonstrate the policy relevance of the outputs of their proposed research; the applicability of their findings; and how these outputs address a knowledge gap and can be efficiently transferred/applied to the implementation of policies. Applicants should clearly demonstrate how their proposed research will provide the evidence to support environmental policy in Ireland, in terms of identifying pressures, informing policy and developing solutions.
I do not have two years of postdoctoral research experience, but have research experience in a different setting. Can I apply to the call?
Applicants are required to have a minimum of two years of postdoctoral research experience. However, if an applicant has independent research experience that could be considered equivalent to postdoctoral research, this may be considered. This should be clearly indicated in the “Skills and Experience” section of the application form, which should detail your suitability for the Fellowship. Eligibility for the Fellowship will be confirmed after submission of your application and upon review the submitted documentation.