VaxHub Global Platform Funding Call

VaxHub members ^[1] and collaborators ^[2] are eligible to apply for platform funding.  Proposals may be submitted by VaxHub members and collaborators working with VaxHub UK academic partners; prioritisation will be given to projects that can show a novel collaboration that would not otherwise be possible.  Organisations that are not currently members of the VaxHub but would be interested in joining to be able to access funding opportunities and other benefits, are invited to contact vaxhub@ucl.ac.uk

General eligibility requirements:

• • All projects must include a lead VaxHub UK Higher Education Institution (HEI) member organisation.
  • All funded organisations must adhere to the UKRI funding rules for international organisations – https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-project-co-lead-international/ukri-project-co-lead-international-policy/ as well as the other UKRI funding rules – https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/UKRI-28032025-UKRI_fEC-Grant-Terms-And-Conditions-April-2025.pdf
  • Individual investigators can submit one application as the lead applicant per funding call, but there is no limit on the same entities (institution/organisation) submitting multiple applications to each call.
  • There is no limit on being a co-applicant on multiple applications to the same call.
  • Other HEI academics (for example, permanent members of academic staff) can lead a project, provided they are committed to ongoing interactions with the VaxHub.
  • VaxHub PDRAs/RAs cannot apply for/lead a Platform Funded project, but they could be a co-applicant, with their Co-I, who would be on an open-ended contract, as the lead.

Please note, these are the specific eligibility criteria for each theme:

Eligibility Theme 1: Policy

• • All projects must include a lead VaxHub UK HEI academic partner
  • VaxHub members and collaborators are eligible to be joint applicants for this platform funding call
  • ‘Collaborators’ in this instance refers to organisations/individuals that are not VaxHub members.

Eligibility Theme 2: Vaccine Delivery

• • All projects must include a lead VaxHub UK HEI academic partner
  • VaxHub members are eligible to be a joint applicant for this platform funding call with any VaxHub UK academic partner organisation.
  • Please note: collaborators are not eligible to apply for the Vaccine Delivery theme.

[1] VaxHub members are those organisations that sign-up to the VaxHub Network, via the Collaboration Agreement.

[2] For the purposes of the VaxHub Global UK call, ‘collaborator’ refers to non-VaxHub partner or member organisations/individuals.  Such organisations will be required to sign a contract of terms and conditions, which are linked to the Collaboration Agreement.

• Value – Proposals should be submitted for projects with a value of between £30,000-£70,000 (inclusive of VAT). If your project is lower than this amount, then we encourage you to explore other opportunities for funding.
• Full economic costing (fEC) – this funding call adopts UKRI rules for fEC.  Therefore, applications submitted by academic organisations will be costed on the basis of full economic costs (fEC).  If a grant is awarded, VaxHub will provide funding to academic organisations at 80% of the fEC.  The organisation must agree to find the balance of fEC for the project from other resources.  This does not impact funding for non-academic institutions or individuals, which will receive funds at 100% of the application amount.
• Duration – Projects should last between six and 12 months. Details of project start, and end dates can be found in the table below.
• Number of projects funded – Up to six.
• Payment of funds – UCL will transfer funds to the lead organisation and up to 2 partner organisations per project. Payments will be made in two stages, the first following the award and the second following a satisfactory mid-term report for the project.

Please be mindful of the timelines above when planning your submissions throughout the overall Platform Funding timeline, to ensure that you have sufficient, and dedicated/unique resources for each project you are applying for.

The VaxHub is pleased to offer funding to support projects with a UK focus which may choose to address one or more of the following areas within the policy or vaccine delivery themes:

Theme 1: Policy

Aimed at supporting projects focusing on policy considerations and policy actions to strengthen the UK vaccine development and manufacturing ecosystem in relation to areas such as:

• • Future pandemic preparedness
  • Accelerating the development and commercialisation of novel vaccine technologies
  • Sustainable vaccine manufacturing
  • Role of vaccines in tackling AMR
  • Regulatory issues/ aspects (e.g. accelerated regulatory pathways)
  • Digital technologies and digitalisation
  • Increasing trust in and awareness of vaccine development.

Theme 2: Vaccine Delivery

Aimed at supporting projects focusing on innovations in vaccine delivery that could impact upon the deployment and effectiveness of vaccines used in UK immunisation programmes. Areas of focus could include, amongst others:

• • Vaccine formulation
  • Vaccine stability, particularly thermostability
  • Ease of use for both vaccine administrator and receiver
  • Approaches for non-skilled administration or self-administration
  • Approaches that improve sustainability and reduce carbon footprint
  • Approaches that promote patient trust in, and acceptance of, immunisation
  • Approaches that enhance vaccine efficacy and coverage, potentially at reduced dose.

Project proposals must:

• • Explain how the project objectives enable VaxHub research to benefit the UK vaccine manufacturing and/or deployment ecosystem.
  • State how funding will benefit their organisation in the long-term.
  • Demonstrate how the activity could help generate pilot data for follow-on funding or test feasibility with key stakeholders.

VaxHub is committed to equality of opportunity and values diversity and a culture in which inclusion is promoted. There is an expectation that steps will be taken within funded projects to go above and beyond the routine EDI activities of the project teams and applications will be assessed on whether further steps are being demonstrably taken to promote equality, diversity or inclusion.

The VaxHub acknowledges that there are individual contexts that could lead to different cultural/ gender dynamics and this will need to be a consideration when assessing projects. We still endeavour to promote best practice and expect this to be considered in project proposals, as an example, to promote gender equality we expect there to be no “all male” working groups for VaxHub projects.

In line with UCL’s Due Diligence policy for research funding and in adherence to funder requirements, UCL undertakes full due diligence checks on all active grants within the VaxHub. All applicants[1] receiving funds will be required to complete an enhanced Due Diligence questionnaire based on the amount of funding they are applying for; links to the Due Diligence questionnaires are provided in the submission section above.  Completed forms should be returned at the application stage.

Due Diligence form(s) (if applicable): Under £30k form       Over £30k form

[1] Please note Third-party due diligence checks will not apply to any of the following:

• When the third party is an individual 

• When the third party is on the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) list of UK higher education providers 

Applicants should use the Ethical Information section on the application form to demonstrate to reviewers that they have fully considered any ethical issues concerning the material they intend to use, the nature and choice, current public perceptions and attitudes towards the subject matter or research area. VaxHub funds must be used in compliance with DHSC/EPSRC rules on ethics and we will not fund a project if we believe that there are ethical concerns that have been overlooked or not appropriately accounted for.

Outputs are most likely to be in the form of a report, publication, tools, new products/processes/methods or proof of concept.  Data is likely to be an important feature of most projects, and we recommend that a data management plan is put in place to ensure that data is appropriately curated, stored and made available for future research, where feasible.

The budget sheet template should be used to list and describe the resources that are required to undertake the proposed Project. The justification for these resources should also be made clear in the application form.

Costs that can be funded include:

• • Staff salaries
  • Travel and subsistence, exclusively for the progression of the funded project
  • Other direct costs (consumables, facilities fees, etc.

The funding will not cover:

• • Fees for undergraduate or postgraduate courses
  • First class and business class (unless required due to disability or medical condition) travel costs or priority visa fees
  • Travel/trips which show no real outputs for professional development
  • Applications made on behalf of applicants without the applicants’ agreement
  • Capital or infrastructure expenditure is not an eligible cost
  • Equipment

We will not support proposals that:

• • Do not align with the vision and aims of VaxHub
  • Do not demonstrate sustainability
  • Fund associated studentships
  • Include new, external recruitment (except for casual/consultancy appointments).

All funded projects awarded to VaxHub Members will be subject to the terms of the VaxHub Collaboration Agreement, in compliance with the clauses around Intellectual Property, Publication and Confidentiality. VaxHub collaborators will be subject to a contract of terms and conditions, linked to the VaxHub Collaboration Agreement.  If you believe any further contractual requirements will be needed for your proposal, please contact vaxhub@ucl.ac.uk to discuss this as soon as you are aware of any potential additional needs.

Successful applicants will be required to provide updates on progress (if requested) and to comply with mid and end of project reporting requirements. Reporting requirements will be provided to successful applicants. These shall include commentary on whether aims have been achieved, methods used, data produced, publications or other outputs, other outcomes, impact achieved and planned, problems encountered, and forward plans. It is a condition of funding that successful applicants must give a presentation about their project to members of the VaxHub community.

Successful teams will also be expected to:

• Participate in VaxHub events, as required. This may include presentations to the VaxHub Users Group or International Advisory Board.
• Promote VaxHub through VaxHub and own networks. The VaxHub Project Manager will maintain contact with successful teams to receive updates and to ensure that important information and announcements are disseminated widely.