Guidance

IBF Call 3 - Frequently Asked Questions

Published 24 August 2026

OVERVIEW

What is the timetable for this round of the IBF?

The deadline for applications is midnight on 4 November 2026.  We anticipate the assessment to take place later during November and December, with successful applicants notified in February 2027. Projects will begin 1 April 2027 and must conclude by September 2028 at the latest.

What themes are in and out of scope for funding?

All proposals will be assessed against the assessment criteria as outlined in the call guidance. No subsectors of the space economy or themes are out of scope for this call.  

Can startups apply as well as established companies?

There are no restrictions on the type of organisation that can apply, provided it is a legally registered entity, can meet all eligibility and grant requirements, and successfully passes any due diligence, background, and compliance checks required as part of the assessment process.

Can companies outside of the space sector apply?

There are no restrictions on the type of organisation that can apply however you must be able to demonstrate how your work will meet the aims of the grants purpose.

COLLABORATION

Are there any restrictions about any type of organisations we can collaborate or partner with?

There is no restriction on the types of organisations that you can partner with. The only requirement is that one or more of the project partners must be based internationally.

Please note that proposals that may, in the view of the UK Space Agency, pose an unacceptable security risk or present a risk of sanctions violation, are not eligible.

Can a non-UK based organisation lead an application?

No. A UK organisation must lead any consortia put forward to ensure compliance with funding regulations, but funding can be distributed to international partners and subcontractors as appropriate.

Funding for international partners is capped at 20% of the overall UK Space Agency grant value and funding for subcontractors is also capped at 20% of the overall grant value.

Do I have to partner with an international space agency to be eligible for funding?

No. The call does not specify whether international partners should be supported financially by an International Space Agency or a foreign government body. IBF funding only requires that the UK lead for the project include international partners as part of their consortium.

Can partnerships have partners from multiple different countries?

Yes, although international partnership costs must be capped at 20% of the total grant value.

Are there minimum or maximum numbers of partners that can be in a project consortium?

No – we have set no requirements around the maximum number of partners, as long as they comply with the following guidelines:

A minimum of 20% of the grant funding must be claimed by the lead organisation.

International partner costs should be capped at 20% of the total grant cost from UK Space Agency

Is there a difference between a partner and a sub-contractor?

Yes. If you are collaborating with another organisation or company, then they are your project partner and will be included in your proposal and subject to PV (private venture) contribution.

If you wish to sub-contract some work, then that organisation cannot be considered as a project partner. Subcontractor costs are capped at 20% of the overall grant value.

Would sub-contractors have any IP publication rights?

The involvement of subcontractors does not automatically affect the intellectual property (IP) or publication rights of the lead organisation. However, the specific ownership and rights arrangements will depend on the agreements in place between the lead organisation, subcontractors, and any project partners.

It is the responsibility of the UK lead organisation to establish and manage appropriate IP, publication, and collaboration arrangements with all parties involved in the project. Applicants should ensure that any agreements clearly define the ownership, use, protection, and dissemination of project outputs and results.

The UK Space Agency does have requirements relating to project partnerships, including the expectation that appropriate collaboration agreements are in place where relevant. Applicants should therefore ensure that all IP and publication arrangements are addressed within these agreements and are consistent with the terms of the grant funding.

Can we apply with only subcontractors as our proposed international partner?

No. All applications must include at least one international project partner, additional subcontractors can also be included. For clarity; project partners collaborate and contribute to the project and take some benefit from it; subcontractors are paid to provide a defined service on commercial terms. Applications will be reviewed to ensure entities have been included accordingly.

APPLICATIONS

How will my application be assessed?

Following eligibility checks, proposals will be scored against the published assessment criteria by reviewers. Initial reviews will cover assessment criteria 1 and 2 and only those proposals scoring 3/5 on both will continue to be assessed. Final funding recommendations will be made by an assessment panel, taking account of all available evidence. More information is available in section 6 of the call guidance.

Can I resubmit a proposal that was rejected in a previous UK Space Agency Call?

Yes, you may re-submit a proposal which will then go through the independent evaluation process again. Applications will then be scored against Call 3 criteria when being considered for funding.  We recommend that any previous feedback is taken into consideration.

Can we apply to multiple UK Space Agency funding calls with the same application?

Applicants can choose to do this but should note that each funding call has its own distinct objectives and scoring criteria will vary, so proposals that include the same content across multiple funding calls are unlikely to score highly. As outlined in the assessment criteria, the strongest proposals applying to IBF will demonstrate strong relevance to the objectives of international partners, which is distinct to this funding call. In the unlikely event that an application scores highly on two or more grant schemes, funding can only be granted through one UK Space Agency scheme.

Can an organisation submit multiple applications to the IBF, either as the lead organisation or as a partner in different consortia?

Owing to high levels of anticipated demand for this funding call, the UK Space Agency has taken the decision to restrict the number of applications to one per lead organisation (for the avoidance of doubt, this measure applies to all types of organisations, including industrial, academic and public sector research bodies). Where organisations submit more than one application where they are the lead entity, the UK Space Agency will accept the first and reject any further applications.

Individuals can be included in project team consortium in applications being led by other organisations.

Should we provide Letters of Support?

Applications must include letters of support from project partners. Applications can also include letters of support from other stakeholders, and we would also encourage letters from international space agencies stating how the proposal meets their country’s strategic priorities for space where appropriate.

MATCH FUNDING

What are the match funding requirements for this call?

This call is subject to the Subsidy Control Act 2022, and match funding requirements vary according to the size and type of lead organisation, as well as any activity being undertaken.  Match funding requirements are set out in section 9 of the call guidance, and funds must be in place by 1 April 2027. For any clarifications, please email UKSA.ibf@dsit.gov.uk

Do the match funding funds have to be immediately available when applying for funding?

Yes, the PV (private venture) funding must have been agreed and secured at the time of applying for the grant so that the project can commence as soon as the grant agreement has been completed. Matched funding should also be trackable and reported on across the duration of the grant.

Do we need to assess match funding requirements for our international partners?

Yes. As set out in the call guidance, match funding must be accurately provided by each member of the consortium, including international partners. Applications where the updated subsidy control guidance is not complied with, will not be considered for funding.

Can we use different match funding thresholds?

No. These thresholds are set out in the Subsidy Control Act 2022 and the UK Space Agency has no authority to deviate from them.

What subsidy control rate should we use for subcontractors?

Subsidy control does not apply to subcontractors and are not therefore included in the subsidy control rates.  Subcontractor costs should be listed as ‘additional costs’ for the lead organisation in the work package costs breakdown and be costed at 100%.  No more than 20% of the overall funding should be distributed to subcontractors. The UK Space Agency will review applications to ensure that the status of project partners or subcontractors have been included appropriately.

COSTINGS

Should we explicitly state the overhead rate attached to salary costs, or would you prefer it to be amalgamated into a combined salary/overhead cost for each staff position?

The finance template includes notes on what information is required and how to complete the form. 

Do labour costs relate only to staff on a PAYE payroll or would staff employed on short/long-term fixed contracts be eligible?

Costs should be applied for any staff that will be part of the project team/work regardless of employment status within the organisation. However, any costs for project work done by sub-contractors must be declared as a separate cost. Subcontractors cannot be included as project partners. Where subcontractors are proposed, applicants must provide a clear and robust justification for their use, including an explanation of why the required expertise or services cannot be delivered by the project partners.

Does the maximum grant award offered include the PV (private venture) contribution?

No, the maximum grant award is the award value UK Space Agency will provide to fund a successful project. 

MISCELLANEOUS

Is an independent audit required of the total cost of the project?

Yes, confirmation is required that the Grant Recipient has expended the sums for the period in which milestone payments have been claimed. For this purpose, a report must be completed and sent to the Grant Funder within 6 months of the end of the grant or annually, whichever is shorter. As per the terms of the Grant Funding Agreement, it is not possible to claim the cost of this report.

What format will the grant agreement take, and can I adapt it?

We have provided a copy of our standard grant funding agreement. This is the document that will be used as the formal mechanism for any successful bidders to receive grant funding. Applicants are required to accept the main terms of this grant funding agreement when submitting your application.

If applicants cannot accept the terms for legal or statutory reasons, they must identify the required changes at application stage by submitting a marked-up copy of the agreement with justification for each proposed amendment.