diff --git a/cookiecutter.json b/cookiecutter.json
index 75a597b7..0cc6f588 100644
--- a/cookiecutter.json
+++ b/cookiecutter.json
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   "project_name": "Python Template",
   "project_slug": "{{ cookiecutter.project_name.lower().replace(' ', '-').replace('_', '-') }}",
   "project_short_description": "A cookieninja template with ARC recommendations.",
+  "funder": "JBFC: The Joe Bloggs Funding Council",
   "licence": ["MIT", "BSD-3", "GPL-3.0"],
   "min_python_version": ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11"],
   "max_python_version": ["3.11", "3.10", "3.9", "3.8"]
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/CITATION.cff b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/CITATION.cff
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7eddcf16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/CITATION.cff
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+cff-version: 1.2.0
+message: "If you use this software, please cite it as below."
+authors:
+  - family-names: { { cookiecutter.surname } }
+    given-names: { { cookiecutter.first_name } }
+    orcid: https://orcid.org/1234-5678-9101-1121
+title: { { cookiecutter.project_name } }
+doi: xx.yyy/zenodo.zzz
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/README.md b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/README.md
index 9314f9f9..4a4a1994 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/README.md
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,101 @@
 # {{ cookiecutter.project_name }}
 
 [![pre-commit](https://img.shields.io/badge/pre--commit-enabled-brightgreen?logo=pre-commit&logoColor=white)](https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit)
+[![Actions Status][actions-badge]][actions-link]
+
+<!--
+[![PyPI version][pypi-version]][pypi-link]
+[![Conda-Forge][conda-badge]][conda-link]
+[![PyPI platforms][pypi-platforms]][pypi-link]
+-->
+
+<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
+[actions-badge]:            https://github.com/{{cookiecutter.github_username}}/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/workflows/CI/badge.svg
+[actions-link]:             https://github.com/{{cookiecutter.github_username}}/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/actions
+[conda-badge]:              https://img.shields.io/conda/vn/conda-forge/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}
+[conda-link]:               https://github.com/conda-forge/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}-feedstock
+[pypi-link]:                https://pypi.org/project/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/
+[pypi-platforms]:           https://img.shields.io/pypi/pyversions/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}
+[pypi-version]:             https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}
+
+<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
+
+{{cookiecutter.project_short_description}}
+
+This project is developed in collaboration with the [Centre for Advanced Research Computing](https://ucl.ac.uk/arc), University College London.
+
+## About
+
+### Project Team
+
+{{cookiecutter.full_name}} ([{{cookiecutter.email}}](mailto:{{cookiecutter.email}}))
+
+<!-- TODO: how do we have an array of collaborators ? -->
+
+### Research Software Engineering Contact
+
+Centre for Advanced Research Computing, University College London
+([arc-collab@ucl.ac.uk](mailto:arc-collab@ucl.ac.uk))
+
+## Built With
+
+<!-- TODO: can cookiecutter make a list of frameworks? -->
+
+[Framework 1](https://something.com)
+[Framework 2](https://something.com)
+[Framework 3](https://something.com)
+
+## Getting Started
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+Any tools or versions of languages needed to run code. For example specific Python or Node versions. Minimum hardware requirements also go here.
+
+### Installation
+
+How to build or install the application.
+
+### Running Locally
+
+How to run the application on your local system.
+
+### Running Tests
+
+How to run tests on your local system.
+
+## Roadmap
+
+- [x] Initial Research
+- [ ] Minimum viable product <-- You are Here
+- [ ] Alpha Release
+- [ ] Feature-Complete Release
+- [x] Initial Research
+- [ ] Minimum viable product <-- You are Here
+- [ ] Alpha Release
+- [ ] Feature-Complete Release
+
+## Licence
+
+Distributed under the terms of the `{{cookiecutter.licence}}`\_ licence.
+
+## Citation
+
+Please cite [xx.yyy/zenodo.zzzz](https://doi.org/xx.yyy/zenodo.zzzzz) for this work if you use this code.
+
+<details>
+<summary>BibTEX</summary>
+
+```bibtex
+@article{xxx2023paper,
+  title={Title},
+  author={Author},
+  journal={arXiv},
+  year={2023}
+}
+```
+
+</details>
+
+## Acknowledgements
+
+This work was funded by a grant from the {{ cookiecutter.funder }}.