1. Introduction to External Research Funding
Jacqui Pybus
Marie-Claire Micuta

2. What we will cover Context – related to the vision Types of funding
How to find funding
Bidding for funding
Quality Control
Research Council funding
EU funding

3. To support the schools – R&E support centrally – also has targets

4. Context
Every school has research and enterprise income targets to achieve.
The University is preparing for submissions to the REF – focus on all aspects of research activity
Budgetary pressures on Schools through changes in funding regimes
Individual career development!

5. Main research funders Research Councils
Charitable Trusts - Leverhulme, Wellcome
European – FP7
Government
Lottery
Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
Internal funding (research intranet)
You have an idea – you need to find the funding to deliver it – who has money you might be able to use
Besides allocated funding that comes to the University as a result of the RAE Research Assessment Exercise (will be REF in future) or via HEFCE
Main one – research councils –
AHRC – arts and Humanities,
BBSRC – Biotechnical and biological sciences,
ESRC – economic and social sciences
EPSRC – engineering and physical sciences
MRC – medical
NERC – natural environment
PLUS – British Academy – social sciences and humanities; Royal society – sciences
Many govt departments – Dept of Health, Home Office, Food Standards Agency, DIUS,
Charitable trusts – Wellcome Trust, Leverhulme, Joseph Rowntree – many others
FP7 (7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development) – major programme of research funding available to researchers across the EU budget EUR million across a wide range of research fields (research projects, fellowships).
Internal funding: conference presentation, external representation, intellectual climate, international networking, public engagement, research impact

6. Finding funding opportunities
Join the internal funding mailing list.
Research Professional – search or alerts
UKRO (UK Research Office).
European Commission grants page.
Specific, detailed searches by R&E (make sure your research profile is up to date!)

7. Research Professional
University of Huddersfield pays a subscription to Research Professional.
This is an online database with all current research funding opportunities.
One off searches, specific searches, alerts.

8. Training session - Monday 23 April (10– 11am)

9. UKRO
The UK Research Office (UKRO) is the European office of the UK Research Councils.
UKRO’s mission is to promote effective UK engagement in EU research, innovation, and higher education activities.
The Portal provides detailed information and the latest news on European research funding.
Sign up for alerts specific to your area.
Visit by UKRO on Friday 25 May to the University.

11. Finding the right funding
Read the guidance/ethos
Don’t scattergun
Pick the best fit
Be realistic about what you want to achieve
Think about developing your track record
Don't get too obsessed with finding research funding – it’s time-consuming!
For each funder identify the pros and cons – make sure you are eligible! E.g. early career funds specify limits to time in post etc - what are the timescales?
Completing all the appropriate information, forms etc for many funders is a time consuming task – there is no point wasting time on funds which are never going to look favourably on your activity.
Be realistic – recognise the amount of time and investment it takes just to get the money – balance with other demands on your time and resources.
Don’t scatter gun or try to fit your round project into a square hole – competition for funding is high and only the best, most relevant, etc will be funded.
Be realistic - level of experience and track record, level of development of partnership (if applicable). For instance, if you’ve never applied for funding before, or managed an externally funded programme, then perhaps a £4m transnational research programme with 18 partners across europe, and that you’ve never worked with before would not be a good place to start.
Working with partners – added levels of complications – pick partners that you can work with – understanding – what they contribute to the project. Always build in extra time for communication/consultation
What you as an individual or as an organisation want to get out of the process may influence how you want to proceed:
Is it the income
is it the partnership
is it the delivery outcomes
is it the experience
Recognise that funds are competitive – many with only 20% or lower success rate – don’t be disheartened by a failed bid – get feedback and learn lessons to apply to future applications – and learn from colleagues – remember – the main focus of your work should be your work! Not getting the money for the work . . .

12. Plan and prepare Know the timescales and deadlines
Read the guidance thoroughly
Plan ahead - allow time for decision making and contracting
Get your costings done as early as possible
Build in time for slippage and internal processes
Chose partners carefully - consult them, seek support
Address the criteria
Draft, re-draft and be clear
Justify your costings
The guidance is your friend! All funders provide guidance – usually available from their websites
Also - Get help from colleagues who have been through the process – share copies of successful applications – we are building a database of previous applications on the intranet – accessible to staff as a resource for future bidding
find a “critical friend” who knows your field - who won't be afraid to correct/amend. Be explicit – remember the funders and appraisers don't know your project,
make sure you address the criteria and make it clear that you hit them all – spell it out.
Some funders will give initial feedback on general eligibility before you formally submit
Make it easy for the assessor – remember that though you are writing one of these, he/she may be reading hundreds of them – make it OBVIOUS that you have addressed everything. Make it interesting – and sell your project but don't be TOO OTT – show the value but don't boast.

13. Create a simple flowchart for the research bid process
Task
Create a simple flowchart for the research bid process

14. Steps to submitting a proposal
Our recommendation

15. Quality Control (internal)
Combination of REF and School targets - increase in number and range of proposals submitted by increased number of staff.
Lack of peer review identified as risk factor in UNIAC audit.
Increased competition/volume of proposals - Research Councils imposing demand limitation procedures.
Existing requirement for finance/risk elements to be signed off by the Dean of School before submission.
To be developed to include requirement for School internal peer review/compliance confirmation.
Ensure appropriate support in both academic content AND presentation/eligibility/funder requirements.
Build in time for checks/reviews before submission.
Bids/tenders will NOT be allowed to submit if these elements are not checked.

16. Support/help Research Director/Cluster leader R&E
Finance, costings (Denise Ogden, Sarah Green, Sophie Matthewman, Mukhtar Hussain)
Funding opps, bid writing and development (Jacqui Pybus and Marie-Claire Micuta)
KITE – FP7 support (Derek McKenzie)
See intranet for full contact details:

17. Research Council funding
The Research Councils receive public funding through Government’s Science Budget.
This is managed by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.
Each year the Research Councils invest around £3 billion in research covering the full spectrum of academic disciplines:
from the medical and biological sciences to astronomy, physics, chemistry and engineering, social sciences, economics, environmental sciences and the arts and humanities.

18. Research Council funding cont.
The seven Research Councils have common objectives, which are to:
fund basic, strategic and applied research;
support postgraduate training (PhDs and masters students and fellows);
advance knowledge and technology and provide services and trained scientists and engineers to contribute to the economic competitiveness, the effectiveness of public services and policy, and quality of life;
support science in society activities.

19. The Research Councils Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC)
Medical Research Council (MRC)
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

20. Types of funding Early career/first grant Knowledge transfer
Research project grants
Fellowships
Ad-hoc grants e.g. conference, travel, cross-council.
Some regular cycles – some open process with no deadlines
Focus on early career grants – definitions and approaches vary – examples -
AHRC – Early career – open – no deadlines £20k - £250k for a duration of up to 60 months
within eight years of the award of your PhD or equivalent professional training or
within six years of your first academic appointment
ESRC – future research leaders scheme (replaces the first grant scheme) – up to £215k – call in oct – 2 stage
Early career researchers with less than four years postdoctoral experience will be eligible.
EPSRC – First grant scheme - capped at £125k
In first 36 months of first academic lecturing appointment, or still be within the probation period associated with your new appointment
Have completed your PhD or an equivalent professional qualification within ten years of the time you submit your proposal
Some ad-hoc/strategic programmes specific themes
Get to know your way around the information sources – get alerts from relevant funders

21. How to apply for R C funding
Applications are made to the relevant Research Council, using the Councils Joint Electronic Submission System (Je-S).
Research funding is awarded on a competitive basis, using independent expert peer review.
This system is regarded as an international benchmark of excellence in research funding, and this provides a guarantee of the quality of UK research.

22. Research Councils Proposals
Je-S form - sections
Attachments:
Case for Support
Pathways to Impact CV
Justification of resources
plus others!

23. Key points Be realistic Target – relevance
Make sure the following are clear:
What your research question is
Why is it important
How are your going to answer it
Who will be the final ‘users’ of your research
How are you going to engage with them and disseminate your findings
Success/failure rates
School level Peer Review?
Compliance – technical
Summing up
Realism – time available to you, level of experience and track record, level of development of partnership (if applicable). For instance, if you’ve never applied for funding before, or managed an externally funded programme, then perhaps a £4m transnational research programme with 18 partners across europe, and that you’ve never worked with before would not be a good place to start.
Don’t scatter gun or try to fit your round project into a square hole – competition for funding is high and only the best, most relevant, etc will be funded –
Working with partners – added levels of complications – pick partners that you can work with – understanding – what they contribute to the project. Always build in extra time for communication/consultation
What do you want to achieve?
Recognise that funds are competitive – many with only 20% or lower success rate – don’t be disheartened by a failed bid – get feedback and learn lessons to apply to future applications – and learn from colleagues

24. Peer review
Peer Review is a tried and tested system used by all research councils and other funding bodies.
Independent experts – peers from the same field of work - review proposals to help decide which projects should receive funding. After the research has finished, they assess its value, veracity or outcome.
Peer Review also helps to ensure the research they fund is interesting, important and/or groundbreaking in line with their commitment to funding world-class research.
Peer reviewers are part of the peer review college.

25. AHRC Peer review process

26. ESRC – Revised sifting mechanisms
Tougher sifting will help to control demand, reduce peer review effort and raise quality. Sifting of full applications such as standard grants is expected to involve a number of phases.
First, each HEI will have undertaken some internal quality assurance so that those applications which are submitted have a genuine prospect of at least crossing minimum quality thresholds.  
Second, there will be greater internal sifting by ESRC staff.
Third, there is peer review
Most applications would be assessed by two members. 
More costly, complex applications or those with a strong interdisciplinary focus would be assessed by three members.

27. EPSRC - peer review
EPSRC guarantees that its decision-making process relies on independent, expert comment.
Your proposal will be sent to at least three reviewers chosen for their expertise.
These reviewers will include members of the EPSRC college (a body of credible reviewers, nominated and renewed by the research community itself) and at least one of those you have nominated.

28. Research Council panel members
From January 2009 the AHRC will be sourcing panellists for all panel meetings from its Peer Review College Members.
ESRC membership of the Grant Assessment Panels is predominantly academic, although each panel has a number of non-academic ('user') members. 
EPSRC membership will mostly be taken from the EPSRC college, comprising both academics and industrialists.

29. UoH College members AHRC EPSRC ESRC Dr Matthew Adkins – MHM
Prof John Bryan – MHM
Prof Michael Clarke – MHM
Prof Barry Doyle – MHM
Prof Keith Laybourn – MHM
Prof Michael Russ – MHM
Dr Rupert Till – MHM
Prof Paul Ward – MHM
Prof Eric Blyth – HHS
EPSRC
Prof Liam Blunt – C&E
Prof Rob Brown – AS
Dr Xun Chen – C&E
Prof Jane Xiang – C&E
Dr Gary Lucas – C&E
Prof Lee McCluskey – C&E
Prof Mike Page – AS
ESRC
Prof Barry Doyle – MHM
Prof James Avis – EPD

30. EU Funding
The principal source of EU research funding is from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).
FP7 groups all research related EU initiatives together under a common scheme and runs for 6 years ( ) with a total budget of EUR 50,521 billion.
The programme for is called Horizon 2020.
Derek McKenzie at KITE provides FP7 support.
2 main objectives:
• to strengthen the scientific and technological base of European industry;
• to encourage its international competitiveness, while promoting research that supports EU policies.
In order to complement national research programmes, activities funded from FP7 must have a “European added value”.
One key aspect of the European added value is the transnationality of many actions: research projects are carried out by consortia which include participants from different European (and other) countries; fellowships in FP7 require mobility over national borders.
The core of FP7, representing two thirds of the overall budget, is the Cooperation programme. It fosters collaborative research across
Europe and other partner countries through projects by transnational consortia of industry and academia.
The Ideas programme will support “frontier research” solely on the basis of scientific excellence. Research may be carried out in any area of science or technology, including engineering, socio-economic sciences and the humanities. In contrast with the Cooperation
programme, there is no obligation for cross-border partnerships. Projects are implemented by “individual teams” around a “principal
investigator”. The programme is implemented via the new European Research Council (ERC).
The People programme provides support for researcher mobility and career development, both for researchers inside the European Union and internationally. It is implemented via a set of Marie Curie actions, providing fellowships and other measures to help researchers build their skills and competences throughout their careers.
The Capacities programme strengthens the research capacities that Europe needs if it is to become a thriving knowledge-based economy. It covers the following activities:
• Research infrastructures
• Research for the benefit of SMEs
• Regions of Knowledge
• Research Potential
• Science in Society
• Specific activities of international cooperation

31. Other EU funds Lifelong Learning Programme (C&E and EPD)
Culture Programme
Health
Environment (LIFE +)
Justice and Home Affairs (DAPHNE)
But limited in terms of research funding.

32. Upcoming workshops
Marie Curie - European Research Careers: 15 March ( am) (part of We Love Research festival)
Building and developing a successful partnership: 29 March (10-12pm)
Je-S: 30 March (2-3pm), 23 April (10-11am)
Research Professional: 18 April (2-3pm), 22 May (10-11am)
UKRO (FP7): Friday 25 May (all day)

33. Intranet links
Internal funding opportunities:
External funding - descriptions:
Key contacts:
Useful guidance materials: