1 Grant Applications Made Simple(r) Rose Wiles, David Martin, Sue Heath National Centre for Research Methods University of Southampton

2 Overview Sources of funding How to convert a research idea into a grant application with a good chance of success Who and what you need to know How costings work How the application process works Dos and don’ts of grant applications: useful tips –Small print: this guidance based on past experience offered in good faith and without guarantees!

3 Who we are Rose Wiles, Principal Research Fellow, NCRM: 8 NHS grants, 5 charity grants, 2 ESRC grants David Martin, NCRM co-director, ESRC Census Programme coordinator: 16 ESRC awards, plus others Sue Heath, NCRM co-director, Centre for Population Change co-director: 6 ESRC grants, plus 2 others

4 Out of scope What makes a good research idea Why seek research funding How to manage a grant once you’ve got it

5 Funding opportunities ESRC opportunities –Postdoctoral Fellowships –Research Grant Scheme –Research Fellowship Scheme Other ‘early career’ opportunities –Nuffield foundation: small grants scheme; new career development fellowships –Leverhulme: early career fellowships

6 ESRC post-doctoral fellowships For those just about to complete a PhD or who have no more than 3 years active postdoc experience (career breaks for family or health reasons allowable) Applications in 2008 specifically encouraged in priority discipline areas: economics; education; management and business studies; advanced quantitative methods; social work; socio-legal studies Not confined to UK citizens Apply any time 1 year FT or 2 years PT funding on research salary scale plus limited expenses

7 ‘Time to gear up for a successful academic career’ To produce publications to help secure a track record in your chosen specialisation & to improve opportunities for long-term employment in the HEI sector; To disseminate your research findings to both academic and non-academic audiences; To improve research and related skills through specialised training To carry out further limited research linked to your PhD and through developing proposals for further funding Post-doctoral fellowships: objectives

8 Single projects from £15K to £1.5M Up to five years funding Small grants = <100K: good starting point for funding Basic criteria: quality, timeliness, track record and value for money ESRC research grants scheme

9 ESRC Research Fellowship Scheme A period of concentrated research activity: ‘a significant career development opportunity for promising researchers’ Open to applicants in all disciplines and at all stages of postdoctoral research career Open to applicants in established posts and contract researchers If <10 years experience, a mentor will be appointed, & career development must be a strong theme Full salary plus research expenses Can apply at any time

10 A programme of work, not a single project Focus on career development years funding To include training in, eg, advanced methods, teaching, research management To consolidate previous research and theoretical/methodological development Research Fellowship Scheme: Objectives

11 Up to £7.5K or exceptionally £12k For those new to social science research; for outstanding small or pilot projects or for projects linked to ‘the advancement of social well-being’ Can apply at any time Nuffield Foundation: Social Science Small Grants Scheme

12 Aimed at post-doctoral researchers who have the potential to become outstanding in their field Collaborative scheme: postdoctoral researchers and established researcher Up to £170K over 3 years + money for partner researcher Designed to facilitate ‘a change in direction’ for exceptional new scholars Date for 2009 to be announced Nuffield Foundation: New Career Development Fellowships

13 To provide career development opportunities for people at an early stage of career but with a proven research record not in an established post Normally under 35 (unless career break or late starter) 2-3 years funding: 50% salary costs, 50% from institution, plus £5K expenses per annum Next round: January 2009 Leverhulme Trust: Early Career Fellowships

14 Turning a research idea into a grant proposal (Assuming you already have a great idea…) Be clear about what will make your application unique Ensure promised outputs are in proportion to the inputs Get all the details of the proposal spot-on –A research grant proposal has to combine a small business plan with an academic research paper

15 Programme call Response mode Research idea

16 Programme call Response mode Research idea Costing Develop project proposal

17 Programme call Response mode Research idea J-eS Costing Develop project proposal Costing software (pfact)

18 Programme call Response mode Research idea J-eS* Costing Develop project proposal Submission Focus of this presentation Costing software (pfact) *To research councils

19 Developing a workplan Workpackages, timescales, start and finish dates, sequencing of work Who is going to do the work? How much academic direction? What can be done by RAs/tech/admin? What are the interdependencies? Beware risky elements beyond own control Inter-institutional: will take (much) longer!

20 Other considerations Ethics approval – School/University processes? Collaborators and letters of support? Inclusion of studentships? (esp. timings) NB ALWAYS follow any funder- and programme-specific rules! Nominated reviewers? Implications for own workload? If so, discuss very early with Head of School/dept.

21 Costings: the FEC wonderland FEC = “Full economic costing” –Used to be “overheads” Main driver is academic/research staff time Investigators’ own time must be costed FEC based on financial analysis of costs to institution (estate costs, heat/light, etc.) Research councils only currently pay 80% of FEC

22 Costings: homework Make a complete list of what you need –Staff, travel, equipment, services, etc. –Use own University rates – that is how you’ll claim Collate staffing details: start and end dates, % time worked, salary points for new staff NB technical/admin = no institutional drivers Get exemplar costs for all travel, equipment etc. and be prepared to justify –No general “office expenses” etc.

23 J-eS Have to be registered first – and use annually! Online grant application website for UK research councils Most elements completed by applicants Approved costings information to be uploaded –Need to organize and chase everyone involved: CVs of collaborators and named staff; approvers to be ready on the day, etc.

24 Structure of a J-eS bid Simple questions – PI, Co-Is, previous apps, etc. Short text answers (summary, objectives, ethics) –NB character counts not the same as Word! Attachments: typically Case for support, applicant CVs, Justification of resources, Bibliography, Letters of support etc. All completed in shared online workspace Submission and approval sequence leading to submission to research council

25 Submisson of a J-eS bid All documentation completed Submitted by PI to School/dept. approvers Submitted by School/dept. approver to University approver (usually finance dept.) Submitted by university approver to research council –All electronic, but requires chain of people who are expecting it in advance and already know it’s OK

26 How the application will be judged Receipt acknowledged by research council registry Checked by office against funding rules and specifics of call Despatched to reviewers and assessors Grades considered by commissioning panel, decisions made and ratified Contract negotiated with university The real work begins…

27 Do… Familiarise yourself with the funding body’s strategy and ethos Familiarise yourself with the specific requirements of a funding body or a specific call Make sure that you are eligible for the scheme for which you’re applying (and check with them if you’re unsure)

28 Do… Start the application process in good time Make the case for your project directly and strongly – why should your project be prioritised (given that it will be in competition with others)? Set out your research questions and objectives clearly (a research proposal is not a literature review; get right the balance of background and proposal)

29 Do… Set out your methodology clearly, and flag up where it is cutting edge and interdisciplinary Ensure that methods address the research questions set out Acknowledge awareness of potential problems and possible criticisms of approach chosen Include a timetable for your activities

30 Do… Use the bibliography to show up-to-date knowledge of the field Choose an appropriate and reliable nominated reviewer Engage with potential research users Address the issue of knowledge transfer Draw on other people’s expertise (e.g. that of staff in the research office)

31 Don’t… Promise to solve all the problems in your field in one project Assume that key points are too obvious to need stating explicitly (referees can comment only on what is before them) Undersell yourself or your project (the total cost will look dauntingly big)

32 Don’t… Miss the opportunity to spell out how well your project fits the scheme/call Give up at the first hurdle, or be put off by the odds of success of the average application Be afraid to ask colleagues to see applications they have made (successful and unsuccessful, with comments)

33 And finally… Even though the odds may be against being funded, DON’T give up!