What Funders Look For in a Successful Proposal Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Objectives 1. Gain insights about foundations and funding strategies i.e. cycles, specific interests. 2. Explore strategies for emphasizing sustainability of projects/research. 3. Understand approaches to strengthening relationships with foundations and funders.

Speakers 1. Christina Spellman, PhD Executive Director, Mayday Fund 2. Erin Westphal Program Director, The SCAN Foundation 3. Debra Barksdale, PhD, RN PCORI Board of Governors

The Mayday Fund: How to work with a small family foundation The fine art of studying what a potential funder is interested in and able to do Christina Spellman, PhD Executive Director, Mayday Fund

How to start a conversation Review website or any public materials to identify funders interests –Web-published mission statements –Guidelines for grants –Listings of previous grants already made

How to start a conversation Each foundation or individual philanthropist has own strategy for grantmaking –Wide range of variation –Especially with small foundations often variation in goals from year to year

How to start a conversation Work with Office of Sponsored Research and/or Development Staff –Understand relationships already in place –Learn what they might know about the target

How to start a conversation Follow the instructions (if available) on how to inform the Trustees or staff about your work Mayday: always interested in the rationale –Why a project has the possibility of helping us achieve the Funds mission

Communicate clearly Goal may be to support pilot study for data needed to apply for NIH funded study: –Please be explicit Lay board members: help to understand: –Why project is important –How it will help us to relieve pain –Why this work is exciting and important to you

Communicate clearly Provide support materials May be asked to provide names of possible peer reviewers –Confidential review process but also want to understand sense of who and what is important in the field –Past grantees often become reviewers

Maintaining Communication Welcome hearing from potential and established grantees Each funder varies in openness to ongoing communication If successfully funded, inform funder if successful in building on that work

Maintaining Communication If you are not funded, but organization has shown some interest in your work, ask if you may keep in touch Try to remember you are an important possible resource for helping the foundation achieve its goals

What Mayday looks for in a proposal -- meaningfulness Letter of inquiry –Overview of project –Estimate of timeline and budget –Rationale for why the project might hold promise for the field of pain

What Mayday looks for in a proposal -- meaningfulness Remember basic questions of journalism: Who, what, where, when, how and why –For academic this may seem simple, but the Fund has intelligent lay board who will look for those details when deciding whether they will request a proposal that may then be sent for peer review

What Mayday looks for in a proposal -- meaningfulness Some projects compelling on basis of the letter of inquiry –Agree to support project at initial stage Others request a proposal –Less complex than NIH –Includes typical information on literature review, methodology, etc.

Network Building – One strategy for sustainability Pain: tough issue –Fairly defined (if small) group of researchers/clinicians addressing it The Trustees view the Funds grants as contributing to building networks

Network Building – One strategy for sustainability Through work with fellow foundations, like the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Mayday Trustees hope to build momentum for the better care of pain Innovation –The Trustees intrigued with finding new and better solutions to the challenges of understanding what causes pain and how to relive it

Compassion Stories / narratives: powerful means of communication –Speak to importance of a project –Why your work is important We recognize searching for funds is difficult –Out of comfort range of most researchers –The Trustees take deliberations seriously: Know stakes are high for the research community

Compassion Most importantly: keep on look out for small funders, often community-based and have personal reasons to see work done that will improve care at the bedside Above all, we wish you great success!

What Funders Look for in a Successful Proposal Erin Westphal, MSG Program Officer

Overview Overview of The SCAN Foundation What Funders Look for in a Successful Proposal What is on the Horizon……

M ission: To advance the development of a sustainable continuum of quality care for seniors. Our Mission and Vision V ision: A society where seniors receive medical treatment and human services that are integrated in the setting most appropriate to their needs and with the greatest likelihood of a healthy, independent life.

What Funders Look for in a Successful Proposal Starts with an idea….

Finding a Partner Understand what they do and do not fund Build a relationship What Funders Look for in a Successful Proposal

Whats in a Proposal 1.Summary/Cover page 2.Organizational Information 3.Specific Project – why, what and how? 4.Staff and Board 5.Financial Information 6.Attachments What Funders Look for in a Successful Proposal

Submitting a Proposal Follow Instructions Proof Read What Funders Look for in a Successful Proposal

Review Period Internal/External Review Site Visit Board Review What Funders Look for in a Successful Proposal

Horizon

Our mission is to advance the development of a sustainable continuum of quality care for seniors. Our vision is a society where seniors receive medical treatment and human services that are integrated in the setting most appropriate to the their needs and with the greatest likelihood of a healthy, independent life. For more information and to subscribe for alerts, please visit us at Follow us on Find us on Facebook The SCAN Foundation

PCORI Funding Opportunities and More Debra J. Barksdale, PhD, FNP, FAANP, FAAN Board of Governors-PCORI Associate Professor, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill April 30,

About PCORI An independent non-profit research organization authorized by Congress as part of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Committed to continuously seeking input from patients and a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work. Core Duties: Establish national research priorities Establish and carry out a research agenda Develop and update methodological standards Disseminate research findings 31

Our Mission and Vision Mission The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) helps people make informed health care decisions, and improves health care delivery and outcomes, by producing and promoting high integrity, evidence-based information that comes from research guided by patients, caregivers and the broader health care community. Vision Patients and the public have the information they need to make decisions that reflect their desired health outcomes. 32

Research Done Differently PCORI is focused on funding research that: Is patient-centered Is innovative and demonstrates potential for improving patient health Appropriately incorporates relevant healthcare community members (patients and stakeholders) 33

What makes PCORI funding different? Authentic patient & stakeholder engagement User-friendly funding announcements to encourage broader range of applicants Researchers required to produce dissemination and implementation assessment Research plans are transparent and reproducible Rigorous methodology standards 34

What roles should patients and stakeholders play in research teams? The engagement of patients and stakeholders should include: Participation in formulation of research questions Defining essential characteristics of study participants, comparators, and outcomes Monitoring of study conduct and progress Dissemination of research results 35

Criteria for Research Outlined by Law Impact on Health of Individuals and Populations Addresses Current Gaps in Knowledge/ Variation in Care Patient- Centeredness Improvability through Research Impact on Health Care System Performance Rigorous Research Methods Inclusiveness of Different Populations Potential to Influence Decision-Making Efficient Use of Research Resources 36

National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda Assessment of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options Comparisons of alternative clinical options to support personalized decision-making and self-care Identifying patient differences in response to therapy Studies of patient preferences for various outcomes Improving Healthcare Systems Improving support of patient self-management Focusing on coordination of care for complex conditions and improving access to care Comparing alternative strategies for workforce deployment Communication & Dissemination Research Understanding and enhancing shared decision-making Alternative strategies for dissemination of evidence Exploring opportunities to improve patient health literacy Addressing Disparities Understanding differences in effectiveness across groups Understanding differences in preferences across groups Reducing disparities through use of findings from PCOR Accelerating PCOR and Methodological Research Improving study designs and analytic methods of PCOR Building and improving clinical data networks Methods for training researchers, patients to participate in PCOR Establishing methodology for the study of rare diseases 37

PCORI Funding Announcements (PFAs) PCORI Funding Announcements (PFAs) are issued to support a portfolio of comparative clinical effectiveness research based on PCORIs National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda Cycle ICycle IICycle III Online system openMay 15Sep. 17Jan. 15 LOI DueJun. 15Oct. 15Feb. 15 Application DeadlineAug. 15Dec. 15Apr. 15 Awards AnnouncedDec. – Jan.Apr. – MayAug. – Sep.

PCORI Pilot Projects Program 50 projects in 24 states and Washington, DC $31 million (over two years) 39

PFA Cycle I Awards 25 projects in 17 states $40.7 million (over three years) 40

Examples of Approved Projects Assessment of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options Comparative Effectiveness of Adolescent Lipid Screening and Treatment Strategies (MA) Improving Healthcare Systems Optimizing Behavioral Health Homes by Focusing on Outcomes that Matter Most for Adults with Serious Mental Illness (PA) Communication and Dissemination Research Patient-Identified Personal Strengths (PIPS) vs. Deficit-Focused Models of Care (OHIO) Addressing Disparities Long-Term Outcomes of Community Engagement to Address Depression Outcomes Disparities (CA) 41

PCORIs First Targeted Research Topics Identified several high-priority, stakeholder-vetted topics for targeted PFAs Jumpstarts PCORIs long-term topic generation and research prioritization effort Leverages stakeholder input from before PCORIs existence Allows us to build on our engagement work Research Topics: Treatment options for uterine fibroids Treatment of severe asthma in African- Americans and Hispanics/Latinos Fall prevention in the elderly Treatment options for chronic neck and back pain Obesity prevention and treatment in diverse populations 42

Engagement as a Path to Rigorous Research 43

Suggest a Research Question P44 We want to know what health care question you may be facing Your input can help us refine our research agenda

Become a Reviewer of Funding Applications PCORI invites professional and lay audiences to be reviewers of research applications Help us support research that will be both scientifically rigorous and truly patient-centered Learn more and apply online: / / 45

Micro-Contracts October 2012 workshop participants identified that few resources have been directed to non–research entities for: community development capacity building infrastructure development for engagement in research as partners Support PCORIs long-term engagement goals: build community engage community evaluate engagement science 46

PCORI Challenge 47 Competition to create a system for connecting healthcare researchers and patient partners to advance patient-centered comparative effectiveness research Prizes: Conceptual Model - $10,000 Prototype - $40,000 Key Dates: December 14, Submission period began April 15, Submission period ended May 15, Winners notified Spring Winners announced at a national health conference

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