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Developing and writing health related research funding applications

Developing research funding applications is a multi-stage process including; refining the question and methods, finding collaborators, identifying appropriate funding sources, knowing what makes a successful application and who to get advice from, costing the bid and writing the application form. This project seeks to address some of these stages. The specific objectives are: 1. To create a series of short video clips/ audio recordings featuring staff from Department of Health Sciences, covering: • Features of successful applications. These will spotlight on senior staff who are panel members for some of the major health research funding bodies. • Staff experiences of applying for external funding. These will contain reflections of staff who have applied for research funding, both successful and unsuccessful. These resources will be stored on the Health Sciences Staff Intranet (on a web page dedicated to the project) with links from both research and teaching related pages. An online survey will give people who access the resource an opportunity to feedback their views on its usefulness. 2. To establish a Learning Set of early to mid career research staff to facilitate the development of skills in writing research funding applications. Early to mid career researchers will present research ideas to the learning set for discussion or commenting on applications in progress. The group would meet once a month and maintain an email list of members that could be contacted for advice when needed. The project team will be supported by two senior members of staff (Karen Bloor and Karen Spilsbury) and has been approved by Head of Department (Professor Christine Godfrey) and Chair of Departmental Research Committee (Professor Nicky Cullum).
Institution(s):
University of York
Region(s):
Yorkshire and North East
Date first submitted:
17 Nov 2010
Date last modified:
17 Nov 2010
Focus:
  • Researcher-led activities
  • Personal effectiveness
  • Equality and diversity related activities
  • Research project skills
  • Academic practice
  • Researcher development strategy/management
  • Career development
Audience:
  • Doctoral researchers
  • Research staff
  • Supervisors
Range:
  • Department
Rationale, aims and outcomes
What is the rationale for doing this?
How does it fit with institutional strategy?
What are the main features of the provision?
What are the aims and expected outcomes?

Early to mid career research staff in the Department of Health Sciences are primarily employed to work on a research project that has already gained external funding.  For researchers to develop their careers they must make the transition from a contract researcher to an independent investigator, obtaining their own external research funding.  However, researchers may struggle at first to know how to develop research ideas into applications and where to turn for advice. This proposal aims to develop innovative strategies to support the enhancement and development of researchers’ skills in writing applications for competitive external funding.  Whilst recognising that the University provide training sessions on how to write a grant application, the timing is not always right and they cannot provide expertise on all grant funders.  Researchers would benefit from support tailored to the requirements of their grant funders at a time that meets a funding deadline. 

 

 

 

Aim

This project seeks to address some of the stages of developing research funding applications .  The specific objectives are:

1.    To create a series of short video clips/ audio recordings featuring staff from Department of Health Sciences, covering  features of successful applications and staff experiences of applying for external funding.  2.    To establish a Learning Set of early to mid career research staff to facilitate the development of skills in writing research funding applications.   

Anticipated benefits/ outcomes

·         This project will assist researchers in acquiring transferrable skills in writing research funding applications. 

·         Access to information and advice about writing funding applications can be a case of ‘knowing the right person to ask’.  This project would promote equity by formalising resources and making then widely accessible.  

·         The video clips would offer information that is particularly valuable at the outset of developing research ideas.

·         A Learning Set would facilitate constructive feedback in a supportive environment and provide group members with experience of peer review.

 

Engagement
Are there any pre-requisites for engagement, e.g. levels of skill, years of experience, essential pre-activities?
How many participate in each 'activity'?

All research staff in the Department will be invited to be interviewed about their experiences of reviewing applications to research funding bodies.

All Grade 6 and 7 researchers and final year PhD students in the Department will be invited to participate in the Learning Set.

Evaluation: benefits, challenges and next steps
How do you monitor effectiveness?
Who do you seek feedback from?
Do you have benchmarks?

·         This project will assist researchers in acquiring transferrable skills in writing research funding applications. 

·         Access to information and advice about writing funding applications can be a case of ‘knowing the right person to ask’.  This project would promote equity by formalising resources and making then widely accessible.  

·         The video clips would offer information that is particularly valuable at the outset of developing research ideas.

·         A Learning Set would facilitate constructive feedback in a supportive environment and provide group members with experience of peer review.

 

·         Low response rate for people willing to do podcast.  In this scenario, we will revisit our recruitment strategy and consider a more targeted, individual approach.

·         Editing the podcasts.  This will be a new challenge for the project team, however we have managed to secure departmental training to assist with this new skill.

·         Low response rate to join the Learning Set.  We would consider this a finding in itself but would explore the reasons why early career researchers decided they did not wish to take part.

 

·         There is potential for the podcast resources to be shared with other departments and units at the University who may apply to the same health related funding bodies. 

·         The aims of this project link directly to University of York, Health Sciences Departmental objectives to support ‘the development and retention of research staff’ and ‘to offer staff career development opportunities that are appropriate, equitable and fair’.

 

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Owner

Mrs Jill Hall