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Research Funding Opportunities in KLS

Research Funding Opportunities in KLS. Brian Lingley Faculty Funding Officer. Basically two types of funding available…: ‘Responsive Mode’ Grants & Fellowships For research on a subject suggested by you ‘ Managed Programme’ Grants & Contracts

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Research Funding Opportunities in KLS

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  1. Research Funding Opportunities in KLS Brian Lingley Faculty Funding Officer

  2. Basically two types of funding available…: ‘Responsive Mode’ Grants & Fellowships For research on a subject suggested by you ‘Managed Programme’ Grants & Contracts For research on a subject suggested by the funder Programme Grants are similar to other grants; Contracts tend to have more onerous terms and conditions and generally result in ‘deliverable’ product/report …and five sources of funding: Research Councils Charities Professional and Learned Bodies Government Industry Basics…

  3. Research Councils • Benefits of applying to RCs: • Prestige • fEC – generous funding • What to watch out for: • Cuts – and ‘politics’ • Themes, demand management, ‘longer, larger, fewer’ • Impact

  4. Research Councils • Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (26% - £795m) • Science & Technology Facilities Council (20% - £624m) • Medical Research Council (19% - £606m) • Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (14% - £427m) • Natural Environment Research Council (13% - £392m) • Economic & Social Research Council (5% - £165m) • Arts & Humanities Research Council (3% - £103m)

  5. AHRC v ESRC • “AHRC supports research into the content, procedures, theory, philosophy and history of the law. This includes studies of legal systems and legislation in all periods of history and in all parts of the world. ESRC supports socio-legal studies, which are concerned with the social, political and economic influences on and impact of the law and the legal system.”

  6. AHRC • 70% of Funding Open • 30% Themed • ‘Connected Communities’ • ‘strategic need’: modern languages, design and heritage • AHRC’s own multidisciplinary themes: Care for the Future; Translating Cultures; Digital Transformations; Science and Culture

  7. Main AHRC Schemes • Research Grant • £50k to £1M (EC flavour - £50k to £250k) • Up to 60 months • PI plus 1-2 Co-Is • Open Call • Fellowships • £50k to £250k • 6 to 18 months • At least 50% commitment • (EC flavour – at least 2 years post doc experience) • Research Networks – up to £30k for costs • EC? – within 8 years of PhD, or 6 years of first academic appointment

  8. Main ESRC Schemes • Research Grant • £200k to £2M • Open Call • Future Research Leaders • Up to £312,500 • Up to 3 years • Up to 60% of time • October Deadline • Within 4 years of PhD • Research Seminars - up to £15k costs • Opens mid-December

  9. Delivery Plans: Themes • AHRC • ‘Connected Communities’ • ‘strategic need’: modern languages, design and heritage • AHRC’s own multidisciplinary themes: Care for the Future; Translating Cultures; Digital Transformations; Science and Culture • ESRC • Economic performance and sustainable growth • Influencing behaviour and informing interventions • Vibrant and fair society

  10. Cross-Council Themes • Global Uncertainties • Living with Environmental Change • Ageing: Lifelong Health and Wellbeing • Digital Economy • Energy • Global Food Security

  11. Charities • General • Leverhulme Trust • Wellcome Trust • Nuffield Foundation • Specialist • Joseph Rowntree Foundation • Often medical – e.g. Cancer Research UK • AMRC (www.amrc.org.uk) • Represents 111 health-related charities, with a combined expenditure on medical research of £630m per annum.

  12. Leverhulme (£53m) • Funds all fields, except social policy and welfare, medicine and education • Supports original, risk-taking research that often transcends traditional discipline boundaries • Rough split: • Sciences: 40% • Soc. Sciences: 40% • Humanities: 20%

  13. Leverhulme • Fellowships • Up to £45k • 3-24 mths • Call Sept, deadline Nov • EC version – 03/13 deadline • International Academic Fellowship • Up to £22k • Up to 12 mths • Same deadline as above • Employed FT >5 yrs • Grants • Up to £500k • Up to 5 yrs • Most > £250k, 2-3 years • 2 part process • Open call, assessed quarterly • Success Rates • Fellowship: 10-15% • SA Fellowship: 30% • Grants: 15-20%

  14. Leverhulme • Benefits of applying to Leverhulme • Not ‘restricted’ by demands of distributing public money • no ‘political agenda’ • reporting not as onerous • What to watch out for: • Research has to appeal to broad general audience • Trustees all ex-Unilever employees • Depend for advice on: • ‘Advisory Committee’ (for smaller grants): 9 professors • ‘Advisory Panel’ (for larger grants): 32 academics • Interdisciplinary – but not ‘last resort’ • Risk taking • Individual ‘vision’

  15. Wellcome (£642m) • ‘To foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health’ • Supports • Biomedical research • Technology transfer • Medical Humanities: • History of Medicine & Biomedical Ethics • Public engagement with science • Does not support • Clinical trials • Generally, cancer research

  16. Wellcome • Benefits of applying to Wellcome • Wide range of funding • More useful feedback following rejection • Supportive once you have received funding

  17. Nuffield (£10m) • Aims • ‘To improve social well-being through education, research and innovation.’ • Themes: • Children & Families, Education, Law & Society • Also ‘open door’ • Project Grants £10-250k • Most between £50-150k

  18. Nuffield • Benefits of applying to Nuffield • 2 part process: initial application very simple, and can apply any time (Mar, Jul & Nov deadlines) • What to watch out for: • Look at previously successful grants • Strong social policy element • Importance of ‘methodology’ • Engagement with beneficiaries

  19. Rowntree (£5m) • 3 aims: • Poverty: to examine the root causes of poverty and disadvantage and identify solutions. • Empowerment: to find ways in which people and communities can have control of their own lives. • Place: to contribute to the building and development of strong, cohesive and sustainable communities. • Benefits of applying to JRF: • Prestigious • What to watch out for: • Very prescriptive calls for proposals • Relatively small amounts of funding

  20. Learned Societies • Generally provide some small scale support for visits, conferences, fellowships or smaller research projects • Professional Bodies • Represent people working in a specific area • e.g. The Law Society, Socio-Legal Studies Association • Learned Societies • Represent, and act as a forum for, a particular subject or discipline • British Academy funds research in Humanities & Social Sciences

  21. British Academy • Small Research Grants • Up to £10k over 2 years • Flexible (workshops, travel, some RA etc) • Not PI salary or overheads • Feb and Sept deadlines • Postdoctoral Fellowship • 3 year salary • Within 3 years of PhD • Attractive, but very competitive (< 5% success) • October deadline • Mid-Career Fellowship • 6 to 12 months • Within 15 years of PhD • September deadline

  22. Government • National • Government Departments • County Councils • Other Government-funded organisations • British Council – collaborative grants • NESTA • Lottery • International • Europe • Framework Programme • USA • Federal Grants

  23. European Funding • Framework Programme: • EU’s main method for funding research and innovation • Budget €50bn over 7 years (Horizon 2020 £80bn!) • Organised into 4 pillars:

  24. Cooperation Ideas People Capacities JRC FP7 Values in € Millions €1 751 €4 217 €4 728 €7 460 €32 365

  25. FP7: European Research Council • Responsive Mode • No requirement for collaborative groups • Starting Researcher • Up to €1.5M over 5 years • 2 to 7 years post PhD • Call closes October • Advanced Researcher • Up to €2.5M over 5 years • 10 year track record • Call closes October • Consolidating Researcher • Up to €2.0M over 5 years • 7 to 12 years post PhD • Call opens in November, closes February.

  26. Industry • Does fund research • In-house R&D • Contracts for research services • Grants or award programmes • …but tends to be more restrictive • If specifically seeking industry support, talk to Kent Innovation & Enterprise (KIE) • Beth Flowers(e.m.flowers@kent.ac.uk)

  27. Early Career Opportunities

  28. Main ECR Opportunities

  29. ...about the Specifics • What will you do? (objectives, plan, timescale) • Why now? • Why you? (expertise, track record, contacts) • What impact? (beneficiaries, dissemination) • What kind of resources do you need? (reasonable, accurate, eligible)

  30. Recap… • 2 types of funding: • Managed • Responsive Mode • 5 types of funder: • Research Councils • Charities • Learned Societies and Representative Bodies • Government • Industry

  31. Considerations Remit Subject Aims of scheme ‘Politics’ Timetable Deadline Duration Success Rate Is it worth it? Back up plan • Eligibility • Employment status and residency • Career stage • Costs • Will it cover all your costs? • Overheads • Internal Pressures • School budget • Teaching needs

  32. Perspective • Put yourself in the funder’s position • Can you understand what is proposed? • Is it worth spending money on? • Are the objectives important? • Are they achievable? • Is the timeframe realistic? • Does it offer value for money? • Can the applicant deliver? • Do you have the necessary track record? • Can you manage a project?

  33. Panellists • Not specialist in your area • Time poor • Eminent • Having to filter 100+ applications at a time

  34. Make It Easy for Them • Make it simple • Avoid jargon • ‘intelligent 14 yr old’ • Simple structure/ format/language • Make it urgent • Why should we care? • Back it up with evidence • Make it realistic • Programme and costs • Concentrate on methodology • Write defensively • Repeat key messages • ‘we need to know...’ • ‘this will tell us...’

  35. Craft it • Give yourself time • At least a month to write • Show it to others • Academics working in same discipline • Academics working in other disciplines • Research Services

  36. Good vs Bad Bad Application Unclear, esoteric question Pages of densely packed jargon Emphasis on background and literature Incomplete description of research process Ignores funder guidance Good Application • An important question • Realistic promise of an answer • Ability and track record of research team • Well designed and fully described project • Properly resourced and value for money • Well written and presented application • Fits funder priorities

  37. Managing Your Research Proposals • One won’t be enough • Typical success rates 10 -20% • Reviewing and assessing a ‘lottery’ • Applications are time-consuming • Rejection is crushing • Multiple applications give you hope • Don’t wait for the rejections • Create economies of scale • Allow 1-2 years from idea to grant • Don’t exhaust your ideas • Complementary applications • Look out for spin off ideas and ‘spare’ research questions • Recycle ideas to different funders • Don’t flog a dead horse

  38. Help from Research Services

  39. Cradle to Grave Identify funders Help with the proposal and application process Costing Funding Institutional ‘sign off’ ‘Accept’ award and negotiate contract Manage Award Contracts Financial claims End of Award reports Finance Page 40

  40. Help in Developing Applications • Information • Funding opportunities • Regular, ad hoc, strategic • Background news & insights • newsletter, website, blog • Funder visits • Grants Factory • Aiding collaboration • bringing those in similar disciplines together (eg Lunchtime Seminars) • Preparing your application • Copy editing, proof reading and advice on the text • Successful application bank • Staff costings and calculating overheads • Advice on eligible costs • Research governance • Internal Peer Review

  41. Grants Factory • Help and advice from other academics • Workshops • Tools for writing killer applications • Masterclasses • What the guidance doesn’t tell you • Mock panels • Test drive your proposal

  42. Internal Approval Form • Ensures the University endorses and takes responsibility for your project. • Internal Approval Form • Check list – risks/issues • Need to attach a ‘Full Economic Costing’ • Sign off by: • PI and any Co-Is • HoS (or representative) • Research Services

  43. Sources of Information • Research Funding Officers • Social Sciences: Brian Lingley (b.lingley@kent.ac.uk, xtn4427) • Humanities: Lynne Bennett (l.bennett-282@kent.ac.uk, xtn4799) • Sciences: Carolyn Barker (c.m.barker-47@kent.ac.uk, xtn7957) • Medway: Karen Allart (k.a.allart@kent.ac.uk, xtn8967) • The Guru: Phil Ward (p.ward@kent.ac.uk, xtn7748) • Websites • Funding opportunities: www.researchprofessional.com • European Funding: www.ukro.ac.uk • Jacqueline Aldridge & Andrew Derrington: The Research Funding Toolkit (Sage, 2012) (http://www.researchfundingtoolkit.org/) • Research Services: www.kent.ac.uk/researchservices • Research Fundermentals Blog: http://fundermental.blogspot.com/

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