Presentation Transcript

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/