Tagged / funding

What makes a good grant application?

It’s the age old question, ‘what makes a good grant application?’ Wellcome Trust have recently issued guidance on how to write a good Wellcome grant application, and the good news is that their guidance is useful for almost all grant applications regardless of the funder.

The guidance is summarised below, but you can find the full guidance on the Wellcome Trust website here: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/guidance/how-to-write-wellcome-grant-application 

Before you start to write

  • Check you are eligible – Read all guidance, considering information about eligibility and suitability, what is being offered, how to apply and deadlines.
  • Gather all the information you need – Get as much advice as you can, ask other people if they are willing to share their successful and unsuccessful applications with you, contact Research Development and Support early in the process so we can guide you through the application and internal approval processes.
  • Make sure your proposal is competitive – Discuss your ideas with your sponsor, mentor, and/or senior colleagues. Get input from colleagues who are inside and outside your research field. You should think about the following, and take it into account when you write your application:
    • Your research proposal including the importance of the research question(s), the quality and feasibility of your proposal, how creative your idea is, your knowledge of the research area, teamwork and why a collaborative approach is the best one.
    • You as an applicant including the timing of your application for the stage of your career, your track record and experience, your contributions to the research area, your career development, your autonomy and ownership of the project.
    • Your research environment including how the research environment will support you to do the research, any opportunities for development the host will provide, how you will contribute to a positive and inclusive research culture.

Writing your application

  • Give yourself plenty of time – It’s really important that you avoid rushing your application. Allow plenty of time ahead of the deadline.
  • Other timings that matter – Allow enough time for your application to be approved and submitted by the ‘authorised organisational approver’ at the host organisation. Make sure you’re aware of any deadlines at your organisation that could delay this.
  • Make your application easy to read and understand:
    • Aim your proposal at people who have specific expertise in your field as well as those who have broader research experience.
    • Provide a balanced overview of the background, rationale and supporting evidence. Refer to appropriate studies by others and use preliminary data, pilot studies and/or scoping research to support your research question(s).
    • Give enough detail that reviewers can understand what you’re proposing, how it will be carried out and whether it’s feasible.
    • Request research costs that are necessary for your project. Make sure you’re aware of what you can and cannot ask for.
    • Use a title that is specific and reflects the importance of your proposal. Structure your writing with clear headings and subheadings.
    • Write in clear English and avoid technical jargon where possible. Keep abbreviations and acronyms to a minimum – define them when they’re first used.
    • List all references consistently, using the format requested.
    • Use diagrams and figures where appropriate.
    • Check your spelling and grammar

The above has been amended from guidance originally published on the Wellcome Trust website 

Funding Development Briefings – back in September

Funding opportunities

The RDS Funding Development Briefings have occurred weekly, on a Wednesday at 12 noon since January 2021.

Thank you to those of you who have joined us to discuss the latest funding opportunities, ask questions, and share your research ideas. We will be taking a break over August, with the briefings returning in September.

Over August, we will still update the Major Opportunities pipeline on a weekly basis so you have access to the latest funding opportunities. The pipeline is available on the I Drive here: I:\RDS\Public\Funding Pipeline. The Research Facilitators will still be available over the summer to discuss your research bidding plans, so please do get in touch when required.

Details of the Funding Development Briefings for 2021/22 will be available shortly. Please email RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk to receive the Teams invite for these sessions.

We hope you have a restful summer, and look forward to seeing you in September!

RKEDF training: impact and funding bids

Don’t forget to book your place on the RKEDF online training session Impact and Funding Bids on Thursday 17 June 13:00-14:00! Although the UKRI removed the Pathways to Impact sections of grant applications last year, they expect impact to be embedded within bids and this session will help you understand how to write about impact.

Although the session will include a brief look at definitions of impact, it is advised that you watch the 10-minute introduction to impact video on Brightspace beforehand to get the most out of the training.

Booking: Please email OD@bournemouth.ac.uk with evidence of approval from your Head of Department or Deputy Head of Department. You can see all the Organisational Development and Research Knowledge Development Framework (RKEDF) events in one place on the handy calendar of events.

Reminder: Medical Science Virtual STEAMLab APPLY NOW

BU Challenges, Funding opportunities

This is a reminder that on Thursday 22nd July 2021 from 2-4pm, RDS will be hosting a virtual STEAMLab event under the strategic investment area (SIA) of Medical Science.

Please apply for a space by 5pm Monday 14th June.

We ask all participants to download and complete the Application Form and return this to Lisa Andrews. 

For more information, please see our previous blog post.

If you have any queries prior to submitting your application, please contact RDS Research Facilitators Lisa Andrews or Ehren Milner.

Invitation to the Medical Science Virtual STEAMLab 2021

BU Challenges, Funding opportunities

On Thursday 22nd July 2021 from 2-4pm, RDS will be hosting a virtual STEAMLab event under the strategic investment area (SIA) of Medical Science. It will be the third of a series to 2-hour long virtual STEAMLabs to be held in the course of 2021.

The ideas generated at this event may also be used to help select colleagues for further Scramble events at short notice.

Booking onto this event

To take part in this exciting opportunity, we ask all participants to download and complete the Application Form and return this to Lisa Andrews by Monday 14th June.

By applying, you agree to attend for the full duration of the event on 22nd July from 2pm – 4pm. Places at the event are limited and you will be contacted to confirm your “virtual space” by 21st June 2021

If you have any queries prior to submitting your application, please contact RDS Research Facilitators Lisa Andrews or Ehren Milner.

The Brief

We’re seeking to come up with highly innovative and urgently required research which is ambitious in scope and will require a high level of expertise, commitment and funding. The research must address challenges in the field of Medical Science.

In short, we anticipate the development of innovative, ground-breaking cross-disciplinary and ambitious projects which have the capacity to attract significant, high value external funding from the public and private sectors in the future.

We would also like to use this opportunity to further collaborations with our local clinical colleagues, and are delighted to be welcoming a number of attendees from local NHS Trusts to join us at this event.

Who should attend?

We welcome those who wish to contribute to having a positive impact through addressing scientific challenges, but in particular, we are specifically targeting the following:

  1. Those academics whose research aligns with one or more of the BU’s core research areas, or whose research would benefit from the multidisciplinary, collaborative engagement supported by the Medical Science SIA;
  2. Those who have experience of involvement in medium to large scale research projects.

Some Answers to your FAQs:

Do I need to do anything in advance?

During the STEAMLab, you’ll be guided through a process which results in the development of collaborative research ideas. To aid us in this process, we will be using the platform Padlet to discuss and share ideas on a number of research themes ahead of the event. This will enable us to identify the themes of the day by asking you as the attendees to contribute your thoughts and ideas ahead of the STEAMLab.

What is the immediate objective?

The objective by the end of the STEAMLab is to have scoped some leading and grand ideas around which a working group or cluster can be formed to take forward towards the development of a large grant application. This event is run to facilitate new interdisciplinary research collaborations.

What do I need to do afterwards?

Your project idea may be “oven-ready”, but it is more likely that you/your group’s project idea/s will require some time to crystallise fully, and for the optimum partners to be found for the building a winning consortium. To this end, it is envisaged that you and your potential collaborators will be committed to meeting on a regular basis, with a firm timetable.

What if my topic area is very specialised, within fields such as medical diagnostics or environmental science?

Your contribution will be very welcome! One of the main benefits of a STEAMLab event is to bring together individuals with a range of backgrounds and specialisms who are able to see things just that bit differently to one another.

How to write about impact in your funding bids

Writing about impact in a grant application can be challenging. However, a strong description of the benefits you hope your project will have on society and the economy, and the means you will take to get there, can make all the difference between getting funded or not.

The RKEDF online training session Impact and Funding Bids on Thursday 17 June 13:00-14:00 will help you understand exactly what you need to include for the best chance of success, and look at the different ways impact may be considered within each call.

Although the UKRI removed the Pathways to Impact sections of grant applications last year, they still expect impact to be embedded within funding bids. So, how do you write about impact in grant applications? And has the removal of the Pathways made it even more challenging?

This session is aimed at researchers at all stages of their careers, but is likely to be especially useful for ECRs preparing their first funding bids. It will be facilitated by Impact Officer Amanda Edwards and Funding Development Officer Eva Papadopoulou.

Although the session will include a brief look at definitions of impact, it is advised that you watch the 10-minute introduction to impact video on Brightspace beforehand to get the most out of the training.

Booking: Please email OD@bournemouth.ac.uk with evidence of approval from your Head of Department or Deputy Head of Department. You can see all the Organisational Development and Research Knowledge Development Framework (RKEDF) events in one place on the handy calendar of events.

 

HEIF Small Fund – Round 4 Open For Applications

Funding opportunities, HEIF, Knowledge Exchange

HEIF Small Fund – Round 4 Open For Applications

Bournemouth University has a small amount of funding available to facilitate and enhance research and development collaboration with external partners.

The purpose of the funding is to:

  • Enhance external collaborative engagements with industry partners to further the development of innovative projects
  • Increase the amount of available funds for research undertaken collaboratively with external partners to patent innovations, enhance technology readiness levels and/or commercialisation
  • Encourage future funding bids (such as from Innovate UK) with external partners

Please note: There is flexibility in the way that funds can be used, however due to the spending deadline of 31 July 2021,  this final round’s applicants must demonstrate that the spending can be completed by this date, allowing for the 3 week assessment period following the closing date. Any questions regarding funding options or timescales please contact us.

Funding could be used in various ways, for example for consumables, staff, and for travel/events/meetings, provided that a strong case can be made, the assessment criteria is met, and the spending deadline adhered to.

Eligibility/What we can fund

The HEIF Small Fund is open to all researchers across Bournemouth University, including those who are already working with industry partners and those who would like to build up new networks. In particular, the panel would welcome the following types of applications:

  • Projects of up to £5,000 which will either facilitate new relationships with external partners or build on existing research collaborations with external partners, support initial prototyping, project/product feasibility and/or market research.
  • Subject to the lifting of current restrictions, small travel grants of up to £500 to help facilitate relationship development with organisations. This could be travelling to potential partner sites or networking/funding briefing events Please note, the HEIF Funding Panel will not fund applications relating to conferences.

Due to the nature of this fund, we particularly welcome applications;

  • from Early Career Researchers (ECRs)
  • that incorporate social sciences and humanities
  • that demonstrate research interdisciplinarity

In line with BU2025, we will positively encourage applications from under-represented groups.

Application process

To apply, please read the guidance and complete the application form

Applications must be submitted to heif@bournemouth.ac.uk

Applications will be reviewed by the HEIF Funding Panel (see Panel Information below), with recommendations submitted to the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC) monthly. Once a decision has been made, this will be communicated to applicants. We aim to confirm the outcomes within two to three weeks of the closing date for that month.

The closing date is Wednesday 16 June

BU’s Funding Panels and Research Principles

The following funding panels operate to prioritise applications for funding and make recommendations to the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC).

There are eight funding panels:

  1. HEIF Funding Panel
  2. GCRF Funding Panel
  3. Research Impact Funding Panel
  4. Doctoral Studentship Funding Panel
  5. ACORN Funding Panel
  6. Research Fellowships Funding Panel
  7. Charity Impact Funding Panel
  8. SIA Funding panel

These panels align with the BU2025 focus on research, including BU’s Research Principles

The following BU2025 Principles are most relevant to the HEIF Panel:

  • Principle 1 – which recognises the need to develop teams
  • Principle 5 – which sets of the context for such funding panels

If you have any questions please email heif@bournemouth.ac.uk

HEIF Proof of Concept Strand: Open for Applications

Funding opportunities, HEIF, Knowledge Exchange

HEIF Proof of Concept Strand: Open for Applications

BU actively supports staff turning their research into technology opportunities or businesses and is offering awards of a maximum of £5,000. The principal objective of the Proof of Concept Strand is to accelerate the BU research pathway, supporting the maturation of innovations towards commercial exploitation.

This funding is designed to progress BU research projects such that the individual project can attract further funding and/or provide support to expedite the exploitation of the target opportunity.

Eligibility

The HEIF Proof of Concept Strand is open to academic staff across BU.

Due to the nature of this fund, we particularly welcome applications from the following:

  • Early Career Researchers (ECRs)
  • Proposals that incorporate social sciences and humanities
  • Proposal that demonstrate interdisciplinarity research approaches and/or include collaborations with other departments.

In line with BU2025, we will positively encourage applications from under-represented groups.

What we can and cannot fund

The HEIF Proof of Concept Strand will only support development of innovations that have arisen from BU research.

Funding will be available to support activities including but not limited to the following:

  • Key translational activities that cannot proceed with current funding such as prototyping, specific market research, accreditation attainment, IP protection, IP strategy/landscaping, equipment purchases, demonstration events for marketing and connection to later stage investment.
  • Development of the project such that it addresses a specific barrier that is preventing the attainment of translational funds or will run in parallel to existing translational funds, adding value to the overall development of the project.
  • Further develop existing technology/acquire new data to identify other routes for exploitation or obtain additional data or information to determine a specific capacity.
  • General early market assessment activities to value the innovation/technology position and determine the most optimal routes for exploitation.
  • Focussed market assessment to provide guidance on how to refine the position of an innovation/technology.

Application Process

Please read the following documents before completing the application form:

All applicants are also advised to familiarise themselves with BU2025 strategy as part of the application process.

Applications must be submitted to heif@bournemouth.ac.uk.

The HEIF panel will assess all applications received. Applications are initially subject to a pre-screen check. Applications that pass the pre-screen will be forwarded to the HEIF Funding panel to review. Following the panel assessment process, the HEIF Funding panel will make recommendations for funding to RPMC. RPMC will review these recommendations, check alignment with internal/external strategies and make final decisions.

PoC Strand Closing Date

Applications will be regularly evaluated by the HEIF Panel until 16 June 2021, provided funds remain available until that date.

BU’s Funding Panels and Research Principles

The following funding panels operate to prioritise applications for funding and make recommendations to the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC).

There are eight funding panels:

  1. HEIF Funding Panel
  2. GCRF Funding Panel
  3. Research Impact Funding Panel
  4. Doctoral Studentship Funding Panel
  5. ACORN Funding Panel
  6. Research Fellowships Funding Panel
  7. Charity Impact Funding Panel
  8. SIA Funding panel.

These panels align with the BU2025 focus on research, including BU’s Research Principles.

The following BU2025 Principles are most relevant to the HEIF Panel:

  • Principle 1 – which recognises the need to develop teams
  • Principle 5 – which sets of the context for such funding panels

If you have any questions about your application, the process or requirements, then please email heif@bournemouth.ac.uk.

HEIF Small Fund Reminder: Applications for Third Round Closes Wednesday 12 May

Funding opportunities, HEIF, Knowledge Exchange

The third round for applications closes on Wednesday 12 May.

Bournemouth University has a small amount of funding available to facilitate and enhance research and development collaboration with external partners.

The purpose of the funding is to:

  • Enhance external collaborative engagements with industry partners to further the development of innovative projects
  • Increase the amount of available funds for research undertaken collaboratively with external partners to patent innovations, enhance technology readiness levels and/or commercialisation
  • Encourage future funding bids (such as from Innovate UK) with external partners

There is flexibility in the way that the fund can be used, provided that a strong case can be made, and the assessment criteria are met. Funding could be used in various ways, for example for consumables, staff, and for travel/events/meetings, where restrictions allow.

All funding will need to be spent by 31 July 2021.

Eligibility/What we can fund

The HEIF Small Fund is open to all researchers across Bournemouth University, including those who are already working with industry partners and those who would like to build up new networks. In particular, the panel would welcome the following types of applications:

  • Projects of up to £5,000 which will either facilitate new relationships with external partners or build on existing research collaborations with external partners, support initial prototyping, project/product feasibility and/or market research.
  • Subject to the lifting of current restrictions, small travel grants of up to £500 to help facilitate relationship development with organisations. This could be travelling to potential partner sites or networking/funding briefing events Please note, the HEIF Funding Panel will not fund applications relating to conferences.

Due to the nature of this fund, we particularly welcome applications;

  • from Early Career Researchers (ECRs)
  • that incorporate social sciences and humanities
  • that demonstrate research interdisciplinarity

In line with BU2025, we will positively encourage applications from under-represented groups.

Application process

To apply, please read the guidance and complete the application form

Applications must be submitted to heif@bournemouth.ac.uk

Applications will be reviewed by the HEIF Funding Panel (see Panel Information below), with recommendations submitted to the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC) monthly. Once a decision has been made, this will be communicated to applicants. We aim to confirm the outcomes within two to three weeks of the closing date for that month.

The closing dates for each monthly assessment are as follows:

  • Wednesday 12 May
  • Wednesday 16 June

BU’s Funding Panels and Research Principles

The following funding panels operate to prioritise applications for funding and make recommendations to the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC).

There are eight funding panels:

  1. HEIF Funding Panel
  2. GCRF Funding Panel
  3. Research Impact Funding Panel
  4. Doctoral Studentship Funding Panel
  5. ACORN Funding Panel
  6. Research Fellowships Funding Panel
  7. Charity Impact Funding Panel
  8. SIA Funding panel

These panels align with the BU2025 focus on research, including BU’s Research Principles

The following BU2025 Principles are most relevant to the HEIF Panel:

  • Principle 1 – which recognises the need to develop teams
  • Principle 5 – which sets of the context for such funding panels

If you have any questions please email heif@bournemouth.ac.uk

Charity Impact Funding Panel

Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange

This week, our series of blog posts focus on the internal funding panels. Today’s post shares some insights from the Charity Impact Funding Panel.

 

About the Charity Impact Funding Panel

 

The Charity Impact Funding Panel was established in Spring 2019 to support the development of collaborations with charities and associated impact development as documented in the BU2025 Research Principles.

 

Over 30 projects have been awarded funding during this time where the purpose of the funding is to:

  • Increase engagement with charities in order to further the impact of BU’s research
  • To increase the amount of research undertaken collaboratively with charities
  • Encourage future funding bids with charitable partners.

 

The Panel is Chaired by Professor Lee-Ann Fenge, with Dr Fiona Cownie as Deputy Chair.

 

Funded Projects

The Charity Impact Funding Panel have funded a wide variety of projects including small scale travel budgets to visit charity partners.

 

Here are excellent examples of research in action with charity partners from funded projects:

 

  • Catherine Gutmann Roberts (FST) and her team created a report titled “Fish movements in the River Severn basin, a multi species approach in an era of restoration”. This report was sent to the charity partner, Severn Rivers Trust. The report brings together movement analysis of 5 fish species that has been carried out by 3 PhD students over the last 5 years. The funding enabled Catherine and her team to hire one of the post-PhD students to create code to analyse all 5 species and to format the large datasets into a comparable format. This was the first collaborative grant that Catherine had managed with both internal and external partners and she learnt about leadership during the process. Due to Covid-19 and the shutdown of campus at a critical time in the project, the team were not able to deliver the digital animations that they had hoped BU students would create. However, they have since secured external funding to carry this out.

 

  • Dr Anna Feigenbaum (FST) adapted her original project plan due to Covid19 and with complementary Research Impact funding, Anna and her team delivered a number of projects including; Care in the time of COVID-19. This project produced a series of graphics with design partners, community partners and academic partners.

 

  • Professor Amanda Korstjens (FST) and her team completed a project titled Monitoring Tropical Forest Wildlife Recovery. The project changed a lot due to the pandemic, however despite this, the team still delivered excellent outcomes, including working in partnership with a charity partner to develop acoustic recording systems suitable for high quality bioacoustics recordings under the demanding conditions of the Indonesian Forest. Hardware & software details have been published open access.

 

Future of the Charity Impact Fund

The Panel are expecting to launch an open call in the 2021/22 academic year subject to funding. The planned open call for this year was unfortunately postponed due to Covid19 delays, however if you do have an idea of working with a charity and want to develop this further before the summer, please do contact us to discuss your idea as it may fit in with the HEIF small fund.

 

HEIF Small Fund – Proof of Concept Strand: Open for Applications

Funding opportunities, HEIF, Knowledge Exchange

HEIF Small Fund – Proof of Concept Strand

BU actively supports staff turning their research into technology opportunities or businesses and is offering awards of a maximum of £5,000. The principal objective of the Proof of Concept Strand is to accelerate the BU research pathway, supporting the maturation of innovations towards commercial exploitation.

This funding is designed to progress BU research projects such that the individual project can attract further funding and/or provide support to expedite the exploitation of the target opportunity.

Eligibility

The HEIF Proof of Concept Strand is open to academic staff across BU.

Due to the nature of this fund, we particularly welcome applications from the following:

  • Early Career Researchers (ECRs)
  • Proposals that incorporate social sciences and humanities
  • Proposal that demonstrate interdisciplinarity research approaches and/or include collaborations with other departments.

In line with BU2025, we will positively encourage applications from under-represented groups.

What we can and cannot fund

The HEIF Proof of Concept Strand will only support development of innovations that have arisen from BU research.

Funding will be available to support activities including but not limited to the following:

  • Key translational activities that cannot proceed with current funding such as prototyping, specific market research, accreditation attainment, IP protection, IP strategy/landscaping, equipment purchases, demonstration events for marketing and connection to later stage investment.
  • Development of the project such that it addresses a specific barrier that is preventing the attainment of translational funds or will run in parallel to existing translational funds, adding value to the overall development of the project.
  • Further develop existing technology/acquire new data to identify other routes for exploitation or obtain additional data or information to determine a specific capacity.
  • General early market assessment activities to value the innovation/technology position and determine the most optimal routes for exploitation.
  • Focussed market assessment to provide guidance on how to refine the position of an innovation/technology.

Application Process

Please read the following documents before completing the application form:

All applicants are also advised to familiarise themselves with BU2025 strategy as part of the application process.

Applications must be submitted to heif@bournemouth.ac.uk.

The HEIF panel will assess all applications received. Applications are initially subject to a pre-screen check. Applications that pass the pre-screen will be forwarded to the HEIF Funding panel to review. Following the panel assessment process, the HEIF Funding panel will make recommendations for funding to RPMC. RPMC will review these recommendations, check alignment with internal/external strategies and make final decisions.

PoC Strand Closing Date

Applications will be regularly evaluated by the HEIF Panel until 16 June 2021, provided funds remain available until that date.

BU’s Funding Panels and Research Principles

The following funding panels operate to prioritise applications for funding and make recommendations to the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC).

There are eight funding panels:

  1. HEIF Funding Panel
  2. GCRF Funding Panel
  3. Research Impact Funding Panel
  4. Doctoral Studentship Funding Panel
  5. ACORN Funding Panel
  6. Research Fellowships Funding Panel
  7. Charity Impact Funding Panel
  8. SIA Funding panel.

These panels align with the BU2025 focus on research, including BU’s Research Principles.

The following BU2025 Principles are most relevant to the HEIF Panel:

  • Principle 1 – which recognises the need to develop teams
  • Principle 5 – which sets of the context for such funding panels

If you have any questions about your application, the process or requirements, then please email heif@bournemouth.ac.uk.