Grantsmanship

The path to securing funding for you and your research

Dr Miriam Ryan,

Research Development Officer

Introductions!

Overview of Presentation

Where to begin? Building expertise Finding the ‘correct-fit’ Funder Search for partners, collaboration (if required) Grantsmanship Writing/Preparing the

proposal: proposal elements Submission and evaluation

Where to begin? (1)The Idea

The idea Based on your current

research and publications Be hypothesis driven not

technique driven Current research areas

where you could contribute – not necessarily in your field e.g. part of inter-disciplinary research effort, but be careful!

Information Sources (I)

EU Framework Programme 7 (FP7)

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/fp7_calls

Irish EU FP7 Site http://www.fp7ireland.com

Financial support for proposal writing (FP7)

http://www.fp7ireland.com/Page.aspx?SP=225

Where to begin? (2)Information Sources

‘Official’ Information Sources NUIM Research web pages

http://research.nuim.ie/support-services/

Click on ‘Research Support Services’

Internal NUIM Funding http://research.nuim.ie/support-ser

vices/funding/internalfunding

Support Activities

ResearchPromotion

GrantIdentification

GrantPreparation

GrantSubmission

AwardProcessing

Reporting

Research Support Office Research Administration

Information Sources (II)

‘Official’ Information Sources Irish Research Councils IRCSET www.ircset.ie IRCHSS www.irchss.ie (HERA

Call open Feb 2012) Government Depts.

http://www.gov.ie/tag/research/ E tenders:

http://www.etenders.gov.ie/ http://europa.eu/policies-activities/

tenders-contracts/index_en.htm

Information Sources (III)

www.researchprofessional.com

Campus access

Register for personal account

Off-campus access with personal account

Building Expertise

Publications Conferences/ Presentations Becoming an evaluator

Early Career Researcher

Internal Publication fund: 18th April 2012 http://research.nuim.ie/support-services/fundi

ng/internalfunding/Publications

Building Expertise

Presenting your findings at EU Level Meetings Conferences http://cordis.europa.eu/home_en.html Click on ‘All events’ http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=confer

ences&lg=en&filtermode=0&epage=2 COST (Co-operation in Science and Technology) http://www.cost.esf.org/

COST is an intergovernmental framework for European Co-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research, allowing the co-ordination of nationally funded research on a European level.

COST: > 200 running Actions c.30,000 scientists 35 European member countries http://www.cost.esf.org/about_cost/cost_stories/Early-

Stage-Researchers 

COST : Domains and Committees

Nine key domains: Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences Food and Agriculture Forests, their Products and Services Materials, Physics and Nanosciences Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies Earth System Science and Environmental Management Information and Communication Technologies Transport and Urban Development Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health

Building Expertise (2)

*Become an Evaluator for FP7

https://cordis.europa.eu/emmfp7/index.cfm

(register and email me to let me know that you have applied)

*Courtesy of Prof Anne Huff

Selecting the ‘Correct-Fit’ Funder

Selecting programme

Complete a scoping exercise

Visit websites Sign up for funding

alerts Don’t be afraid of

rejection

Funding

Be clear about type of funding Project Basic Applied Mobility Early career researchers

Understand it from the Funders’ point of view (research/study to solve a problem: strategic?)

Is cooperation important e.g. industry?

Get every publication available on background/policy documents/annual reports

Talk to programme officials if permitted

Early Career ResearchersERC Starter Grants

Carlos Belmonte, member of the Neurosciences ERC panel.

- Show that you are brilliant, original, and ambitious in your research goals.

- Write the research plan concisely, with clear objectives and a well-defined experimental strategy.

22

Marie Curie IOF: International Outgoing Fellowships

• Experienced researcher (more than four years)• Member state or associated country Third Country• Opportunity to gain new knowledge in high-level organisation• No thematic priorities; any type of host institution (public or

private) • Duration 1 – 2 years outgoing phase (at Third Country host);

plus mandatory 1 year return phase (at EU Member host)• What is funded?

– Fellowship covers full salary and mobility costs plus small amount for research and training/transfer of knowledge costs

– DEADLINE August 2012

Partner Search

Cordis website / Expression of interest web COST Actions EU R&D Associations Conferences/own contacts

How to instigate Collaboration

Use existing collaborators in the department, if they exist, as early as possible (mentoring)

Present papers at conferences - get known in the area

Register to become a Framework 7 Evaluator

Benefits

Additional Resources Advanced training Expansion of funding

opportunities Joint publications Access to new funding

opportunities

Collaboration expectations

Collaboration not always 50:50

Not everyone is suitable - some have egos

People/organisations seldom benefit equally

Participants can have different goals when entering a partnership

What makes it work

Good personal relationships

Timely communication between partners

Try to understand the culture, behaviour, and attitudes of the other partners (especially if industrial)

Grantsmanship

Useful sources of informationTHE ART OF GRANTSMANSHIP by Jacob KRAICER, University of

Toronto http://www.hfsp.org/how/ArtOfGrants.htm

How To Wow A Study Section: A Grantsmanship LessonBy Karen Hopkin The Scientist 12[5]:11, Mar. 02, 1998  

Proposal Elements

Title (mini-abstract - Acronym) Project Overview: Abstract (do it last!) Background info. (review of relevant

literature) Project detail

Objectives Methods Project Management Resources (available/ needed) Impact/publications/dissemination

Budget (cost-effectiveness)

Features Common to all proposals

Proposal must be well written *and* in keeping with funders objectives ‘Market’ your idea Use Diagrams/Tables Budget realistically Publications or results to date Evaluation criteria/marks available

Features Common to all proposals

1. Proposal must be well written *and* in keeping with funders objectives

4. Budget realistically

2. ‘Market’ your idea 5. Publications or results to date

3. Use Diagrams/Tables 6. Evaluation criteria/marks available

Budget importance

Funders often look at the budget first."I look at the budget. Over the years I've learned that narrative can be enriching, but the numbers are stark and straightforward. I want to see that the money is doing the job described in the proposal."Joel OroszW.K. Kellogg Foundation

The budget = a financial picture of the project. A budget narrative is useful in defining the costs included on a

project budget.

The Budget (cost effectiveness)

Project your expenses as accurately as possible. Don’t inflate costs as this can easily be seen in the evaluation.

What will be required, and decide what needs to be allocated under the following headings: Personnel Costs (Include PRSI + pension as separate costs). Identify personnel (e.g. Permanent staff member, contract

staff, post-grad (incl. stipend, fees etc.) Post-Doc. Indicate % time spent on project.

Project Costs: Make sure the costs are realistic Overheads: Funding Body’s Overhead Policy Adequate justification of unusual costs

Proposal Evaluation Criteria (1) EU projects

1.Relevance Meets objectives of work programme?

2. Potential Impact Suitably ambitious

Innovation/Exploitation

3. S&T Excellence Clear objectives

Progress –State-of-Art

4. Quality of Consortium Collectively = high quality

Proposal Evaluation Criteria (2) EU Projects

5. Quality of Management

Project Mgt = high quality

Plan for mgt of knowledge

6. Mobilisation of resources

Resources integrated to form coherent project?

Financial Plan adequate?

7. Other issues Gender

Ethical

Societal implication

Review other successful applications

The Research webpages Examples of previous successful grant

applications in various programmes. EXAMPLE, Please return to me before end

of seminar!

Well written Proposals

Guidelines and paperwork adhered to Step-by-step: Progression of ideas. Project management.

Ask a successfully funded researcher (need not be in your area) to review your grant proposal before you submit it.

‘Getting to the top of a big pile’

Grant writing for tight times - Elisabeth Pain, 2007

ERC Starting Grants http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/

career_development/previous_issues/articles/2007_07_27/caredit_a0700107

‘strongest research proposals had promising long-term prospects’

Resources & Environment for Early Career Researcher

Show how the scientific environment will contribute to the probability of success of the project.

For Early Career Investigators, show institutional investment in the success of the investigator

– Independent space – Institutional support – Equipment, facilities, unique features of the environment – Collaborators Show you have or can get all needed resources

Other Early Career Opportunities

Search for fellowships in your area - in Marie Curie Host Fellowship funded projects

http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/fgSearch

ASM Graduate and Post Doc Opportunities http://www.asmgap.org/page04f.shtml Never be reluctant to use your current contacts

Credits/Acknowledgements

Professor Anne Huff, Visiting Professor for Research Development. Designing Research and Writing for Academic Publication.

http://business.nuim.ie/people/anne-huff

S. John Levin, PhD, Michigan State University: Social Service Projects

http://www.learnerassociates.net/proposal/

Credits/Acknowledgements (2)

Dr Sean Mc Carthy, Hyperion Ltd.

Training courses www.hyperion.ie

Resources

Contacts in NUIM : miriam.ryan@nuim.ie Research webpages

http://research.nuim.ie/support-services/