[PPT] - Get that grant (or fellowship)! Tips for success Claire Westwood, PowerPoint Presentation

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Get that grant (or fellowship)! Tips for success

Claire Westwood, PhD

Strategic Research Facilitator, UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slms/slms-intranet/research/facilitation

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SLMS Research Facilitators

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/slms/slms-intranet/research/facilitation

We can help with…

Suitability for funding schemes
Reviewing draft research proposals
Providing resources for applications
Supporting mock interviews

slms.facilitators@ucl.ac.uk

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We will cover:

Before you start writing
Top tips for grant writing
Support and resources
Questions

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Stage Zero: Plan ahead!

Timing is critical: career stage vs contract It is never too early to build your CV Choose the right funding opportunity

It takes time

Submission → award: 6-12 months

Apply at the right time

Fellowships are about the person

Seek advice

Supervisor, mentor, UCL, funders…

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Find the right funding opportunity(ies)

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Where to find funding?

MRC interactive-career-framework

Jacob Sweiry (access)
Use ResearchConnect, not GrantFinder

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Ambitious Feasible

Build the foundation for your grant: aims

Develop your research aims

Your own research ideas

Chalk talk, departmental review, peers, veterans Get input

What is the problem / need? Distinguish yourself from your supervisor Novelty and innovation

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Build the foundation for your grant: budget

Use Worktribe to cost your application
You will have a local / Departmental Finance contact

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Top 7 tips for grant writing

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1. Give them what they want

Must fit funder remit

NIHR

May address priority areas

MRC

Funder

Read the application guidelines! Address review criteria

WT

Scheme

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2. Understand your audience

Peer Reviewers

(International) expert in

your field / methodology

Multiple reviews per

application

Funding Committee

Generally:

Not in-depth knowledge
f exact field
Two nominated to lead

your application

All will score

+

Write for both audiences Don’t assume knowledge Reviewers are extremely busy!!

“I had to review 35 applications in a month… I allocated 1 PubMed search per application”

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3. Help your audience: tell a story

Capture the reader early on:

– What is the problem that your research is addressing? – Why is it important?

Use the lay summary
Begin case for support with “Summary/importance”

statement

Sell your proposal:

– What is novel? – Why should they give you the money?

Use verbiage from the review criteria / guidelines
Guide reader with sentences/headings: take-home

messages

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4. Help your audience: make it believable

Aims and methods: are they feasible?

– Include pilot data – Methodology / experiments that will address the aims – Avoid interdependent aims, or / and… – …Show understanding of risk and contingency plans – Outline expected outcomes – Provide timelines / workplan – Include statistics

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5. Help your audience: make it a pleasure to read
Use a clear structure:

– Organised thoughts, no jargon (without evidence) – Write in simple, short statements – Reiterate important points

Make it visually interesting:

– Subheadings, visuals / figures – Don’t overuse bold / italics, leave white space

Stick to page limits, margins, font size etc.
No grammar or spelling errors!

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6. Don’t forget the other bits…

Data Management Plan

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7. And finally…
Get organised
Seek internal review

– Formal process in your Department? – Supervisor, mentor, academic outside your Department – Research Facilitators

Leave enough time
You can do it!

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Questions?

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A Winning CV

Research track record and reputation

Publications

– Number – Citations – (Journal, but not Journal Impact Factor)

Relevant research experience / skills
Invited speaker at conferences, meetings etc
Successful grant / fellowship applications

Independence and leadership

Networking and collaborations
Supervising / mentoring students
Teaching experience
Staff management
Research visits undertaken

Other (esteem, citizenship/enabling etc)

Awards or prizes
Workshops / conferences organised
Outreach activities – non-academic audiences e.g. schools

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Some fellowship funding opportunities

Skills

PhD

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship WT Senior Research Fellowships in Clinical Science MRC Senior Clinical Fellowship HFSP Long Term Fellowship BBSRC David Philips Fellowship Royal Comm. For Exhib 1851

Post-doctoral year

WT Sir Henry Dale Fellowship WT Henry Wellcome Non- clinical WT Senior Research Fellowships MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship MRC Career Development Award BBSRC Future Leader Fellowship Royal Society University Research Fellowship BHF Senior Basic Sci Res Fellowship BHF Senior Clin Res Fellowship BHF Intermed Clin Res H2020 Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions: Individual Fellowships Non- clinical or clinical NIHR Career Development NIHR Senior Research Fellowship ERC Starting Grant NIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship ERC Consolidator Grant --> Internat- ional mobility EMBO Long Term F WT Clinical Research Career Dev Fellowships (Stg 1&2) BHF Immed Postdoc Fel BHF Intermed Basic Sci Fellowship NC3Rs David Sainsbury Fellowship Early career Intermediate career Senior career

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Useful resources, links, further reading

Resources

UCL SLMS Research Coordination Office: www.ucl.ac.uk/slms/slms-intranet/research/facilitation
UCL BEAMS RCO Guidance: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/research/beamsfunding/guidance-documents/
Idox Research Connect: https://www.idoxgrantfinder.co.uk/education/Default/Index?ReturnUrl=%2feducation%2fHome
UCL Library DMP guidance: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/research-support/research-data/policies/writing_DMPlan
UCL Public Engagement: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/public-engagement
SLMS Checklist: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/slms/slms-intranet/research
Europe PMC Grant finder (to find awardees at your institution):

https://europepmc.org/grantfinder;jsessionid=8AD94AD5B9DAA59659C7CD91CB496D40 Career Pathways/fellowships

MRC Interactive Career Framework: www.mrc.ac.uk/skills-careers/interactive-career-framework/
MRC – Skills needed at each career stage www.mrc.ac.uk/skills-careers/skills-needed-to-win-support/
Wellcome fellowships: www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Biomedical-science/Fundng-schemes/Fellowships/
ERC starting grants: https://erc.europa.eu/funding-and-grants/funding-schemes/starting-grants
NIHR training programmes: www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/training-programmes.htm

Grant writing

www.mrc.ac.uk/Utilities/Documentrecord/index.htm?d=MRC001873
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding/guidance-for-applicants/how-to-write-a-good-research-grant-proposal/
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016510706031403
http://www.acmedsci.ac.uk/grants-and-schemes/grant-schemes/information-for-applicants/start-your-application/

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Peer review comments to avoid…

“...the work described in this application is over-ambitious, it could not be achieved in the life time of the investigator...” “…it involves techniques with which the applicant appears to have no prior experience and for which no preliminary data are proposed...”

Crafted aims: Show a focussed idea of what you can achieve in the

time period. Gantt chart?

Include pilot data and/or collaborators

Comments originally from Wellcome Trust (not UCL)

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Peer review comments to avoid…

“…I had only one problem with this application, I had no idea what they were trying to do...”

Comments originally from Wellcome Trust (not UCL)

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…And some to aim for!

…the proposal is, in my judgement, both timely and innovative... ... the proposed research in this fellowship application has the necessary ingredients & fit to the candidate’s research background… … worthwhile investment in future leadership potential ... in an excellent training environment….