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
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
We will cover: Before you start writing Top tips for grant writing Support and resources Questions
Stage Zero: Plan ahead! It takes time Apply at the right time Seek advice Submission → award: Fellowships are about Supervisor, mentor, UCL, funders… 6-12 months the person Timing is critical: career stage vs contract It is never too early to build your CV Choose the right funding opportunity
Find the right funding opportunity(ies)
Where to find funding? MRC interactive-career-framework • Jacob Sweiry (access) • Use ResearchConnect, not GrantFinder
Build the foundation for your grant: aims Distinguish yourself Your own from your research ideas What is the supervisor problem / need? Get input Develop your Novelty and research aims innovation Chalk talk, Ambitious Feasible departmental review, peers, veterans
Build the foundation for your grant: budget • Use Worktribe to cost your application • You will have a local / Departmental Finance contact
Top 7 tips for grant writing
1. Give them what they want NIHR MRC Funder Must fit funder remit May address priority areas WT Scheme Read the application Address review criteria guidelines!
2. Understand your audience Peer Reviewers + Funding Committee • (International) expert in Generally: your field / methodology • Not in-depth knowledge • Multiple reviews per of exact field application • Two nominated to lead your application • All will score “I had to review 35 Write for both audiences applications in a month… I allocated 1 Don’t assume knowledge PubMed search per application” Reviewers are extremely busy!!
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
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
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!
6. Don’t forget the other bits… Data Management Plan
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!
Questions?
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
Some fellowship funding opportunities Early career Intermediate career Senior career Post-doctoral year Skills PhD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WT Henry Wellcome BHF Immed Postdoc Fel Royal Comm. For Exhib 1851 BBSRC Future Leader Fellowship WT Sir Henry Dale Fellowship Non- MRC Career Development Award clinical BHF Intermed Basic Sci Fellowship BBSRC David Philips Fellowship Royal Society University Research Fellowship WT Senior Research Fellowships BHF Senior Basic Sci Res Fellowship MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship NIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship NC3Rs David Sainsbury Fellowship Non- ERC Starting Grant clinical or NIHR Career Development clinical NIHR Senior Research Fellowship ERC Consolidator Grant --> BHF Intermed Clin Res WT Clinical Research Career Dev Fellowships (Stg 1&2) MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship BHF Senior Clin Res Fellowship WT Senior Research Fellowships in Clinical Science MRC Senior Clinical Fellowship H2020 Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions: Individual Fellowships Internat- EMBO Long Term F ional HFSP Long Term Fellowship mobility
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/
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...” • Crafted aims: Show a focussed idea of what you can achieve in the time period. Gantt chart? “… it involves techniques with which the applicant appears to have no prior experience and for which no preliminary data are proposed...” • Include pilot data and/or collaborators Comments originally from Wellcome Trust (not UCL)
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)
…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…. Comments originally from Wellcome Trust (not UCL)
Recommend
More recommend
