Transcript External Funding for Research - Social Policy and Social

Finding the Golden Ticket:
How to get your Research
Funded
Sue White
Professor of Social Work
University of Lancaster
Why do you want to do funded
research?
• Because I have great idea
and I need time, or to
employ researchers to
help me to do it
• Because my institution
tells me I have to
• What is in it for you/your
Dept/your colleagues/the
world?
Becoming an Academic
• Don’t get it right just get it written!
• Believe in what you do. Only chase money of it’s what you want to research
– be inventive, read the specifications properly, ‘tweak’ your ideas and use
appropriate language – this can be hard in target driven departments
• Get your social science right – good intentions don’t attract money
• Don’t be frightened of approaching major funding bodies like ESRC (ignore
the scare stories!) –
go for modest sums they will take the risk if your idea is good and
theory/methods sound
• Be wary of negative senior/junior categorizations – they can sap confidence
• Go to conferences and give papers
Become a referee
One excellent way to learn more about what
makes a successful application is to
review and referee proposals.
But remember, be constructive and think
about your growing discipline – the ESRC
don’t reject applications WE DO!
There are three main aspects to
any research proposal:
• The profile of the researcher – why you/your
•
•
team?
The academic case for the research – what is
interesting, important and timely about your
research idea and why are you the person to do
it;
Justification for resources needed and the
costs of these - estimating the research time,
equipment, and so on that you would need to
complete the project successfully, and drawing
up a budget.
Background of the applicant
Do you or your team possess:
• Relevant experience and expertise
• A successful track record in similar research
If the answer is ‘no’ then – why are you bidding?
If you still want to bid – find a friend!
Don’t waste time on futile bids
Making the Academic Case
• Know your potential funding bodies
• Understand their priorities and requirements.
• Different organisations have different criteria for
•
•
awarding grants.
There are often deadlines for applications.
Some funding bodies offer support for research
under particular programmes or research areas,
others are responsive to any proposal they
receive.
Which funding body?
• Is the sponsor likely to offer funding at a sufficient level, and for
long enough? If the sponsor will only provide partial funding, can
the balance of funding and facilities you require be made available
from other sources?
• Can you meet the application deadlines and are you certain of the
application procedures?
• What is the likelihood of success?
• Will you have freedom to publish? Govt Depts and Dodgy
democracy!
• Who will have ownership of the results?
• How far are you prepared to tailor your research to a sponsor’s
requirements?
Collaboration
• Collaboration within and outside your
institution can strengthen your bid
• Make sure you are clear about
management and accountability within the
team.
Discuss your Research
Proposal
• Advice from colleagues who have previously
•
•
made successful applications and/or who
have experience of refereeing proposals
You may be able to consult a “bank” of
previous record applications to help you to
frame your proposal.
Useful to present an outline of your research
proposal in an informal seminar, to get
reaction from colleagues at an early stage.
Methods and Analysis
Be clear and detailed – many proposals
manage to convince they are relevant and
sexy, but don’t detail the methods and
form of analysis – read successful
proposals
Ethics
Ditto – there are fairly stock phrases used
by ethics committees – find somewhere to
store a bank of them e.g. data storage is
an increasingly important matter.
Make sure you know which external
premissions you’ll need e.g. NHS RECs,
RGF.
Costings
• You can get help with these from your
institution
• FEC – friend or foe?
Audience
• Provide a ‘summary’ in plain English – use a semi-journalistic style in
opening paragraphs to grab attention – it must be memorable!
• Do not assume specialist knowledge – BUT DON’T DUMB DOWN
• You must convince both the expert referee and the less expert
committee member that you have an exciting and feasible idea.
• Overstate, rather than understate, your point or question - add the
conditions and caveats later
• Make sure the project will complement and not duplicate other
people's efforts – so search the literature and cite it!
Referees
• You can nominate, but they won’t necessarily
approach your referee
• Make sure the person you nominate is well
respected (don’t be shy!), generous,
professionally secure, that you’ve spoken to
them or sent a draft and you trust them –
professional jealousy should not be underestimated!
Assessment Criteria
• Does the applicant meet the eligibility criteria?
• Does the proposal provide a good fit with the aims of the scheme?
• Does the subject matter fall within the funding institution’s remit?
• Does the proposal adopt an appropriate methodology?
• How significant and important is the project and what contribution will it make?
• Are there precise aims and objectives
• Does the proposal address all the evaluation criteria if they are provided?
• Is the timetable realistic?
• Is the proposal good value for money?
• Are there appropriate plans for dissemination?
• Does the applicant have enough demonstrated experience and knowledge to conduct
the research successfully?