Research Funding Opportunities in KLS Brian Lingley Faculty Funding Officer Basics… • Basically two types of funding available…: – ‘Responsive Mode’ Grants & Fellowships For research on a subject suggested by you – ‘Managed Programme’ Grants & Contracts For research on a subject suggested by the funder Programme Grants are similar to other grants; Contracts tend to have more onerous terms and conditions and generally result in ‘deliverable’ product/report • …and five sources of funding: – – – – – Research Councils Charities Professional and Learned Bodies Government Industry Page 2 Research Councils • Benefits of applying to RCs: – Prestige – fEC – generous funding • What to watch out for: – Cuts – and ‘politics’ • Themes, demand management, ‘longer, larger, fewer’ – Impact Page 3 Research Councils • Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (26% - £795m) • Science & Technology Facilities Council (20% £624m) • Medical Research Council (19% - £606m) • Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (14% - £427m) • Natural Environment Research Council (13% £392m) • Economic & Social Research Council (5% - £165m) • Arts & Humanities Research Council (3% - £103m) Page 4 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 EPSRC STFC MRC BBSRC NERC ESRC AHRC AHRC v ESRC • “AHRC supports research into the content, procedures, theory, philosophy and history of the law. This includes studies of legal systems and legislation in all periods of history and in all parts of the world. ESRC supports socio-legal studies, which are concerned with the social, political and economic influences on and impact of the law and the legal system.” Page 6 AHRC • 70% of Funding Open • 30% Themed – ‘Connected Communities’ – ‘strategic need’: modern languages, design and heritage – AHRC’s own multidisciplinary themes: Care for the Future; Translating Cultures; Digital Transformations; Science and Culture Page 7 Main AHRC Schemes • Research Grant – £50k to £1M (EC flavour - £50k to £250k) – Up to 60 months – PI plus 1-2 Co-Is – Open Call • Fellowships – £50k to £250k – 6 to 18 months – At least 50% commitment – (EC flavour – at least 2 years post doc experience) • Research Networks – up to £30k for costs • EC? – within 8 years of PhD, or 6 years of first academic appointment Page 8 Main ESRC Schemes • Research Grant – £200k to £2M – Open Call • Future Research Leaders – – – – – Up to £312,500 Up to 3 years Up to 60% of time October Deadline Within 4 years of PhD • Research Seminars - up to £15k costs • Opens mid-December Page 9 Delivery Plans: Themes • AHRC – ‘Connected Communities’ – ‘strategic need’: modern languages, design and heritage – AHRC’s own multidisciplinary themes: Care for the Future; Translating Cultures; Digital Transformations; Science and Culture • ESRC – Economic performance and sustainable growth – Influencing behaviour and informing interventions – Vibrant and fair society Page 10 Cross-Council Themes • • • • • • Global Uncertainties Living with Environmental Change Ageing: Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Digital Economy Energy Global Food Security Page 11 Charities • General –Leverhulme Trust –Wellcome Trust –Nuffield Foundation • Specialist –Joseph Rowntree Foundation –Often medical – e.g. Cancer Research UK –AMRC (www.amrc.org.uk) • Represents 111 health-related charities, with a combined expenditure on medical research of £630m per annum. Page 12 Leverhulme (£53m) • Funds all fields, except social policy and welfare, medicine and education • Supports original, risk-taking research that often transcends traditional discipline boundaries • Rough split: – Sciences: 40% – Soc. Sciences:40% – Humanities: 20% Page 13 Leverhulme • Fellowships – – – – Up to £45k 3-24 mths Call Sept, deadline Nov EC version – 03/13 deadline • International Academic Fellowship – – – – Up to £22k Up to 12 mths Same deadline as above Employed FT >5 yrs • Grants – – – – – Up to £500k Up to 5 yrs Most > £250k, 2-3 years 2 part process Open call, assessed quarterly • Success Rates – Fellowship: 10-15% – SA Fellowship: 30% – Grants: 15-20% Page 14 Leverhulme • Benefits of applying to Leverhulme – Not ‘restricted’ by demands of distributing public money • no ‘political agenda’ • reporting not as onerous • What to watch out for: – Research has to appeal to broad general audience • Trustees all ex-Unilever employees • Depend for advice on: – ‘Advisory Committee’ (for smaller grants): 9 professors – ‘Advisory Panel’ (for larger grants): 32 academics – Interdisciplinary – but not ‘last resort’ – Risk taking – Individual ‘vision’ Page 15 Wellcome (£642m) • ‘To foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health’ • Supports – Biomedical research – Technology transfer – Medical Humanities: • History of Medicine & Biomedical Ethics – Public engagement with science • Does not support – Clinical trials – Generally, cancer research Page 16 Wellcome • Benefits of applying to Wellcome – Wide range of funding – More useful feedback following rejection – Supportive once you have received funding Nuffield (£10m) • Aims – ‘To improve social well-being through education, research and innovation.’ – Themes: – Children & Families, Education, Law & Society – Also ‘open door’ – Project Grants £10-250k – Most between £50-150k Page 18 Nuffield • Benefits of applying to Nuffield – 2 part process: initial application very simple, and can apply any time (Mar, Jul & Nov deadlines) • What to watch out for: – Look at previously successful grants – Strong social policy element – Importance of ‘methodology’ – Engagement with beneficiaries Page 19 Rowntree (£5m) • 3 aims: – Poverty: to examine the root causes of poverty and disadvantage and identify solutions. – Empowerment: to find ways in which people and communities can have control of their own lives. – Place: to contribute to the building and development of strong, cohesive and sustainable communities. • Benefits of applying to JRF: – Prestigious • What to watch out for: – Very prescriptive calls for proposals – Relatively small amounts of funding Learned Societies • Generally provide some small scale support for visits, conferences, fellowships or smaller research projects • Professional Bodies Represent people working in a specific area e.g. The Law Society, Socio-Legal Studies Association • Learned Societies Represent, and act as a forum for, a particular subject or discipline British Academy funds research in Humanities & Social Sciences Page 21 British Academy • Small Research Grants – Up to £10k over 2 years – Flexible (workshops, travel, some RA etc) – Not PI salary or overheads – Feb and Sept deadlines • Postdoctoral Fellowship – 3 year salary – Within 3 years of PhD – Attractive, but very competitive (< 5% success) – October deadline • Mid-Career Fellowship – 6 to 12 months – Within 15 years of PhD – September deadline Page 22 Government • National – Government Departments – County Councils – Other Government-funded organisations • British Council – collaborative grants • NESTA • Lottery • International – Europe • Framework Programme – USA • Federal Grants Page 23 European Funding • Framework Programme: – EU’s main method for funding research and innovation – Budget €50bn over 7 years (Horizon 2020 £80bn!) – Organised into 4 pillars: Cooperation Ideas People Capacities Page 24 FP7 €4 217 €1 751 Values in € Millions Cooperation €4 728 Ideas People €7 460 Capacities JRC €32 365 Page 25 FP7: European Research Council • Responsive Mode • No requirement for collaborative groups • Starting Researcher – Up to €1.5M over 5 years – 2 to 7 years post PhD – Call closes October • Advanced Researcher • Consolidating Researcher – Up to €2.0M over 5 years – 7 to 12 years post PhD – Call opens in November, closes February. – Up to €2.5M over 5 years – 10 year track record – Call closes October Page 26 Industry • Does fund research – In-house R&D – Contracts for research services – Grants or award programmes • …but tends to be more restrictive • If specifically seeking industry support, talk to Kent Innovation & Enterprise (KIE) • Beth Flowers(e.m.flowers@kent.ac.uk) Page 27 Early Career Opportunities Main ECR Opportunities Scheme Duration Funding ECR? AHRC Early Career Research Grant Up to 60 months £50-250k < 8 years PhD AHRC Early Career Fellowship 6 to 18 months £50-250k 2 years post doc, < 8 years PhD ESRC Future Research Leaders Up to 3 Years £250k < 4 years post PhD Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship 3 years 50% of salary, max 23k pa <5 years post PhD BA Post Doc Fellowship 3 years 3 years salary < 3 years post PhD ERC Staring Grant 5 years €1.5M 2-7 years post PhD Page 29 ...about the Specifics • • • • • What will you do? (objectives, plan, timescale) Why now? Why you? (expertise, track record, contacts) What impact? (beneficiaries, dissemination) What kind of resources do you need? (reasonable, accurate, eligible) Recap… • 2 types of funding: – Managed – Responsive Mode • 5 types of funder: – Research Councils – Charities – Learned Societies and Representative Bodies – Government – Industry Considerations • Eligibility – Employment status and residency – Career stage • Costs – Will it cover all your costs? – Overheads • Internal Pressures – School budget – Teaching needs • Remit – Subject – Aims of scheme – ‘Politics’ • Timetable – Deadline – Duration • Success Rate – Is it worth it? – Back up plan Perspective • Put yourself in the funder’s position – Can you understand what is proposed? – Is it worth spending money on? • • • • Are the objectives important? Are they achievable? Is the timeframe realistic? Does it offer value for money? – Can the applicant deliver? • Do you have the necessary track record? • Can you manage a project? Page 33 Panellists • • • • Not specialist in your area Time poor Eminent Having to filter 100+ applications at a time Make It Easy for Them • Make it simple – Avoid jargon – ‘intelligent 14 yr old’ – Simple structure/ format/language • Make it urgent – Why should we care? – Back it up with evidence • Make it realistic – Programme and costs – Concentrate on methodology – Write defensively • Repeat key messages – ‘we need to know...’ – ‘this will tell us...’ Craft it • Give yourself time – At least a month to write • Show it to others – Academics working in same discipline – Academics working in other disciplines – Research Services Good vs Bad Good Application • An important question • Realistic promise of an answer – Ability and track record of research team – Well designed and fully described project – Properly resourced and value for money • Well written and presented application • Fits funder priorities Bad Application • Unclear, esoteric question • Pages of densely packed jargon • Emphasis on background and literature • Incomplete description of research process • Ignores funder guidance Managing Your Research Proposals • One won’t be enough – Typical success rates 10 -20% – Reviewing and assessing a ‘lottery’ – Applications are timeconsuming – Rejection is crushing • Multiple applications give you hope – Don’t wait for the rejections – Create economies of scale – Allow 1-2 years from idea to grant • Don’t exhaust your ideas – Complementary applications – Look out for spin off ideas and ‘spare’ research questions – Recycle ideas to different funders • Don’t flog a dead horse Page 38 Help from Research Services Cradle to Grave Funding Contracts Finance Page 40 Identify funders Help with the proposal and application process Costing Institutional ‘sign off’ ‘Accept’ award and negotiate contract Manage Award Financial claims End of Award reports Help in Developing Applications • Information – Funding opportunities • Regular, ad hoc, strategic – Background news & insights • newsletter, website, blog • Funder visits • Grants Factory • Aiding collaboration – bringing those in similar disciplines together (eg Lunchtime Seminars) • Preparing your application – Copy editing, proof reading and advice on the text – Successful application bank – Staff costings and calculating overheads – Advice on eligible costs – Research governance – Internal Peer Review Page 41 Grants Factory • Help and advice from other academics • Workshops – Tools for writing killer applications • Masterclasses – What the guidance doesn’t tell you • Mock panels – Test drive your proposal Week Date Title Stream 2 Thurs 4 Oct 2:30-4:30pm Planning a Personal Research Strategy Jenny Billings & Prof Darren Griffin ECRN 4 Wed 17 Oct 9:20-11:30am Getting Published in Journals Prof Sally Sheldon & Prof Jon Williamson ECRN 6 Wed 31 Oct 2-4pm Identifying an Idea: What the Funders Want Prof Gordon Lynch and Prof Sally Sheldon ADW 8 TBC ESRC Prof Dominic Abrams & Prof Peter Taylor-Gooby FF 10 Wed 28 Nov 2-4pm Constructing a Realistic Project Prof Peter Taylor-Gooby & Prof Elizabeth Mansfield ECRN 12 Wed 12 Dec 2-4pm The Essential Elements of a Good Application Prof Paul Allain & Prof Mick Tuite ADW 13 Wed 16 Jan 12-2pm Developing Collaborations Prof Jon Williamson & Dr Peter Bennett ECRN 15 Wed 30 Jan 12-2pm How the Peer Review Panel Works Prof Mick Tuite & Dr Simon Kirchin ADW 17 Wed 13 Feb 12-2pm Seeking and Using Feedback Prof Darren Griffin & Prof Paul Allain ECRN 19 Thurs 28 Feb 12-4pm EPSRC Prof Sarah Spurgeon & Prof Simon Thompson FF 21 Wed 13 Mar 12-2pm Relationships with Senior Staff Prof Ray Laurence & Prof Dominic Abrams ECRN 23 Wed 27 Mar 2-4pm Responding to Reviewers’ Comments Dr Peter Bennett & Dr Simon Kirchin ADW 25 Thurs 9 May 12-4pm European Commission Prof Simon Thompson & Jenny Billings FF 27 Wed 22 May 2-4pm Recycling your Proposal Prof Elizabeth Mansfield & Prof Ray Laurence ADW 29 Wed 5 Jun 12-2pm Balancing the Conflicting Demands of Academia Prof Gordon Lynch & Prof Sarah Spurgeon ECRN Page 43 Internal Approval Form • Ensures the University endorses and takes responsibility for your project. • Internal Approval Form – Check list – risks/issues • Need to attach a ‘Full Economic Costing’ • Sign off by: – PI and any Co-Is – HoS (or representative) – Research Services Page 44 Sources of Information • Research Funding Officers – – – – – Social Sciences: Brian Lingley (b.lingley@kent.ac.uk, xtn4427) Humanities: Lynne Bennett (l.bennett-282@kent.ac.uk, xtn4799) Sciences: Carolyn Barker (c.m.barker-47@kent.ac.uk, xtn7957) Medway: Karen Allart (k.a.allart@kent.ac.uk, xtn8967) The Guru: Phil Ward (p.ward@kent.ac.uk, xtn7748) • Websites – Funding opportunities: www.researchprofessional.com – European Funding: www.ukro.ac.uk – Jacqueline Aldridge & Andrew Derrington: The Research Funding Toolkit (Sage, 2012) (http://www.researchfundingtoolkit.org/) – Research Services: www.kent.ac.uk/researchservices – Research Fundermentals Blog: http://fundermental.blogspot.com/ Page 45