Opportunities for HRC Funding 2014
Investment Processes
Overview
• Annual Funding Round 2014
– Career Development Awards
– Research Investment Streams
• Contract types & Budgets
• Application & Assessment Processes
– Tips for Grant Writing
• Contract Responsibilities
Mission: Benefiting NZ through health
research
• Established as a Crown Entity by the Health
Research Council Act (1990)
• Responsible to Minister of Health
• Funding for research mainly from Vote Science &
Innovation through MBIE
• Supports ~ 30 organisations and ~ 2,800
researchers
HRC Secretariat
Dr Robin Olds, Chief Executive
•Rachel Brown, Group Manager, Māori Health Research
•Dr Vernon Choy, Group Manager, Investment Processes
•Melanie Duncan, Group Administrator, Investment Processes
•Dr Deming Gong, Project Manager, Public Health Research
•Stacey Pene, Project Manager, Biomedical/Clinical Research
– Katie Evans and Lucy Pomeroy are on 12 months maternity leave
•Dr Tania Pocock, Group Manager, Research, Policy, Strategy & Evaluation
•Dr Nuhisifa Seve-Williams, Project Manager, Pacific Health Research
• Vivien Lovell, Knowledge Management & Information Systems
Finance & Corporate Services, Ethics, Communications, Research
Partnerships
Research Investment Streams
Research Policy, Strategy & Evaluation
Dr Tania Pocock
Research Investment Streams
End-users
involved
Research for NZ Health
Delivery
Immediate impact on health
policy, clinical-decision-making
&/or service delivery
Applied
Health and
Wellbeing in NZ
Understanding
health and
preventing illness &
injury
Basic
Improving
Outcomes in Acute
& Chronic
Conditions in NZ
Rangahau
Hauora Māori
Building Māori
knowledge &
capability
to address
Māori health issues
Investment Signals
Purpose
Scope (what’s in & what’s out)
Goals
Priorities (only HW and IOACC)
Research characteristics (RNZHD)
Examples
• Research areas in scope
• Research better aligned with other RIS
• FAQ
Selection of RIS
• All applications
– Apply to one RIS
– Where research will have greatest impact on Goals and
priorities
• Programmes
– Can span RIS, but must state primary RIS
– Not in HD
• HRC will not reallocate applications
– Consider registering in others if uncertain
Avoid Falling into Wrong RIS
• 2014 ACs may penalise proposals in wrong RIS
– Max score of 1 for ‘Impact’ criterion if ‘out of scope’
• Read Investment Signals
Contracts and Budgets
Results from FR2013
and
Budgets for FR2014
Results 2013: Programmes
•
•
•
•
•
24 registered
18 applications in 7 Science Assessing Committees (SACs)
9 considered fundable by SACs
5 fundable by Programme Assessing Committee
5 funded (~ 30%)
– 1 HW
– 4 IOACC
Results 2013: Project EOI Applications
• 370 EOI in 4 RIS assessed by 11 committees
• 111 invited to submit full applications
HD
HW
IOACC
RHM
Total
EoI
47
139
162
22
370
Full
17
34
49
11
111
%
36.2
24.5
30.3
50
30
Results 2013: Project Full Applications
• 110 applications assessed by 8 SACs
• 33 Funded (30%)
RIS
HD
HW
IOACC
RHM
Total
Fundable
6
16
31
4
57
Not Fundable
9
18
19
7
53
Total
15
34
50
11
110
Funded
6
7
16
4
33
%
40
20.6
32.6
33.3
30
2014 Funding Round Budget
Contract Type
$M
Programme
25
5
Project
33
33
Emerging Researcher First Grant
1.5
10
Feasibility Study
1.0
6
Explorer Grant
0.45
3
#
Programme
• Objectives
– Support the long-term development of a health field
– Fund research with strategic, long-term vision
• Budget
– $5M, 5 years
• Eligibility
– > 3 Named Investigators with peer reviewed
contracts/track record
– may hold other grants
• Assessed by both SAC and PAC committees
Requirements for Programme Director
• PRG Director with ≤1 year remaining; or
• PRG director in last 5 years; or
• First NI on ≥2 PRJ grants from HRC or equivalents in last 4
years; or
• First NI on 1 HRC project begun in last 2 years, leading ≥ 2
First NI on PRJ grants from HRC or equivalents in the last 4
years;
• ≥ 0.2 FTE to this PRG; and
• Employed by a NZ organisation and residing in NZ
Programme
• Not available for Health Delivery RIS
• Permission may be given for a Programme bid from
a team not meeting the PRG criteria
– consultation with HRC before registration
– specific research domains; e.g. a clinical trial
• HRC currently has 27 active programmes
– 16 are 5 year contracts
• 6 PH/9 BM/1 MH
Project – two-stage application: EOI and Full
• Objective: Support individuals/Teams to address
well-defined research questions
• Budget: ≤$1.2 M, generally for 3 years
– for shorter contracts, budget at average $0.4 M pa
– FR2013: Average budget = $1.0 M
Emerging Researcher First Grants
Full Application: 30 August – 27 September 2013
•Objective: Working expenses for emerging researchers
•Budget: ≤$150,000, ≤3 years
– Excludes support for a postgraduate degree
•Eligibility of PI:
–
–
–
–
without a contract for research expenses of ≥$100,000
normally no more than 6 years from attaining a postgraduate degree
Applicants must justify how they fit this category
Developing an independent research stream
•FR2013 results: 10/34 applications (30%)
Feasibility Study
Full Application: 30 August – 27 September 2013
•Objective: Support small studies that test feasibility
issues affecting a planned, larger study
•Budget: ≤$150,000, 12 months
•Eligibility: Public health or clinical research
•FR2013: 6/31 funded (~20%)
Explorer Grant
Full Application: 11 October – 1 November 2013
• Objective: provide seed support for transformative
research ideas at an early stage
• Budget: <$150,000 working expenses, < 24
months
• Eligibility: host support, RIS
• FR2013: 3/116 funded
Career Development Awards
•
•
•
•
•
Clinical Practitioner Research Fellowship (CPRF)
Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship
Clinical Research Training Fellowship (CRTF)
Foxley Fellowship
Girdlers’ New Zealand HRC Fellowship
• Māori Health Research Career Development Awards
• Pacific Health Research Career Development Awards
Clinical Practitioner Research
Fellowship
Registration/Application: 5 June – 3 July 2013
• Objective
– Strengthen health care practice and health services
– Support translation of research into clinical practice
• Budget
– $50K/year expenses, < 5 years
• Eligibility
– Citizens/residents been engaged in clinical practice for
10-20 years, leadership, 0.3-0.5 FTE
– FR2013: 2/10 funded
Sir Charles Hercus Health Research
Fellowship
Registration/Application: 5 June – 3 July 2013
•Objective:
– Intended to build future capability to conduct world-class
research
– Support research stars whose scientific fields have the
potential to contribute to health/economic goals for
government’s investment
•Budget: ≤ $0.5M, ≤ 4 yrs
•Eligibility: Citizens/residents, 4-8 years post-PhD, 0.5-1.0 FTE
•FR2013: 3/13 funded
Clinical Research Training Fellowship
Registration/Application: 5 June – 3 July 2013
•Objectives:
– support health professionals to undertake a PhD or
equivalent
– provide a training that will combine academic research
with course clinical experience
•Budget: ≤$250,000 (pro rata if <3 years)
•Eligibility: Citizens/residents, medical/dental graduates,
psychologists and nurses
•FR2013: 7/18 funded
Foxley Fellowship
Registration/Application: 5 June – 3 July 2013
• Objectives
– enable health professionals to undertake a sabbatical in NZ
– enhance links between HRC-funded research and health care
delivery and/or health policy
• Budget: Salary + <$20,000 research costs, 1-2 years
• Eligibility: > 0.2 FTE, health professionals with > 5 years
experience
Not to be used to fund a degree
Girdlers’ New Zealand HRC Fellowship
Registration/Application: 5 June – 3 July 2013
• Objective
– provide advanced research experience
– bring benefit to the health sciences in NZ
• Budget: ~£45,000 pa (salary + other costs, travel), 2 years
• Eligibility: citizen, PhD or equivalent, < 5 years experience
HRC funding and ethical approval
• Required for release of funding
• Cannot be extended from one contract to another
• Should be specifically linked to HRC contract
number
• More information www.hrc.govt.nz
Research contract obligations
• Final reports from past 5 years required at full application
• Media/News items (Suzy Botica: sbotica@hrc.govt.nz)
On-line reporting process - data
• Use top menu bar to update outputs for your profile
• Select research contract
• Enter info: milestones, progress etc
• Select outputs in main menu
specific to contract
Online reporting process - submission
Completed: PI click to finish report
Forwarded: PI forward
report to RO (PDF generated)
Signed off: RO sign off report
& submit to the HRC
Final reports & future impact
– Includes discoveries & achievements, workforce development,
outcomes & impact, dissemination & knowledge transfer
– Help identify newsworthy findings & demonstrate the benefits
of funding health research & continued investment
– Note all outputs specific to contract – reported to Ministry
(Publications, impacts on policy, conference, media)
•
– HRC retains 3 month payments until report received
– Compliance could determine future funding
Submitting Your Project Expression of Interest
(EOI)
www.hrc.govt.nz
EASY
On-line submission system, EASY
• Must log on
• If a new user - create a user account
• Research Office can reset passwords
Project EOI Forms (GA214S, RHM214S)
• Section 1: General Information
• Section 2: Proposed Research
• Section 3: CV
• Section 4: Lay Summary (design method, e.g. RCT)
• Section 5: Research Classifications
EOI Form: GA214S
Section 2 Proposed Research
• HW, IOACC, HD RIS
3 pages limit + 1 page for references
•
•
•
•
•
Rationale for Research
Design & Methods
Research Impact
Responsiveness to Māori
Expertise & Track Record
Submitting Your Full Application
www.hrc.govt.nz
EASY
Forms and Guidelines
• Programme, PA214
• Project, GA214F
• Feasibility Study, FS214
• Emerging Researcher First Grant, FG214
• Career Development Award, HRC-CDA
• Explorer Grant, EX214
• Budget file, HRC214budget.xls
See separate guideline document for each
Tips for grant writing
• Think about writing your grants earlier
• Ensure grants are well written, with well-structured
paragraphs
• Make your objectives clear, realistic and achievable
• Include design and power calculation details at EOI stage
• Experience with techniques/preliminary data
• Include an appropriate budget and timeline
• Describe your impact on RIS (only have to meet one goal)
• Provide appropriate responsiveness to Māori
Tips for grant writing
• Good team with appropriate FTE, skills and collaborations
• Sell your team more and give more background to why
someone is needed
• Engage with stakeholders and end-users
• Clear roles of NZ NIs within a large international study
• Remember SAC includes discipline specific and broadly
experienced members
• Read Generic Feedback after EOI stage
http://www.hrc.govt.nz/news-and-media/news/generic-feedback-eoi-stage-2014annual-funding-round
• Check spelling and grammar, and have it proof read
Application & assessment process for
Projects
External review
EOI results:
7 Oct 2013
Registration
9 July 2013
Rebuttal
26 Feb-7 Mar 2014
SAC
EOI
26 July 2013
SAC
Full Application
20 Nov 2013
GAC
HRC Board
Work to Research Office due dates!
Outcome
June 2014
Application & assessment process for
Programmes
External review
Registration
29 Aug 2013
Rebuttal
26 Feb-7 March 2014
SAC
Full Application
16 Oct 2013
PAC
GAC
Board
Work to Research Office due dates!
Outcome
June 2014
Application & assessment process for
ERFG/FS
Registration
29 Aug 2013
Full Application
27 Sept 2013
External review
(ERFG)
Rebuttal (ERFG)
14-24 Feb 2014
SAC
(ERFG/FS)
Board
Work to Research Office due dates!
Outcome
May 2014
Science Assessing Committees (SAC)
• Project EOI
~12 SAC with ~10-12 members
• Project
~ 9 SAC with ~ 6-10 members
• Programme
1 PAC: multi-disciplinary
•
•
•
•
Emerging Researcher First Grant
Feasibility Study
Career Development Award
Explorer Grant
Grant Approval Committee (GAC)
• Recommend Fundable Projects/PRG to HRC Board
• Guided by
– Ranked SAC scores
– RIS budgets (flexible)
– Split between Projects & Programmes
Changes for 2014
• Eligibility for Clinical Practitioner Research Fellowship
• Emerging Researcher First Grant (Eligibility,
Assessment)
• NIs cannot be added after due date of Project EOI
registration
Details all updated in Peer Review Manual and
CDA Peer Review Manual and Guidelines
Any queries?
• Peer Review Manual/CDA Peer Review Manual
2013
• Guidelines
www.hrc.govt.nz
info@hrc.govt.nz
Level 3, ProCare Building, 110 Stanley Street, Auckland
Email: firstinitialsurname@hrc.govt.nz