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SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH GRANTSInformation and Guidance to Applicants

SECTION A BackgroundVision Mission Research Priorities for 2018 – 2023

SECTION B Eligibility for grant awardsSECTION C Eligible costsSECTION D SRC application process 2019-20SECTION E Criteria for the evaluation of applications

Scientific qualityValue for moneyBenefits to people of Northern IrelandBenefits to NICHS

SECTION F The application processSECTION G Detailed guidance to applicants

Completing the form – style and word limitsCompleting the form – Plain English 1. Applicant details2. Summary of project3. Lay description of proposal3.1 lay summary3.2 research justification Clinical / health professional involvement3.3 Lay representative section4.1 Summary of support requested4.2 ethical approval 4.3 Summary of third party involvement5. Proposed investigation6. Registration of the study7. Patient and Public InvolvementSummary of NICHS involvement 8. Related applications9. Commercial involvement10.1 Management plan 10.2 Project milestones 10.3 project deliverables 11 Details of support requested12. Justification of resources13. Dissemination plan 14. Impact of the project15. Suggested peer reviewers16. Institution or Authority17. Curriculum vitae 18. Declaration 19. Checklist

SECTION H Procedure once grants have been awardedSECTION I Additional information

Draft Version | NICHS | 26/04/2019 of 24

A. BACKGROUND [back to contents]

Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke’s (NICHS) overall vision is one where everyone in

Northern Ireland can live life to the full, free from chest, heart and stroke illnesses. We aim to

achieve this vision by funding research to further develop our understanding and knowledge

about how to prevent, diagnose and treat chest, heart and stroke illnesses.

Vision [back to contents]

A Northern Ireland free from chest, heart and stroke illnesses

Mission [back to contents]

Leading the fight against chest, heart and stroke illnesses in Northern Ireland

GoalsBy 2023, we will have:

contributed to a 25% decrease in the number of deaths from preventable chest, heart

and stroke illnesses

doubled the number of people who benefit from our services

Our purposeOur activities fall under four broad categories

Care Health Promotion

Providing excellent support services to people affected by chest, heart and stroke illnesses & their carers in NI

Contributing & working collaboratively with others to prevent avoidable chest, heart

and stroke illnesses in NI

Policy & Campaigning Research & Impact

Putting chest, heart and stroke conditions at the heart of Government

policy agendas

Increasing knowledge and identifying better ways to prevent, treat and care for people

affected by chest, heart and stroke conditions

About our researchWe have been funding research for over 60 years, increasing knowledge and identifying better

ways to prevent, treat, and care for people who have been affected by these conditions. Our

work has led to the development of new health services, treatment guidelines, policy changes

and scientific knowledge that have improved the lives of thousands of people within Northern

Ireland.

We are committed to strengthening research capacity within Northern Ireland, particularly in

areas that address critical gaps in research evidence and that is aligned with our strategy.


Research Priorities for 2018 – 2023 [back to contents]

Our new research strategy builds on our strengths and achievements to date and sets out our

new strategic themes, priorities and actions for the next five years that align with our new

Strategic Plan 2018 – 2023. The diagram below outlines five strategic themes, vision and

mission in our new research strategy.

Over the next five years, this strategy will focus our efforts on the following five strategic priorities

(refer to Research & Impact Strategy https://nichs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Research-

Strategy-2018-2023-final-update-mar2019.docx).

1. To fund high-quality local research that will deliver tangible benefits

2. To use our research to influence policy and services

3. To develop and explore working in partnership in areas which will provide greater benefit

4. To inform people about the difference that our research makes

5. To ensure that NICHS Research programme and charitable activities achieve impact for the

people of NI.


https://nichs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Research-Strategy-2018-2023-final-update-mar2019.docx

https://nichs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Research-Strategy-2018-2023-final-update-mar2019.docx

B. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT AWARDS [back to contents]

We will only fund research that is delivered by local researchers, with demonstrable high

scientific quality and design, and which is likely to produce results that are relevant to our

vision, values and strategic goals.

Importantly, our focus is on research that has measurable impact for people at risk or

living with chest, heart, and stroke conditions.

Ideally, your research will show a measurable, real world impact within five years.

Similarly, our emphasis is on research with benefits relating to improvements to services,

tangible benefits to the individuals and those who care for them, and wider community

societal or economic benefits.

Whilst we acknowledge the importance of animal research / models, we currently do not

fund these.

This funding programme is open to: researchers (i.e. Principal Investigators) who are located within Northern Ireland;

conducting research, involving people or of direct import to people, into chest, heart,

and stroke conditions.

This programme does not fund Research conducted by researchers located in institutions outside Northern Ireland

Animal model research

Research not directly applicable to the areas of chest, heart, and stroke.

There are no minimum formal qualifications required to submit an application. However,

applicants must demonstrate A professional / academic interest in the fields of chest, heart and stroke illness.

that they can manage the research effectively;

that they are suitably experienced;

that they have access to resources and facilities where necessary; and

that they will be actively engaged in all phases of the planning, conducting, reporting and

dissemination of the research.

Additional information Whilst the principal applicant must work for a local institution, researchers from

institutions outside Northern Ireland may be included in proposals as Co-Investigators.

Proposals involving less experienced researchers should normally be made in


collaboration with more senior colleagues.

Individuals can hold more than one NICHS grant at a time.

C. ELIGIBLE COSTS [back to contents]

The only costs that may be included in the application are those directly incurred in the

conduct of the research.

Grants are awarded on the understanding that host institutions will cover all directly

allocated and indirect costs such as estate costs, office support costs, the costs of support

staff, and the costs of existing tenured staff who may be involved in the conduct of the

research in any capacity.

Eligible costs may include the salaries of staff employed wholly and solely on the grant and

the accompanying employer’s national insurance and pension contributions. Any pay

increases in the course of the grant that may arise from annual increments or cost-of-living

pay awards should be anticipated in the application.

Grants are not intended to be used for merit awards or payments for maternity, sickness or

compassionate leave, or redundancy. The costs of consumables, travel expenses and other

items directly incurred on the research may be included; however, equipment costs are not

usually funded.

Grants may not be used for virement.

D. SRC APPLICATION PROCESS 2019-2020 [back to contents]

Submission window This year the submission window is open from 3 June 2019. It closes 23 August 2019. All

applications go through an administrative check to ensure that they have been completed in

compliance with the regulations set out in the guidance.

Peer review processEach application is evaluated by peer review (by at least 2 external peer reviewers). This

information is collated and subject for further internal peer review by members of our Scientific

Research Committee (SRC).

Scientific Research CommitteeThe SRC is responsible for the evaluation of applications for research grants, and for overseeing

the progress of research funded via these grants. The SRC, which currently has thirteen

members, includes those with expertise relevant to the prevention, detection and treatment of


chest, heart and stroke illness, and lay representation.

The SRC usually meets in January along with two service users to conduct the final evaluation,

scoring and ranking of the applications. The Committee make their final recommendations taking

into consideration the peer review scores and comments for all the applications received. The

committee also take into account the priorities of NICHS, including comments from the Senior

Leadership Team about an application’s strategic fit; likely impact; level of involvement of

patients and public; and overall research design and scientific quality, when making

recommendations for funding when reviewing all applications received.

Final decision The Committee recommends to NICHS Governance Board which research projects should be

awarded funding. The Governance Board makes the final decision for allocating funding to the

successful research projects. See timeline below.


ADMINISTRATIVE CHECK

E. CRITERIA FOR THE EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS [back to contents]

Grant proposals are assessed against the following criteria.

#1 Scientific quality #2 Value for money

#3 Potential impact for the people of Northern Ireland

#4 Potential impact forNICHS

Scientific quality [back to contents]

The application must show that the research is of the highest quality and that the

applicants have the appropriate expertise and facilities to carry it out.

Applicants should set the proposed research in context in terms of the current state of

knowledge and other work under way in the field. The background should be up-to-date

and concisely outline the context for the work.

The aims and objectives must be unambiguous, and it must be clear when these have

been achieved.

Hypotheses must be clear and appropriate for meeting the objectives.

The research proposal should clearly state how it is ambitious, creative and innovative in

addressing key research challenges.

The proposal should clearly identify the importance of the research in relation to other

work in Northern Ireland and internationally, as appropriate.

High quality research design is critical, and the SRC places considerable emphasis on

scientific quality in their internal peer review / decision making. Additionally, your application

goes out to independent external peer review, and the feedback from this process is used in

decision making.

The SRC encourages applicants to involve appropriately qualified / experienced people in the

design phase of their application - particularly in relation to research design, methodology and

statistical analysis - before submission.

Value for money [back to contents]

As a charity, we have a legal and moral duty to manage funds prudently. Given that our research

is funded by public donations, you must clearly demonstrate that the money invested in your

research will yield a high quality study with real world application. You must demonstrate strong


planning, including for contingencies, in your proposed use of resources.

Be clear. Show planning and forethought in resource allocation. Be realistic about what you can

achieve with the money. Provide a strong justification for the decisions you make re. resources.

Your application should have a clear, logical management plan to demonstrate how you

will efficiently deploy all resources, including staff, to deliver high quality research outputs

that have the potential to induce a step-change in the knowledge of the subject area

In order to effectively monitor progress the project must have clearly defined milestones,

realistic deliverables, and realistic timeframes

Your application must clearly outline key roles and responsibilities of all staff.

You must demonstrate clear contingency planning

Remember, the information you provide in your application will be used to determine whether

realistic, and whether the scientific potential and likely impact justifies funding on the scale

requested.

Benefits to people of Northern Ireland [back to contents]

Potential impact and benefits to the people of Northern Ireland should be described,

clearly identifying the population group or groups that are the major intended beneficiaries,

and with an indicative timeframe for the delivery of these benefits.

Examples of potential impact and value could include the following: advancement of

knowledge expertise relevant to the prevention, detection and treatment of chest, heart

and stroke illness; clinical and/ or policy implications; service development / improvement;

economic and community benefits.

PPI (personal and public involvement) It is important that your proposed research, where practicable, involves patients and the public. It

should be clear from your application that you have given due thought to involving patients and

the public. You must demonstrate how you will build this involvement into your research, and you

must provide justification if you decide not to involve patients / public.

Involvement is distinct from participation or engagement. Involvement necessitates active

involvement in research design and delivery. Examples of PPI include active involvement:

as co-applicants;

in feasibility / design process;

with steering or advisory groups to monitor project management;

in the development of participant recruitment strategies, information resources, and

research materials;


as researchers in wider coproduction approach; and

in dissemination / promotion of the research.

Also, your application should clearly stipulate how you will access these groups and whether you

anticipate NICHS being involved in facilitating access.

Where possible, the research proposal should also be sustainable beyond the lifetime of the

grant and have significant impact beyond its immediate group.

Benefits to NICHS [back to contents]

The proposal should clearly outline how the research will directly benefit NICHS and must clearly demonstrate how your research will help us achieve our strategic goals.

Communication Communicating simply and effectively to our stakeholders and the wider public the benefits of

the research we fund is critical. As well as our own communication / fundraising activities, we

require successfully funded institutions / research teams to actively communicate the progress

and impact of their work. By working in partnership, we can demonstrate that funding research

brings about real benefits. In doing so, we provide justification for the continued funding of the

Grant programme, and consequently, can help generate more income towards funding research.

To this end, your proposal should clearly state how you (research team) / your institutes will

actively promote your research and its impact on NICHS’s behalf;

assist NICHS in any publicity aimed at raising the profile of the research;

assist NICHS in any fundraising relating to research; and

raise the profile of NICHS and the scientific grants process


F. THE APPLICATION PROCESS [back to contents]

Potential applicants will be advised to obtain the current versions of the application form and

guidance. These can be requested:

by email, from George Quinn Interim Research and Impact Manager at NICHS,

[email protected]; or

online: https://nichs.org.uk/researchgrants/

Application forms should be completed following the detailed guidelines on content format and

style, described below (Section F).

Closing date for all applications is 4.00pm, 23 August 2019.

Any applications received after 4.00pm this date will not be accepted.

Applicants must submit the following:

Five completed, signed copies, including the original application;

One hard copy of the Chief Investigator’s and Co-Investigators’ current CV

One electronic copy of the application in Microsoft word format.

NICHS will not accept

incomplete or incorrectly completed application forms.

Applications that do not adhere to the stipulations above.

Return to:George Quinn, Research & Impact Manager

21 Dublin Road, Belfast, BT2 7HB

Email: [email protected]

Applications are judged solely on the information contained within the application form, the

research protocol and the CV(s). No other information will be accepted, either in addition or in

lieu of the required application.

A checklist is available at the end of this document.

G. DETAILED GUIDANCE TO APPLICANTS [back to contents]


mailto:[email protected]

https://nichs.org.uk/researchgrants/

mailto:[email protected]

Completing the form – style and word limits

In order to treat all applicants equally, NICHS must enforce strictly the prescribed format

requirements including font size, font type and word limits.

Applications should only be made using the current application form, and

completed using the font Arial 11 Point.

All sections must be completed, and word limits and space limits respected. However,

applicants should not regard these limits as targets, bearing in mind that it is often

preferable to readers if the information is clearly laid out and concise, rather than verbose.

Applications flagrantly not adhering to these general guidelines will be rejected on initial

checking and removed from the process.

Completing the form – Plain English [back to contents]

Equally important as meeting the four criteria, is the manner in which you present your

application.

Communicating our work to the wider community is critical to what we do. This means

communicating clearly and simply to donors and public, articulating why research is worth

investing in, and showing that it improves services and lives.

In terms of the decision-making process, clear communication increases the chances of a strong

application being accepted. It is important to note that whereas the SRC members possess a

range of skills and expertise, they may not necessarily be experts in your specific field.

Additionally, the SRC has two lay representatives, and our Senior Leadership Team considers

all applications and comments on strategic fit. Communicate clearly and in an accessible

manner.

Applications must provide clear and concise details of what the project involves.

Specific sections (e.g. lay summary) must describe the proposed research in a way that

will be clear to those who do not have a grasp of medical or scientific terminology.

More generally, throughout the application form, we recommend adopting a “Plain English”

approach to ensure that your work can be communicated to a wide range of audiences.

Additional information:

www.access2understanding.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Access-to-

Understanding-writing-guidance_v1.pdf

http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/howto.pdf


http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/files/howto.pdf

SPECIFIC POINTS RELATING TO APPLICATION FORM

The following sections are numbered to correspond to the numbering of the sections of the

Application Form and should be read in combination with any guidance given on the Form.

SECTION 1 Applicant details [back to contents]

1.1: The Principal Applicant

This person is the main applicant, responsible for the project, and primary contact. This person must take responsibility for ensuring that the project will be completed.

The PI must be based (i.e. work for) an institution within Northern Ireland.

All correspondence will be directed to the Principal Applicant as named on the application

form.

Contingency planning must be explicit in your application. In the event that the Principal

Investigator leaves their post prior to the end of the project, suitable arrangements must

be clearly stated in the application form that ensure the responsibilities for all phases of

the research will be covered by other members of the research team in the hosting

institution.

You are required to nominate an alternate Principal Applicant from your list of co-

applicants.

1.2 Co-Applicants

Co-applicants can include individuals from outside the Principal Applicant’s institution and

from outside Northern Ireland. They should have a clearly defined role in the project.

It is highly recommended that the project team should include at least one individual with a

proven track record in statistics or data analysis relevant to the project.

Add additional co-applicants, if necessary, on the sheet at the end of application.

SECTION 2 Summary of project [back to contents]

Please provide: 2.1. Title of investigation. The title should be clear, concise and avoid excessive jargon.

2.2. Abstract. This should be a maximum of 250 words. The summary should concisely

outline the background, aims, methods to be employed and the anticipated impact of the

results.

2.3 – 2.5. Start date, duration, amount requested. Indicate the approximate start date,

duration of the project (in months), and the overall total of grant requested (in sterling).


SECTION 3 Lay description of proposal [back to contents]

3.1 Lay Summary. This should be no more than 250 words max.

The lay summary is often used for publicity, and if your application is successful, the

summary will be used on NICHS website.

The SRC places much emphasis on the information in this section.

As previously noted, it should be written in such a manner to be accessible to a range of

audiences: the SRC (which includes two patient and public involvement representatives);

Senior Leadership Team; and members of the public who access our publicity / website.

It is also worth noting that many reviewers use this summary to inform their review of

your funding application.

As a minimum, this should be written in non-technical language, and should give a clear

account of what you intend to do, why it matters, and what difference it will make. It

should not exceed 250 words and should be suitable for wider, non-technical reviewers.

A “Plain English” approach is recommended.

A good quality plain English summary providing an easy to read overview of your whole study

will help:

those carrying out the review (reviewers and board and panel members) to have a better

understanding of your research proposal;

inform others about your research such as members of the public, health professionals,

policy makers and the media; and

the research funders to publicise the research that they fund.

If the SRC feel that your plain English summary is not clear and of a good quality then your application may be rejected.

3.2 Research justification [back to contents]

This section should not exceed 250 words.

Each research study should have a clear justification regardless of the nature of the topic.

It is important to clearly state why the proposed research should be undertaken.

It is essential to show the need for this new study. Ensuring that the proposed study is not

a duplication of other research studies already carried out.

It is important to demonstrate on how the study is innovative and the uses of the

anticipated results.

It should clearly demonstrate the likely real world impact and why this is needed

Clinical / health professional involvement [back to contents]


Please outline whether you intend to involve – and in what ways - clinicians or health

professionals in the planning and/or delivery of your proposed research, including access to

study participants. Please outline whether there has been clinical / health professional

involvement in developing your proposal.

3.3 Lay representative section [back to contents]

We believe that involving patients and members of the public in research can lead to questions

and studies that better meet people's needs and are more likely to be put into practice.

Throughout the application we want to see how patients and people have already been and will

be involved in your research. Most importantly we want to find out how this research will impact

on patients, carers and members of the public.

This section has been specifically designed by the lay representatives on the SRC. Like section

3.1 (Lay Summary), it is important that responses are in layman’s terms.

Once again, a “Plain English” approach is recommended.

As a minimum, this should be written in non-technical language, and should give a clear

account of

what you intend to do;

how you will involve patients, carers, and the public meaningfully in your

research;

why it matters – why is it important to the people of Northern Ireland?; and

what difference it will make for patients, carers, and their families in real terms.

There are four questions in this section. Each section should not exceed 150 words.

SECTION 4 Summary of support requested [back to contents]

4.1 Summary of support (£)This section should provide a summary of the data in Section 12, “Justification of resources”.

Summary of support for staff, consumables, travel, subsistence, and exceptional items,

should be listed (in sterling) for each year of the project.

Please note, NICHS does not usually support the cost of equipment.

4.2 Ethical approval You are required to have ethical approval in place by the start date of your project. We

understand that approval may be subject to being awarded a grant. The typical period of time

between award of grant and start date is 6 months. So, for those who do not have approval at

time of application, you have a 6 month window within which to secure approval.


In terms of completing the application form:

Ethical approval, if received or otherwise, should be stated.

Specifically, you should state whether ethical approval will be in place by your proposed

start date

If ethical approval will not be in place for your proposed start date, please provide a

justification, including a statement of what ethical approval is being sought, at what stage

this is at, and anticipated date secured. If not currently seeking approval, when do you

intend to do.

Applications without approval at start date (or a clear plan to have it in place by

proposed start date) may be rejected.

The lead researcher (i.e. the principal applicant) is responsible for deciding whether

ethical approval is required, which ethics review procedure is applicable, and ensuring

these are in place for the start of the proposed research.

Where you have yet to secure ethical approval, NICHS reserves the right to withdraw an

award where changes stemming from ethical review significantly modify the structure of

your proposal.

4.3 Sub-contractors [back to contents]

Subcontracted provision is any aspect of the funded research that will be delivered by a third

party external to the applicant institutions (as listed in Section 1). A sub-contractor is contracted

by the applicants to carry out work or provide a service, for example app or web design, for the

project. They are being paid a set amount for a set piece of work.

Any proposed subcontracted work should be clearly described and costed and must adhere to

eligible costs outlined in Section C. These costs must form part of the overall amount applied for.

• Funding of subcontractors should be stated in sterling and as a % of the overall applied

amount. We reserve the right to reject any application where the subcontracted amounts

are deemed excessive.

• All sub-contracted work should be subjected to external competition to ensure best value

for money through competitive purchasing processes. Where this is not possible

because of the specialist nature of the work involved, it must be fully justified in the

justification of resources.

• The PA / institution is responsible for managing and delivering any grant awarded,

including subcontracted services.

• If you plan to subcontract any part of the proposed research to a third party, a formal

contract must be in place before work can commence.

• All issues pertaining to Intellectual Property and all other aspects of contracting are


subject to the terms and conditions issued by NICHS to any successful applicants.

SECTION 5 Proposed investigation. [back to contents]

This section:

1. must not exceed five A4 pages in total (excluding pages for references)

2. no more than two additional sheets for references

3. should be typed in font Arial 11.

4. Small, legible diagrams may be included

5. In line references should be provided, using the Harvard or Vancouver system.

6. The authors and affiliations of any unpublished results that are cited should also be

included in the reference list.

7. Applications which fail to comply with these requirements will not be accepted.

To give your application the best possible chance of being accepted – design it well. There are

no prescribed headings, and whilst detailed descriptions of routine methods or procedures are

not required, this section should show:

A well-defined research question

A clear understanding of current knowledge (and gaps) in your domain of

interest.

Evidence justifying the need for your study

Clearly defined aims, objectives and a demonstration of how your hypotheses

are appropriate for meeting these objectives.

Clearly describe your research design, including timeframes and

contingencies. Ensure design is appropriate to the type of question asked

It is vital to add as much detail as possible on design and methodology,

including justification of sample size, power calculations and sample selection

and exclusion criteria where applicable.

Provide a clear statement of justification for sampling decisions. Where sample

size calculations have been made, please provide enough information to allow

the sample size calculation to be independently verified.

Demonstrate that the research team are suitably experienced with access to resources

and facilities.

Applicants are encouraged to seek professional research design and statistical advice

before submission. The Scientific Research Committee is paying particular attention to

this requirement and has very high standards and expertise in this field.


SECTION 6 Registration of the study. [back to contents]

Registration on a publicly available database is very desirable. Please indicate if the study will be

registered and name the database, and give the Registration Number, if available. If NO, please

explain why not.

SECTION 7 Personal and Public Involvement. [back to contents]

NICHS considers it is important to involve patients and the public in the research studies that it

supports, insofar as is practicable. Please state:

Whether patients and the public be actively involved in the proposed research;

the ways in which the public will be actively involved in the proposed research; and

whether you intend to approach NICHS for assistance with PPI.

Use of NICHS staff / services / those who use our services (e.g. accessing clients for purposes

of PPI) may incur costs. These cannot be covered by any awarded money and must be costed

separately.

SECTION 8 Related applications [back to contents]

Give details if this application or a related application is currently being submitted elsewhere

and/or has previously been submitted elsewhere. If so, please indicate to which organisation, the

amount applied for, and the date when a decision is expected/what the outcome of the decision

was.

One of the five priorities of research strategy is partnership working to maximise impact. We

therefore welcome working with other organisations, co-funding from other sources, but we

require that your application shows that this is planned, coherent, and that any funding is

secured.

SECTION 9 Commercial involvement. [back to contents]

NICHS does not normally fund research that has chiefly commercial aims. However, each study

will be considered on its merits, and thus any relevant details should be given.

If yes please give full details on any potential gains, nature of the involvement, the names of the

directors of the company, the projected timescale to market, and any other information relevant

to this commercial relationship. (Continue on no more than one separate sheet if necessary)


SECTION 10 Project management. [back to contents]

Your application should have A clear, logical management plan to demonstrate how you will efficiently deploy all

resources including staff

clearly defined milestones, realistic deliverables, and realistic timeframes

clearly outline key roles and responsibilities.

clear contingency planning

10.1 Management plan. It is essential that the research is well managed, and that appropriate plans are in place to cover

contingencies such as:

the departure of the Principal Applicant from the host institution, or

the loss of other applicants.

Please outline the key roles and responsibilities of the members of the project team throughout

the project and describe any contingency plans.

10.2 Project milestones Milestones should be dated by month of the project. These are used to monitor progress.

Please provide an anticipated time scale for the project. This should include the

proposed start and end date for different stages of the project, e.g. sample selection,

data collection, data analysis.

Please indicate the date by which these will likely to be achieved and the person

responsible for ensuring this.

10.3 Project deliverables Deliverables are the outcomes of the project and may include the production of publicity material

and the dissemination of results by various means. We monitor the outcomes of the research

we fund on a regular basis. As part of the terms and conditions of grant awards, all grant holders

will need to submit outcome data to us using our research evaluation system

Please state the nature of deliverable, the date by which these will likely to be delivered,

and the Person responsible.

SECTION 11 Details of support requested. [back to contents]

Outline both the overall and annual costs associated with the projects for research, technical and

other staff.


https://www.bhf.org.uk/research/information-for-researchers/managing-your-grant/research-evaluation.aspx

11.1 & 11.2 state details of new staff to be employed on the project and related costs

11.3 state anticipated travel (number of journeys and number of days) and subsistence

with the UK and overseas

11.4 state exceptional items applied for in detail

Please provide total anticipated annual costs across the project.

SECTION 12 Justification of resources. [back to contents]

This section should not exceed 250 words.

Describe how the funding requested will be used to achieve the aims of the research.

As a charity, we have a legal and moral duty to manage funds prudently. Given that our research

is funded by public donations, you must clearly demonstrate that the money invested in your

research will yield a high-quality study with a real-world application. You must demonstrate

strong planning, including for contingencies, in your proposed use of resources.

Be clear. Show planning and forethought in resource allocation. Be realistic about what you can

achieve with the money. Provide a strong justification for the decisions you make re. resources.

Remember, the information you provide in your application will be used to determine whether the

proposal is realistic, and whether the scientific potential and likely impact justifies funding on the

scale requested.

SECTION 13 Dissemination plan. [back to contents]

Describe how you plan to assist NICHS in any publicity aimed at raising the profile of the project

and outline your plans for dissemination of results within Northern Ireland and further afield.

Please quantify outputs as far as possible and provide appropriate timelines. (250 words

maximum).

There are two sections. Do not exceed word count of 250 words in each section

13.1: Outline plans for the dissemination of results within Northern Ireland and further

afield (Please quantify outputs and provide timelines.)

13.2: Outline plans to actively promote NICHS role in funding your work, and how you

plan to assist NICHS in any publicity aimed at raising the profile of the project

SECTION 14 Impact of the project. [back to contents]

Content of this section should tie in with the lay section 3.3


The scientific committee in line with the Research Strategy will place much emphasis on the

information in this section. NICHS will only fund research that can show a potential impact and

benefit for people and their wider circle and that can help us achieve our vision for a Northern

Ireland that is free from Chest, Heart and Stroke illnesses. In your application: clearly identify the

intended beneficiaries; identify clearly in what ways they will benefit, real world terms; and

provide indicative timeframes for the delivery of benefits.

Outline how your research project relates to the current NICHS research strategy.

Specifically, how will it help us meet our strategic goals, improve services, and help those

living with / at risk of Chest, Heart, and stroke conditions.

Describe the likely short-term and longer-term potential impacts that will be directly

attributable to the project. What are the benefits, in real terms, for people living with or at

risk of Chest, Heart and Stroke illnesses, and their families and carers?

SECTION 15 Suggested peer reviewers. [back to contents]

Nominate at least three, preferably five, individuals who have the expertise to review this project.

Outline their areas of expertise and any relationships they may have with the applicants

that may lead to conflict of interest.

NICHS does not undertake to use these reviewers.

Reviewers must:

be familiar with the field of research

reside outside Northern Ireland and

should not be current or recent collaborators with the Chief Investigator or Co-

Investigators.

SECTION 16 Institution or Authority. [back to contents]

Provide details of the institution or authority who employs the Principal Applicant, and which will

administer any approved award.

SECTION 17 Applicants’ Curriculum vitae. [back to contents]

Please supply a CV for each applicant, this must be appended to the application form.


Each CV should be no more than ONE PAGE. CVs include the following information:

full name,

current position,

major academic and professional qualifications and memberships,

brief career history,

current research grants held,

research grants held in the past five years,

total number of publications to date, and

details of up to five recent relevant publications.

SECTION 18 Declaration. [back to contents]

This application should be submitted by /through the

a) Head of Department and

b) The Chief Financial Officer of the Health Trust, University or other organisation who will

be responsible for administering any grant that may be awarded.

Please ensure that this is fully completed and signed as required.

SECTION 19 Checklist [back to contents]

Please ensure the checklist is signed.


H. PROCEDURE ONCE GRANTS HAVE BEEN AWARDED [back to contents]

Applicants will be advised of the outcome of their grant application on or before March 2020. A

Start Certificate will be issued to successful grant holders. Terms and conditions of the grant will

also be issued. Reporting and monitoring requirements will be clearly outlined within the terms

and conditions of the grant award for successful applicants.

I. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION [back to contents]

Declarations of InterestWhen selecting scientific experts to review research proposals, the Research and Impact

Manager will consider possible conflicts of interest. Each reviewer is asked to identify any

possible conflicts of interest before they begin reviewing an application and to decline to review

an application if there are any. During SRC funding meetings, if a proposal presents a potential

conflict of interest from any of the scientific research committee members present, they must

leave the meeting room during discussion of the application and are not involved in any way in

the decision-making process.

ConfidentialityThe proposal and any associated papers submitted to NICHS are then forwarded ‘in confidence’

to the external reviewers and scientific research committee members. However, while assessing

proposals they may sometimes need to consult with colleagues, in confidence, about individual

applications.


[back to contents]

APPLICATION FORM CHECKLIST Please tick to confirm section completed / materials included, and sign.

Section 1 Applicants Principal Applicant contact details providedAll Co-Applicants listed, and contact details provided

Section 2 Summary of projectTitle of investigation Abstract (max 250 words)Start date of project Proposed durationTotal grant amount requested (£)

Section 3 Lay description of proposalA Plain English lay summary (max 250 words)Research justification (max 250 words)Lay representative section

Section 4 Summary of support requestedSection 5 Proposed investigation (no longer than 5 separate A4 sheets)Section 6 Study registrationSection 7 Patient and Public InvolvementSection 8 Related applicationsSection 9 Commercial involvementSection 10 Project Management

Management planProject milestonesProject deliverables

Section 11 Details of support requestedNew staff to be employed on the projectAnnual costs of above postsTravel and subsistenceExceptional items

Section 12 Justification of resources (max 250 words)Section 13 Dissemination plan (max 250 words)Section 14 Potential Impact of the projectSection 15 Peer Reviewers

Contact details for suggested peer reviewers: min 3, up to 5.Conflict of interest declared

Section 16 Institution/Authority contact details (employer of Principal Applicant)Section 17 Curriculum vitae for each applicantSection 18 Declaration

Head of Department/Institution SignatureSignature of Chief Financial Officer Signature

Return of applicationone copy of application sent by e-mail, signed, with all supporting materials five copies by post, signed, with all supporting materials

Name

Signature


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