HealthResearchAcceleratorAwardGuidanceNotesforApplicants

Purpose of the Scheme

TheHealthResearchAcceleratorAwardschemeistargetedatacademicsacrossthefourHealth ResearchCentres(ManchesterMetropolitanUniversity)andacademicswithintheFaculty of Biology, Medicine and Health(UniversityofManchester)toforgecollaborativeresearchwhich addressesahealthresearchproblemofstrategicsignificancewithinthetwoUniversitiesand thatcouldpotentiallyleadtoasignificantresearchcollaborationwithexternalfunding.These awardsshouldbeusedaspump-primingfundstoforgeandnurturenewcollaborationsacross thetwoinstitutionswiththeintentionofprovidingpreliminarydatatoapplyforexternal fundingtoamajorfundingagencyorcharity.Itisexpectedthatanyprojectsawardedwill apply for externalfollowonfunding within24months after theawardhas beenmade.

Theschemewillfocusonprojectsthatfallwithinthebroaddefinitionof“healthresearch”.Any projectmustoutlineavisionaryresearchtopicwithstrategicimportancetothehealthresearch problemtobeaddressedandmusthavestrategicfitwithintheleadorganization.Theproject mustbeledbyaPrincipalInvestigator(substantiveorfixedterm*appointment)withineither FacultyandmustincludeanEarlyCareerResearcher1asaco-applicant.Themaximumawardis upto£10,000andmustbespentwithin 12months ofthe awardbeing made.

A maximumof five awardswill bemade inthe firstinstance.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Researcherswho holda substantive contractofemploymentwithineitherUniversity mustbe theleadPrincipal Investigator.
  • One oftheCo-Investigatorsmustbe anEarlyCareer Researchers (seefootnote for definition)
  • Co-Investigatorswho holdanhonorary contractwitheitherorganisation.
  • Externalcollaboratorsmaybe included as aCo-Investigatorontheapplication.
  • ResearchersoutsidethetwoprimaryFacultiesmay alsobe includedas aCo- Investigator.

Funding Arrangements

FundingwillbeadministeredfromtheInstitutionoftheLeadPI.Theprojectmuststartwithin3 months oftheawardletterbeingissued.Therewill be nocompromiseonthis.

1DefinitionofanEarlyCareerResearcherisupto10yearspost-doc

*PrincipalInvestigatorsmustholdafixed-termcontractforthedurationoftheaward

SpendCompletionDate

Themaximumprojectperiodis12monthsandallprojectexpendituremustbecompletedby theenddatestatedintheapplicationform.Anyunspentfundswillbereturned tothefundpot andbe reallocated tootherrounds, whereappropriate. A 6 month interim and final report will be required from the PI.

Costing andeligiblecosts

TheawardwillonlycoverdirectlyincurredcostsandisnotsubjecttofEC.Allprojectsmust haveappropriatesign-offandapprovalbeforebeingsubmitted.Giventhefundingpotis generatedfrominternalfunds,thenormalapprovalprocesswillNOTbenecessary,butasignaturefromtheHeadofSchool/Institute/Divisionindicatingapprovalforsubmissiontothescheme mustbe obtained on the application formbysubmission.

Eligible costsinclude but are notlimitedto:

DirectlyIncurred:Staff costs(RA timeonly including%timeof acurrentemployee) PPI/PE activity costs

Small equipment Consumables

Travelandsubsistence

Bidmeetings andplanningevents Joint-health relatedconferences

Meetingpotentialexternalcollaborators

All costsmustbejustifiedandvirementwill beallowable withinthe budget.

ProjectBudget: Project costs must be discussed with appropriate Research

DevelopmentManagers(MMU)orResearchSupport Managers/Officers (FBMHS)andprovide evidenceonrequest.

Total ProjectCosts: Thesearethosecostsdirectlyassociatedwiththeproject,in

the eligiblecost headings outlined above.

Assessmentof applications

ApplicationswillbeassessedbyajointUniversityscientificcommitteecomprisingmembers whoareresearchactiveinhealthresearch,professionalpractitionersandlaymembersof the local community.

Assessmentwill takeintoaccount:

  • The strategic fitof theresearchprojector activitybeingproposed
  • The potential long-term benefits of the collaboration and the likelihood of successfulexternal funding.
  • Thestrengthsoftheproposedcollaboratorsinrelationtotheresearchproject or activity proposed.

Application Submission

ThedeadlineforapplicationsisFriday30thSeptember2016 at5pm. Furtherinformationor advice oneligibilitycanbesoughtfrom:

KellyLavender-Smith,ResearchDevelopmentManager,ResearchKnowledgeExchange (RKE),ManchesterMetropolitanUniversityemail: telephone:0161 247 2927

Katy Boyle, Project Officer to the Vice Dean for Research and Innovation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester email: telephone: 0161 275 1360

(forMMU applicants)(forFBMH applicants)

Further informationregardingtheHealthResearch Accelerator Award canbe foundat accelerator-award/