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/