Research Grants

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Research Grants Contracts Office

• Research Seminar
• Dept of History of Art and Screen Media
• Craig Bryce

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Summary

• Research Grants Contracts Office (RGCO)
• Funding Schemes
• FEC and Costing (briefly!)
• Internal procedures for approving applications
• Finding further information

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Research Grants Contracts Office (RGCO)

• The RGCO, part of Finance Dept, provides
  administrative, financial and support services
  related to externally funded research projects
• Pre award funding information, help with
  applications, approval, contract negotiation
• Post award project accounting, approval of
  posts, allocation of overheads, financial
  reporting, contracts with partners
• Policy development
• Management information
• Training and events

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Research Grants Contracts Office structure

Peter Westley Director of Finance
Liz Francis Head of RGCO
Craig Bryce Deputy Head
Sharon Bell Research Accounts Officer
Vacant Research and Enterprise Support Officer
George Eyre Research Support Officer
Rassi Pelpola Research Accounts Assistant
Marion Barthram Research Grants Assistant
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Research Grants Contracts Office structure

Liz Francis Head of RGCO
Applications
Craig Bryce Deputy Head
Sharon Bell Research Accounts Officer
Vacant Research and Enterprise Support Officer
George Eyre Research Support Officer
Rassi Pelpola Research Accounts Assistant
Marion Barthram Research Grants Assistant
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Research Grants Contracts Office structure

Liz Francis Head of RGCO
Project Accounting
Craig Bryce Deputy Head
Sharon Bell Research Accounts Officer
Vacant Research and Enterprise Support Officer
George Eyre Research Support Officer
Rassi Pelpola Research Accounts Assistant
Marion Barthram Research Grants Assistant
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Research Grants Contracts Office Dept of
History of Arts Screen Media

Liz Francis Head of RGCO
Craig Bryce Deputy Head
Sharon Bell Research Accounts Officer
Vacant Research and Enterprise Support Officer
George Eyre Research Support Officer
Rassi Pelpola Research Accounts Assistant
Marion Barthram Research Grants Assistant
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Birkbeck research funding

• 2010/11
• 239 applications (83 successful to date)
• Research Income 9,101,067
• 63 different funding bodies
• 206 active research projects throughout all
  Schools
• May 2012 contract value 57,911,029
• Dept of History of Art and Screen Media
• 2011/12 4 applications, 1 successful to date
• Income 2010/11 46k
• Currently 2 active projects, contract value 110k

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Birkbeck research applications 2010/11
Funder Type No. of apps Successful Unsuccessful Unknown Success to date
Research Councils, Royal Soc, British Academy 123 39 81 3 32
UK Based Charities 63 25 38 40
UK Govt 9 3 6 33
UK Industry , Commerce 1 1 100
EU 29 10 13 6 34
Overseas Other 14 5 9 36
Total 239 83 147 9 35
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Help with Applications

• Costing - salaries and overhead-type costs done
  on web-based costing system pFACT
• Approval done using workflow system on pFACT
• Electronic submission may need to set up an
  account, e.g Research Councils Joint Electronic
  Submission (Je-S) system
• Contractual arrangements
• Copies of previously successful applications for
  most schemes

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Funding Information

• Arts and Humanities Research Council
• British Academy
• Leverhulme Trust
• Others

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Arts and Humanities Research Council

• The Arts and Humanities Research Council AHRC
  supports world-class research that furthers our
  understanding of human culture and creativity.
• From ancient history and heritage science to
  modern dance and digital content.

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Arts and Humanities Research Council

• Research Grants
• Standard route 20,000 - 1,000,000 FEC, up to 5
  years. OPEN call
• Early Career route 20,000 - 250,000 FEC, up to
  5 years. OPEN call
• Research Networking Scheme For networks,
  workshops or seminars. Up to 30,000 FEC
  (additional 15,000 to cover international
  participants/activities), up to 2 years . OPEN
  call

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Arts and Humanities Research Council

• Research Grants - Decision take approximately 30
  weeks. Earliest start date for a project should
  be no earlier than 9 months after submission to
  the AHRC
• Eligibilty - PIs contract should go beyond
  project or assurance required from HEI that, if
  the proposal is successful, contract, or formal
  commitment to provide support if not employed at
  the organisation, will extend to beyond the end
  date of the grant
• From 1 April 2012- applications must include a PI
  and at least one co-I jointly involved in the
  proposal.
• AHRC funding guide -www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportun
  ities/Documents/Research20Funding20Guide.pdf

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Arts and Humanities Research Council

• Fellowship Scheme - Standard Early Career,
  50-250k FEC for salary and associated costs,
  6--24 months. OPEN call
• Follow on Funding (Pilot scheme) Supports
  engagement with non-HEI partners, based on
  research previously funded by the AHRC. Max
  120,000 FEC, up to 12 months. OPEN call

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British Academy

• The British Academy is the UKs national academy
  for the humanities and social sciences (inc.
  psychology).
• 2011/12 programmes budget 25m
• Strategic priorities 2008-2013
• Ideas, individuals and intellectual resources
• International engagement
• Communication and advocacy
• Fellowship

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British Academy

• BA / Leverhulme Small Research Grant scheme Up to
  10,000 research expenses.
• Postdoctoral Fellowship 3 year Fellowships, FEC.
  Deadline for outline applications is usually in
  October, 5 success rate
• Mid-Career Fellowship 160,000 FEC. 6-12 months
  funding available. Deadline for outline usually
  March and November.
• BA / Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship
  Replacement teaching costs, 1 year. (not FEC)
  Deadline is usually in November

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Leverhulme Trust

• Scholarship for the purposes of research and
  education
• Annual budget 60m
• Suitability of research applications to
  Leverhulme
• the originality of the proposed work
• courageous research (avoidance of the
  incremental and the applicants ability to take
  informed risk/blue skies research)
• a mixture of disciplines (blurring
  boundaries/lateral impact)
• individual exploration (hesitation with data
  banks/cataloguing)
• the impact of the research outcome on other
  fields of study and within the immediate field of
  research
• research design transcends traditional boundaries
• a departure from the established working patterns
  either of the individual or of the discipline

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Leverhulme Trust

• Research Project Grants Up to 3 years, 10,000 -
  250,000 Up to 5 years, 250,000 - 500,000,
  three deadlines per year.
• Programme Awards Up to 5 years, 1,750,000 max.
  Call date topic set by funder.
• International Networks UP to 3 years, max
  125,000, three deadlines per year.
• Artists in Residence UP to 15,000 for 10 months,
  two deadlines per year.

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Leverhulme Trust

• Early Career Fellowship 3yrs, 50 salary cost (to
  be matched by HEI) plus research expenses.
• Study Abroad Fellowship 3-12 months, up to
  22,000, replacement teaching research expenses
  
• Research Fellowship 3-24 months, up to 45,000,
  replacement teaching research expenses
• Major Research Fellowship in the Humanities
  Social Science 2-3yrs, replacement teaching
  research expenses
• Visiting Professorship 3-10 month visit to UK,
  travel costs subsistence allowance

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Europe

• Research mainly funded via 7th Framework
  Programme
• Co- operation - Collaborative Research Programme
• Collaborative/multi-national requirement
• Call driven
• Ideas - Frontier Research (European Research
  Council)
• Starting Grants (call opens July 11)
• 1.5m over 5 years
• PI must have PhD awarded in last 2 - 12 years
• PI expected to spend min 50 of time on project
  (funded)
• Advanced grants
• 2.5m over 5 years
• SSH deadline 6 April
• No PhD time eligibility but only exceptional
  research leaders
• PI with track record of significant research
  achievements in the last 10 years
• PI expected to spend min 30 of time on project
  (funded)
• People - Marie Curie Schemes
• 'mobility' requirement

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Others.

• Over the last 3 years the School has submitted
  applications to
• AHRC, British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, Modern
  Humanities Research Association, Wellcome Trust,
  European Science Foundation, JISC, ESRC/AHRC
  joint scheme, Technology Strategy Board, Royal
  Society
• Research Professional - http//www.researchprofess
  ional.com

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A successful applicationWhat the funder looks
for

• High-quality research an original contribution
  to knowledge in the field
• Outputs what will be the impact of the research?
• Academic record evidence of research potential

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A strong proposal (1)

• Addresses the funders research priorities and
  the aims of the scheme
• Clear language without jargon
• Establishes the context for the research
• Well-defined aims and objectives
• Detailed methodology why these methods?
• Has the right people on board, i.e. mentor /
  co-applicant(s), host institution

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A strong proposal (2)

• Anticipates potential problems how will you
  deal with them?
• Has realistic ambitions
• Identifies and addresses training needs
• Specified outputs and dissemination plans

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Practical points (1)

• Allow plenty of time, months not weeks!
• Read all guidelines, terms and conditions
• Check your eligibility
• Consider ethical aspects / approval
• Check application form requirements, e.g. referee
  reports, signatures, length of proposal
• Electronic submission may need to set up an
  account prior to deadline

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Practical points (2)

• Research previously funded applications to same
  funder / scheme
• Choose referees carefully check they have time.
• Get the finances right check with Research
  Grants Office and justify costs requested
• Get as much feedback on your draft proposal as
  possible INTERNAL PEER REVIEW
• Consult with the funder if you have any questions

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Preparing a good proposal

• Guidance notes on constructing a good proposal to
  the ESRC Research Grants Scheme
  http//www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/guidan
  ce/applicants/how-to.aspx
• Part 1 Allow yourself time
• Study your funding source
• Read the rules
• Discuss your application
• Justify your costings
• Part 2 Content and presentation
• Part 3 Dissemination and impact
• Check the details
• If you are successful
• If you are unsuccessful
• EPSRC Preparing a Proposal http//www.epsrc.ac.
  uk/funding/apprev/preparing/Pages/default.aspx
• NERC How to win money for research
  http//www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/application/howtowi
  n.asp

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Full Economic Costing (fEC)

• Introduced by the Government in 2005
• Used as basis to cost research projects, but very
  few funders will pay 100 of FEC
• Research Councils pay 80 of FEC
• Other funders pay according to their own terms
  and conditions
• We use pFACT to calculate the FEC

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What makes up fEC?

• Directly Incurred (DI) costs
• Directly Allocated (DA) costs
• Indirect costs
• Exceptional items e.g. project studentships
• Research Councils will pay 80 of DI, DA and
  Indirect Costs 100 of Exceptional Items

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College Approval procedures - pFACT

• Set out in the College's Financial Regulations,
  as approved by Governors
• All external research grants must be authorised
  for submission through the pFACT system.
• All approval stages to be completed prior to
  submitting to the funding body
• RGCO webpage http//www.bbk.ac.uk/rgco/research
  grants/application/authorization.shtml

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College Approval procedures - pFACT

• The application should only be submitted once all
  the stages have been completed.
• Each approver should be given at least three
  clear working days (thats NINE days prior to
  deadline).
• Paper applications that require institutional
  signatures should be passed to the RGCO at the
  same time that the applicant completes their
  stage of the pFACT sign-off

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http//pfact.bbk.ac.uk/login.aspx
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Contact information

• Research Grants Office www.bbk.ac.uk/rgco
• Liz Francis extn 3146 l.francis_at_bbk.ac.uk
• Craig Bryce extn 3141 c.bryce_at_bbk.ac.uk
• George Eyre extn 3144 g.eyre_at_bbk.ac.uk
• Sharon Bell extn 3139 s.bell_at_bbk.ac.uk
• Rassi Pelpola extn 3149 r.pelpola_at_bbk.ac.uk
• Marion Barthram extn 3138 m.barthram_at_bbk.ac.uk

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www.bbk.ac.uk/rgco