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Administrative Support for Large-Scale Funding Applications – Session 1: Getting Started
Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation
Sarah Whitaker, Sr. Research OfficerAugust 21, 2012
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Goals
• To offer professional development for research administrative staff, enabling continuous improvement in the quality of support for research funding applications.
• To increase the number of research support personnel on campus who have the skills and knowledge needed to support the development of large-scale research applications.
• To increase the University’s overall capacity to support a growing number of large-scale applications for external research funding.
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Session 1 – Getting Started
Topics to be addressed include: • What supports are most critical to researchers preparing large scale
applications?• Selecting the right funding opportunity• Team building – project team and support team• Project Chartering• 2-stage applications processes• Internal review and submission processes• Common challenges • Strategies for success
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Supports for researchers
Identification of funding sources
Assessment of project scale
Budgeting
Knowledge of funders and funding opportunity details
Knowledge of on-line forms and processes
Knowledge of internal supports for project and team development
Knowledge of internal review processes and submission detailsEditing
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How do we assess scale?
PI
Goals and objectives
Outcomes
Budget
Partners
Research team size
Length of project
Organizational chart
Activity chart over time
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Which funder?
Tri-council – CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC
Government – municipal, provincial, federal
Foundations – Canadian, International
Private sector – Canadian, Inter or Multinational
Combination?
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Team buildingApplication Development Team
• PI, research team members
• RO, ORU Coordinator, ORS staff, other staff
• Dean(s), ADR(s), VPRI, AVP(s), other sr. administrators
• York University service providers (central and faculty-based)• KMb, Innovation York, Procurement, Communications, Computing
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Team buildingResearch Team Development – People and Organizations
• PI
• Research team members
• Partner organization selection
• Project evaluation
• Audit
• “Receptor” communities
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Internal review and submission processes
Faculty DeadlinesVPRI DeadlinesSPORT – review and recommendation processesInternal / External ReviewsORS deadlines
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Project Chartering• Purpose
• Deadlines
• Work plan
• Team consensus
• Examples
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2-stage applications processesLetter of Intent / Notice of Intent
What types of information are required?
How detailed should the information be?
Do team members and partners need to be confirmed?
Does the budget need to be confirmed?
Do matching funds / contributions need to be confirmed?
Do we need to indicate specific research activities and project outputs?
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2-stage applications processesFull Applications
Update – text, team, partners, budget, project outputs, etc.
Expand – description, budget detail, etc.
Confirm – roles, responsibilities and finances
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Common challenges • Relaxed approach to LOI stage• Timelines• Managing partner / research team member expectations• Resistance to budgeting / lack of detail in budget• Securing matching funds• Specialized writing for general committees• Writing by committee / lack of team consultation• Governance structures• Last minute components• Articulation of impact / need for research / benefits to Canadians and
others
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Strategies for success• Read the instructions and think through associated timelines
associated• Timeline / Regular reminders• Use your research team• Support team• Mentors• Know your funder• Write for your reader• Internal / External Review• Define roles clearly for team and partners• Define financial expectations• Budget, budget, budget
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Feedback
Please complete the feedback form in your kit as your recommendations will help us improve subsequent sessions.
Thank you!
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Up Next…
Session 2 – Communicating Project Goals and Objectives
August 22, 2012 from 10 am – 12 pm, 626 YRT
Session 3 – Budgeting for Large-scale Projects
August 23, 2012 from 10 am – 12 pm, 626 YRT