1

Click to edit Master text stylesSecond level

Third levelFourth level

Fifth level

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

2

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.

3

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

4

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

5

How do we assess scale?

PI

Goals and objectives

Outcomes

Budget

Partners

Research team size

Length of project

Organizational chart

Activity chart over time

6

Which funder?

Tri-council – CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC

Government – municipal, provincial, federal

Foundations – Canadian, International

Private sector – Canadian, Inter or Multinational

Combination?

7

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

8

Team buildingResearch Team Development – People and Organizations

• PI

• Research team members

• Partner organization selection

• Project evaluation

• Audit

• “Receptor” communities

9

Internal review and submission processes

Faculty DeadlinesVPRI DeadlinesSPORT – review and recommendation processesInternal / External ReviewsORS deadlines

10

Project Chartering• Purpose

• Deadlines

• Work plan

• Team consensus

• Examples

11

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?

12

2-stage applications processesFull Applications

Update – text, team, partners, budget, project outputs, etc.

Expand – description, budget detail, etc.

Confirm – roles, responsibilities and finances

13

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

14

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

15

Feedback

Please complete the feedback form in your kit as your recommendations will help us improve subsequent sessions.

Thank you!

16

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