TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 2

1 CHARITY OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................................... 2 2 ELIGIBILITY AND SUITABILITY ............................................................................................................... 2 3 WORD COUNT AND FORMAT .............................................................................................................. 3 4 HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION FORM .......................................................................................... 3 5 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT ........................................................................................................................ 4

THE APPLICATION FORM: GUIDELINES .......................................................................................... 6

SECTION 1: APPLICATION SUMMARY DETAILS ............................................................................................. 6 SECTION 2: SUMMARY OF PROPOSED RESEARCH ......................................................................................... 8 SECTION 3: RELATED RESEARCH GRANTS & APPLICATIONS ........................................................................... 9 SECTION 4: PRINCIPAL APPLICANT DETAILS AND CV ................................................................................... 10 SECTION 5: CO-APPLICANT DETAILS AND CV ............................................................................................. 11 SECTION 6: DETAILS OF RESEARCH PROJECT .............................................................................................. 11 SECTION 7: MILESTONES, DATA MANAGEMENT AND SHARING ..................................................................... 13 SECTION 8: BUDGET DETAILS ................................................................................................................. 15 SECTION 9: BUDGET JUSTIFICATION ........................................................................................................ 17 SECTION 10: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (ALL APPLICATIONS) ..................................................................... 18 SECTION 11: PRINCIPAL APPLICANT SIGN OFF .......................................................................................... 19

ANNEXES ................................................................................................................................... 20

ANNEX A: BUDGET ................................................................................................................................ 20 ANNEX B: COLLABORATOR FORM ............................................................................................................. 20 ANNEX C: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (CLINICAL/TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH) ................................................. 20 ANNEX D: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RESEARCH INVOLVING ANIMALS) ........................................................ 21 ANNEX E: RESEARCH OFFICE APPROVAL ...................................................................................................... 21

APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................. 23

APPENDIX A: GENERAL GRANTSMANSHIP ................................................................................................... 23 APPENDIX B: LAY SUMMARIES .................................................................................................................. 24 APPENDIX C: IMPACT STATEMENT ............................................................................................................. 24

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 2 -

GENERAL INTRODUCTION The purpose of this document is to provide applicants with the necessary information and guidance to enable them to complete and submit an application, for research funding, to Moorfields Eye Charity (MEC).

1 CHARITY OBJECTIVES

1.1 Moorfields Eye Charity The Objects of Moorfields Eye Charity is ‘the relief of sickness or suffering, the advancement of health and the advancement of education and research in relation to health and health related sciences by any charitable means for the public benefit in particular but without limitation by the support of charitable purposes relating to Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’. Please note that with effect from 31 December 2015, the Special Trustees of Moorfields Eye Hospital have merged with MEC.

2 ELIGIBILITY AND SUITABILITY The research on which the application is based should fall within the normal funding remits of Moorfields Eye Charity. Applicants should have a competitive track record in research, relative to their career stage and research experience to date. For very early stage researchers, it is important to demonstrate the potential to develop a research career. For established researchers, evidence of their intellectual contributions to research and/or clinical practice should be demonstrated together with evidence of training/mentoring record of less experienced researchers.

2.1 Principal Applicant The principal applicant must hold an academic or clinical post with Moorfields Eye Hospital (MEH) or the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO) and will normally be in receipt of salary funding for the duration of the grant. Applications for fellowship support (i.e. salary support when away from MEH/IoO) must include a letter of support from both the applicant’s current and host institutions.

2.2 Joint Principal Applicants For joint principal applicants, both individuals must fulfil the eligibility criteria for Principal Applicant outlined above. Joint applications will normally only be accepted where two or more distinct research approaches (fields of research) are being combined to address a central question. Therefore the two principal applicants should normally have distinct expertise which together will ensure the project as a whole can be achieved

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 3 -

2.3 Co-applicants Co-applicants must hold an academic or research post (or equivalent) at a recognised organisation and be contributing significantly to the research project on a day-to-day or regular basis. Applicants are advised to review the description of collaborator versus co-applicant to ensure that they select the most appropriate category.

2.4 Collaborator Collaborators in this context are scientific/medical/academic colleagues, who are associated with the research proposal and named in the body of the application but who are not involved in the day-to-day / regular running of the project. Named collaborators must confirm their role as a collaborator by completing and signing (electronic signature is sufficient) the collaborator form.

2.5 Other researchers Postdoctoral researchers, Fellows and research assistants may apply as Principal Applicant but will normally have at least two years post-doctoral or equivalent research experience. They must hold an academic or clinical post with MEH or the IoO and be in receipt of salary funding for the duration of the grant. They will also require at least one co-applicant who fulfils the eligibility criteria for Principal Applicant.

3 WORD COUNT AND FORMAT Please follow these instructions when completing the form as this will help to avoid any unnecessary delay in the assessment of your application.

• You must ensure that all relevant sections of the form are completed • Answers should be entered in the text boxes provided. Additional pages will also be

accepted but only where instruction is given. • Please adhere to word limits where they are specified; applications exceeding word limit

guidelines may not be processed further. • Please use a typeface 10 point Arial font. If a typeface used is too small, the application will

not be processed. • If abbreviations are used, please ensure these are fully explained to assist the reader.

4 HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION FORM Applicants must submit an application form according to the advertised funding call deadlines. The normal minimum processing time for Project Grant applications from receipt by the Charity Office to release of decisions is 14 weeks. However, applicants should be aware that additional time is required for the internal processing / sign off of applications by the relevant Research Offices prior to the submission of applications to the Charity Office.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION: The application form must be submitted electronically. Files should be saved in the format SURNAME_firstname. Scanned versions of entire printed applications will NOT be accepted. See below for further details on submitting an application.

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 4 -

APPLICATION DEADLINES: Applicants are advised to refer to advertised deadlines by which completed application forms should be submitted. These will normally be advertised via email communications and/or on the Charity MEH webpage. Completed forms should be submitted to researchgrants@moorfields.nhs.uk

LATE OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

5 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT Receipt of your application by the Charity Office will normally be acknowledged within two weeks. Charity grant management staff will conduct an administrative review of the application to confirm that it meets the submission criteria. Moorfields Eye Charity reserve the right not to process the application should it not meet the following criteria:

• satisfactory completion of application requirements • eligibility and suitability for the programme applied for • research proposal within the funding remit of Moorfields Eye Charity

Applications meeting submission criteria will be reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Panel and considered in competition with all other applications. Please note that additional external experts may be involved in this process as required. Funding recommendations will be submitted to the relevant board of Trustees where final funding decisions will be made. Decisions will normally be released to applicants within two weeks of the Trustee meeting at which they are discussed.

STEPS TO BE COMPLETED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION

Applicants are strongly advised to discuss their application with the relevant research office(s) well in advance of preparing an application. In order to submit an application, all necessary approvals must be secured prior to submission to Moorfields Eye Charity. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to secure these approvals. Applicants should be mindful of the busy schedules of the research offices and the necessary signatories. Therefore sufficient time should be allowed for signatures to be obtained as signatories may not be available at short notice. Applicants should allow a minimum of 14 working days for each research office to process an application.

Host Institution: In this context the institution is that which will administer and manage the project budget if awarded. Where costs will be incurred in both IoO and MEH, applicants should confer with both research finance offices but the final approval of the budget is only from the research finance office in the institution that would host an award.

To submit an application, applicants should follow the steps below based on the host institution they have selected on their application form

RESEARCH OFFICES CONTACT DETAILS

IoO research office Natalie Reeve n.reeve@ucl.ac.uk

MEH R&D Office (Finance) Anthony Hecker anthony.hecker@moorfields.nhs.uk

MEH R&D Office Gisela Barreto Gisela.Barreto@moorfields.nhs.uk

MEH R&D Office Mays Jawad Mays.Jawad@moorfields.nhs.uk

Charity Office researchgrants@moorfields.nhs.uk

1. Complete • application form • draft budget (Annex A as excel file) • Annexes B-D as necessary

2. Budget approval

• Discuss / finalise budget with MEH and IoO research finance representative(s)

• Where applicable, secure signature on Annex E (Q1)

3. Bring / send above documents to • MEH R&D Office

HOST INSTITUTION UCL Institute of Ophthalmology Moorfields Eye Hospital

Collect signed Annex E Scan as PDF or TIFF file

Submit application to Charity Office • Application form (as word document) • Budget (Annex A) (as excel file) • Scanned copy of signed Annex E (PDF/TIFF)

Submit application to Charity Office • Application form (as word document) • Budget sheet (Annex A) (as excel file) • Scanned copy of signed Annex E (PDF/TIFF)

Submit application to IoO Research Office • Application form (as word document) • Budget (Annex A) (as excel file) • Signed (by MEH R&D) Annex E • Any documents required by IoO

Collect Annex E signed by IoO research office

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 6 -

THE APPLICATION FORM: GUIDELINES This section should be read in advance and referred to during the completion of the application form. The purpose is to supplement the guidance provided on the application form regarding what is required / expected in the completion of each section. Applicants are strongly advised to adhere to word count limits. Sections which exceed these limits may result in the application being returned and not processed further.

SECTION 1: APPLICATION SUMMARY DETAILS

Q1 PRINCIPAL APPLICANT: Enter name and title. For joint applications, both principal applicant names should be entered here.

Q2. PROJECT TITLE: This should be succinct and accurately reflect the content of research. Maximum 20 words

Q3. START DATE: Provided in the format dd/mm/yyyy. The start date cannot be prior to the date of the Scientific Advisory Panel meeting the application is submitted to.

Applicants should plan to start the proposed research project within six months of notification of the award. If the proposed start date is later than 6 months, the rationale should be clearly explained in the proposal.

The actual start date of awarded grants is confirmed by the return of the Grant Activation Form. Further details regarding this are provided when award letters are issued.

Q4. DURATION: Stated in months and be the length of time required to complete the project from the proposed start date.

Q5. BUDGET SUMMARY: Stated in GBP (£) and rounded up to the nearest pound.

(a) Amount requested in this application: This is the actual amount of funding required from the Charity. This figure should NOT include any funds currently or previously secured from any funding source, including the value of gifts/loans/access to equipment/resources etc.

(b) Amount secured/to be secured from other source(s): This is the actual amount of funding secured or being sought from another funding source which is directly related to the application being submitted. This should not include funds which have already been spent.

(c) Total project cost: This is the total actual cost of the project. It should include both the amount being requested AND any other funding secured or being sought from other funding sources. It should not however include any secured funds which have already been spent.

(D) RESTRICTED DONATIONS: Restricted donations in this context refer to donations received by ST or MEC which have been restricted to a specific researcher. This should only be completed if the

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 7 -

applicant has pre-approved permission to request access to funds. Please contact the office (ailish.murray@moorfields.nhs.uk) to discuss further if you have any questions.

(E) SUPPLEMENTARY FUNDING: Select Yes, if the current application is seeking funding to supplement (or bridging funds) to a currently held and active award. If Yes, applicants should provide the details of this award in SECTION 3: Q1.

Q6. HOST INSTITUTION: Select the institution who will administer the grant i.e. the institution to which the award letter will be issued. Usually this will be the institution who manages the majority or entire grant budget. Please contact the Charity office (ailish.murray@moorfields.nhs.uk) to discuss any potential joint awards i.e. where award letters would be issued to different institutions

Q7 – Q9: Please note that these questions are for internal monitoring and classifications of grants and do not represent remit or funding priority areas.

Q7. CATEGORY OF RESEARCH PROPOSED: Select the one category that represents the majority of the research proposed. If OTHER, provide details. Maximum 50 words

Q8. AREA OF RESEARCH PROPOSED: Select the area(s) that relates to the largest theme(s) of the research proposed. More than one area should only be selected where two or more distinct areas of research are being combined to address a common question. No more than two should be selected.

Q9. JOINT MEH/IOO RESEARCH STRATEGY: Select where the proposed research fits within the joint MEH/IoO research strategy for both (a) Disease (b) Treatment / approach.

If no options are applicable, select OTHER and explain the relevance and importance of this work to MEH / IoO and vision disorders generally. Maximum 100 words

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 8 -

SECTION 2: SUMMARY OF PROPOSED RESEARCH This section provides the opportunity to briefly present the proposed research project together with the importance and potential impact of research outcomes. Applicants are advised to address each of these sections carefully irrespective of the amount of funding being requested.

Q1 STRATEGIC FIT AND ENHANCEMENT OF RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: This section should be used to demonstrate how your project contributes to one or more of the strategic aims of the Charities and the strategic fit of the proposed research and outcomes within the joint MEH/IoO research strategy. If your proposed work falls outside of these you should clearly explain the importance and relevance of your proposed work to MEH/IoO and towards the understanding, prevention, treatment and cure of vision disorders.

Details of how the proposed research will enhance the field of study and/or clinical practice should be included. Maximum 150 words

Q2. SUMMARY OF PROPOSED RESEARCH FOR SCIENTIFICALLY QUALIFIED ASSESSORS: Describe the research proposal under this heading in a form comprehensible to scientifically qualified assessors who may or may not be experts in your specific area of research. State what you consider to be the key research question(s) of the research being proposed in this application. The central aims and objectives should also be included. For research that is not driven by an underlying hypothesis, please state the impact of the proposed studies. Maximum 150 words

Q3. SUMMARY FOR LAY READERS: Describe the research proposal under this heading in a form comprehensible to a lay readership. The detail of the aims of the work, how it will be conducted and expected outcomes should be included but avoid the use of technical terms if space does not allow sufficient explanation. Applicants are reminded that the lay summary will be used by both the Scientific Advisory Panel and the Trustees who make the final funding decision. Maximum 150 words

NOTE 1: Applicants are advised that this section must be completed in ALL applications and that a well-articulated, accurate lay summary is required by the Trustees.

NOTE 2: For awarded grants, this summary may be used by the Charity in the dissemination of funded grants with public audiences. Potential channels for sharing include but are not limited to Charity / hospital website, press release, annual reports and other publications. Therefore, commercially sensitive or confidential information should not be included in this abstract.

Please see APPENDIX B for additional general guidance on writing a lay summary.

Q4. IMPACT STATEMENT: The impact statement should be as specific as possible and provide information that the Trustees, Charity and external reviewers will find helpful in assessing the potential impact of the proposed research activity. Innovative and creative approaches to engaging beneficiaries and creating impact are encouraged. Appropriate milestones and deliverables associated with the potential impact should be indicated. Maximum 150 words

Please see APPENDIX C for additional general guidance regarding writing impact statements

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 9 -

SECTION 3: RELATED RESEARCH GRANTS & APPLICATIONS If the application is linked to other projects and grants, you will need to provide detail of what work is already funded (or where funding is being sought elsewhere) and be clear about what exactly you are seeking funding for in the current application.

NOTE 1: Funding support from MEC alone will not attract NIHR accruals or be eligible for HEFEC Charity Research Support Funds (CRSF), both of which are central for the core support of research by MEH and IoO. Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to seek funding from other charitable sources which will attract NIHR accruals and/or CRSF to support their research project.

Q1. DETAILS OF APPLICATIONS TO AND AWARDS FROM FUNDING BODIES WITH FINANCIAL INPUT TO THIS PROJECT: The purpose of this question is to allow applicants to clarify where funding from other sources is being used towards the total cost of the research project.

Please provide the following:

• Full name of funding body. If the funding body is not based in the UK, please provide currency details.

• Title of project and brief description of how the grant relates to the current application (max 100 words). It is important to articulate clearly what actual work has been funded from elsewhere as double funding will not be permitted.

• Total value of award AND value of the contribution to work related to this application. • Start/end dates OR expected date of outcome for submitted applications

For co / matching funding requests please also address the questions below based on type of request. Applicants are advised to clearly and robustly address the questions to justify their request for co/matching funding.

For applications that include a new, discrete, piece of research which is part of a larger funded project

• Why was this piece of research / funding requirement not presented in the original application?

• Was supplement funding requested from the original funder? If no, why not? • Could funding be secured from another external funding body? • What is the added value to the overall research project and to MEC in funding this

additional piece of work at this time?

For applications that are requesting top-up funding to an already funded project (i.e. there are no new elements to the research proposal)

• Why was the full cost of the research project not requested within the original application (if the funding call was capped, please provide details)

• Could funding be secured from the original funding body via a different call or another external funding body? If yes, why has this not been done?

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 10 -

• If awarded, what, if any, element(s) of the current proposal could be attributed to the MEC’s support?

• What is the added value to MEC in providing additional funding to an already funded project?

NOTE 1: Applicants may be asked to provide the original grant application(s), award letter(s), peer review(s), interim report(s) and financial report(s) where applicable and appropriate

NOTE 2: If the principal applicant was NOT the principal applicant on the original award, additional confirmation and information may be sought by the Charity office.

Q1. APPLICATIONS WITH NO FINANCIAL INPUT FROM OTHER FUNDING BODIES: Applicants must provide details of how they could secure funding from a recognised charity to support this project. Applicants who do not intend to seek support elsewhere must provide details of why this is not being done / not appropriate in this instance.

SECTION 4: PRINCIPAL APPLICANT DETAILS AND CV For joint applications this section should be duplicated for the two principal applicants. Applicants are advised that only relevant information should be included here. In total SECTION 4 must not exceed 3 sides of A4.

Q1. CONTACT INFORMATION: Applicants who have joint appointments should provide their primary contact details.

Current post(s): Provide title of current post(s) held and employers name(s) Time spent on research: Include details of the average hours spent on research per week. Staff with research sessions should include how many research sessions in total they hold in the current year. Time spent on this grant: Include details of the average hours per week intended to be spent on this project. Q2. PREVIOUS POST(S): List your previous (five) posts that are relevant to your professional career (academic and clinical) with the most recent first

Q3. EDUCATION AND TRAINING: List your previous (five) key education and training records which are relevant to your professional career (academic and clinical) with the most recent first

Q4. GRANT APPLICATIONS TO SPECIAL TRUSTEES OR MOORFIELDS EYE CHARITY:

(a) Awarded Grants: List, most recent first, all current and completed grants held in the last five years and/or any key prior grants.

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 11 -

For each award, provide details of role on the grant (e.g. PI, Co-PI), amount awarded and start/end dates. For all active grants, indicate the number of hours per week (FTE) that are spent on each project

(b) Unsuccessful applications: List applications in the last five years which were not awarded. State title of project, role on the grant (e.g. PI, Co-PI), amount requested and grant application number if known.

Q5. AWARDED GRANTS FROM OTHER FUNDING AGENCIES: List, most recent first, all current and past grants held in the last five years and/or any key prior grants.

For each award, provide name of awarding body, details of role on the grant (e.g. PI, Co-PI), amount awarded and start/end dates. For all active grants, indicate the number of hours per week (FTE) that are spent on each project

Q6. PUBLICATIONS: These should be listed most recent first. List your publications in the following format: all author’s names (surname, initial (do not use et al unless >10 authors on the paper); year of publication; title of article; journal name, volume number, page numbers. Please highlight your name in the author list.

Q7. KEY RESEARCH/SCIENTIFIC/CLINICAL CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS: This question allows (in particular early stage researchers) the opportunity to expand on details of relevant achievements that are not listed elsewhere in the application. Maximum 200 words

Total length of each principal applicant CV section must not exceed three sides of A4.

SECTION 5: CO-APPLICANT DETAILS AND CV For guidance, please see details in SECTION 4. Section 5 should be duplicated for each co-applicant and inserted into the final application. Total length of each co-applicant CV must not exceed two sides of A4.

SECTION 6: DETAILS OF RESEARCH PROJECT Applicants are strongly advised to read through the guidelines for this section prior to writing the project proposal. The project proposal must be inserted at SECTION 6 of the form and should not be attached to the end of the document. Any appendices (see below) should be clearly cross referenced in the proposal and attached to the end of SECTION 6 also.

NOTE: It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that a complete SECTION 6 is submitted as part of their application.

Please note that it is NOT appropriate to submit a full standard protocol which would usually be submitted to MEH or similar organisation. Applications containing full standard protocols will normally be returned to the applicant.

RESEARCH PROJECT - GUIDANCE

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 12 -

A scientific research proposal should be provided for ALL applications. The subheadings below are for guidance only and do not represent funding schemes / remits. Application can cut across more than one of these headings and applicants are advised to review all guidance notes prior to completing this section to ensure they include all the information necessary for the consideration of the application. Maximum 3,000 words, excluding references

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: • Images/figures/schematics may be embedded in the text or submitted as part of an

appendix (maximum 2 sides of A4) • References – give full citation including title, journal title and list all authors (use of el al is

only appropriate where there are >10 authors)

NEW RESEARCH PROJECTS: The following areas should be addressed as appropriate • Hypotheses / aims of the project • Work which has led up to the project (general background and own research) • Proposed approach / methods / project plan • How challenges would be addressed • Statistical analysis that will be employed • The statistics used to calculate an appropriate power/sample numbers for the study • Rationale that the level of recruitment required to deliver the study can be achieved in the

timeframe allowed • Sustainability: Outline plans for securing further / future funding to sustain this programme

of work

DATABASE / TECHNOLOGY / RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: The following areas should be addressed as appropriate

• Describe the database / technology / resource • Interoperability with other databases • Detail the strategic fit and added value it will bring to Moorfields / Institute of

Ophthalmology • Regional / National / International need and significance • Scientific and technical management • Specialised expertise or technical support required and how this will be provided • Data sharing, management and openness • Sustainability: Outline plans for securing further / future funding to sustain this programme

of work

SUPPLEMENTARY / BRIDGING SUPPORT: The following areas should be addressed in addition to those listed in ‘new research projects’ above. A brief update on your original award to include:

• The progress to date of the work relevant to your request for additional funding • List of publications relating to your original award, indicating in bold those publications

directly relating to your request

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 13 -

• The reasons why the additional funds are needed at this time • How the additional funds will enhance the activities being carried out under the original

award • An outline of the consequences if the request were not supported

EPIDEMIOLOGY, DEMOGRAPHIC, CASE CONTROL COHORT AND RELATED STUDIES: give a full and detailed analysis of the study design, including details of any validation already undertaken or rationale for using standard protocols. Particular attention should be given to power calculations, sample size justification and where appropriate, case definitions and inclusion/exclusion criteria.

SECTION 7: MILESTONES, DATA MANAGEMENT AND SHARING All applications, irrespective of duration or funding level, must complete the milestone section. However, the detail provided is expected to be proportional to the duration and level of funding.

Q1. MILESTONES: This section should link the key research objectives detailed in Sections 2 and 6 to dates when they should be achieved. The key potential outputs (e.g. publications, conferences) should be noted and the timeline for recruitment or purchase of (or access to) essential pieces of equipment can be included.

NOTE: As part of interim reporting processes on awarded grants, researchers may be asked to update the Trustees on the status of completing these milestones.

Maximum 1 side of A4

Q2. DATA MANAGEMENT AND DATA SHARING: All researchers are expected to maximise the availability of research data with as few restrictions as possible. Where no restrictions apply and where the proposed research is likely to generate datasets that will hold significant value as a resource for the wider community, applicants should provide a data management and sharing plan.

Maximum 300 words

Data management and sharing plans should be clear, concise and proportionate. Applicants are free to structure their plan in the manner that best meets their needs but should consider the following key questions and ensure they are addressed clearly:

• what data outputs will your research generate and what data will have value to other researchers

• when will you share the data • where will you make the data available • how will other researchers be able to access the data • are any limits to data sharing required – for example, to either safeguard research

participants or to gain appropriate intellectual property protection • how will you ensure that key datasets are preserved to ensure their long-term value • what resources will you require to deliver your plan

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 15 -

SECTION 8: BUDGET DETAILS Applicants must complete and submit the completed Project Grant excel budget sheet with the application form. Prior to completing the excel sheet, applicants are advised to read the section on allowed / disallowed costs below and to discuss the costings with their research finance / administrative representatives where necessary.

Q1. CO-/MATCHING FUNDING COSTS: Where an application is submitted to ST/MEC for funding to ‘top-up’ or match funding awarded from another funding body, applicants must clearly articulate the division of funding. Please include category descriptions (e.g. salary, equipment) and value awarded under each category. Details of the funding request/award should have been included in SECTION 3.

COMPLETING THE BUDGET SPREADSHEET There are two parts to the excel spreadsheet. Only the section ‘breakdown of support requested’ requires input from the applicant.

INPUTTING AND EDITING DATA/CELLS Cells which are white can be edited by applicants and additional rows can be inserted. To insert rows whilst maintaining formula in the grey cells applicants should insert the new row just above the ‘Total’ grey row of the relevant section.

Grey cells should not be adjusted by applicants as the totals and subtotals will be automatically calculated. New columns should NOT be inserted.

1 –SUMMARY OF SUPPORT REQUESTED The information in this section (rows 3 – 11) will be automatically updated so no input is required. Applicants should not edit this section in any way.

2 – BREAKDOWN OF SUPPORT REQUESTED (1) FINANCIAL YEAR: Select the relevant financial year from the drop down menu for each year of the grant. All costs should be calculated per NHS/Moorfields financial year. YEAR = NHS/Moorfields FINANCIAL YEAR = 1st April to 31st March

The selected financial year will be automatically updated under each budget heading.

NOTE: For some version of excel and mac users, the drop down menu for the year may not work. If this occurs, applicants are asked to type in the financial year (format yyyy/yy) in the relevant cells.

(2) SALARY / STIPEND COSTS: Complete row for each post where funding is being requested. Salary costs sought should be commensurate with the skills, responsibilities and expertise necessary to carry out the role required. Where appropriate, the level of salary sought should be justified in the relevant costs justification section of the form. We reserve the right to award support at a different level if considered appropriate.

The host institution is responsible, as the employer, for the contracts of employment of the staff concerned, and consequently for any redundancy or other compensatory payments that may be required. Work permits, where required, are a matter for direct negotiation between the host institution and the relevant Government departments.

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 16 -

For stipend costs, student fees should not be included here and should be listed under ‘Miscellaneous costs’ instead.

NOTE: Posts which are not direct allocated costs to the grant should not be included. Services/consultancy costs should not be included under salary costs section.

(3) MATERIALS & CONSUMABLES: Funds may be used to meet the directly incurred costs of materials and consumables required to carry out the proposed research. These costs include laboratory or clinic chemicals and materials, reagents, cell/tissue/bacterial culture, plasticware etc. While a breakdown of all individual items is not required, any significant costs should be listed separately and applicants must be aware that a full breakdown may be requested.

(4) MISCELLANEOUS COSTS: Examples include software licences, research participant travel and expense. Collaborative travel may be included but only where a collaborative project is being proposed and all costs are reasonable for the level of collaborative work being undertaken on the proposed project.

(5) EQUIPMENT: It is expected that only small items of equipment are requested. For larger pieces of equipment, an EQUIPMENT GRANT application form should be completed. On projects of short duration ≤12 months equipment request should not normally be included unless the piece of equipment is not available locally and is integral to the completion of the project. See allowed / disallowed costs for details including for computer costs.

(6) ACCESS CHARGES: This section should be used to detail the direct costs that will be incurred to access equipment (e.g. confocal microscope) or resources which are charged by the ‘owner’ on a cost recovery basis i.e. fixed charge per hour etc. The number of hours / days should be included and the total cost to the grant per year. Depreciation costs should not be included.

(7) ANIMALS: Complete a separate section for each species/strain and duplicate as necessary. Enter the name of the species and divide costs under the rows outlined – purchase and maintenance costs.

ALLOWED AND DISALLOWED COSTS The lists in this section are not considered exhaustive. The Trustees may query and/or remove any costs that are deemed to be outside of the Charities’ funding remit and/or not justified within the project submitted. The Trustees also reserve the right to update/amend the allowed and disallowed costs as considered necessary.

Allowed costs include • salary for member(s) of staff carrying out the research • PhD stipend and studentship fees for full time PhD students • statistical / database / trial co-ordinator support – provided on a costs recovery basis (i.e.

number of hours/days/sessions required X cost per hour/day/session). Salary recovery costs of staff currently funded by HEFEC, NHS or other research award will not normally be considered. A contribution towards the salary in these instances may be considered, provided that the time spent on the project by the individual can be supported by a verifiable audit trail.

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 17 -

• laboratory materials and consumables directly attributable to the project • microarray or sequencing costs • animal costs • small pieces of equipment if essential for the project. Specialist equipment e.g. high

performance computers must be robustly justified within the research proposed. Personal computers will not normally be permitted on projects of <12 month duration. NOTE: on short projects, <12 months the immediate need and future use of equipment should be clearly articulated.

Disallowed costs include In general, the Trustees will not:

• award grants to cover expenditure already incurred • fund individuals who are employed by a commercial organisation • fund individuals who are applying for, holding, or employed under a research grant from the

tobacco industry They will also not normally fund;

• dissemination costs including conference attendance, publications • salary recovery on tenured posts • full economic costs including infrastructure costs (such as lighting, heating, telephones, use

of library, general clinical or laboratory equipment) • course registration fees including MD registration fees • general office expenses (photocopying, postage etc.). Exceptions may be made for

printing/phone costs associated with patient based studies. • a proportion of Principal or Co-Applicant’s salaries for supervision • indirect costs - this includes: general administration costs such as personnel, finance, library,

and some departmental services • equipment maintenance and running costs • staff recruitment related costs other than advertising costs • purchase of books • journal / magazine subscription costs • training courses (including Home Office animal licence courses) • indemnity insurance (insurance cover against claims made by subjects or patients associated

with a research programme) • redundancy costs for research staff • waste disposal costs / radiation protection costs • ethics reviews

SECTION 9: BUDGET JUSTIFICATION

All funding requests must be robustly justified and directly related to the research outlined in SECTION 6: Details of Research Project. The questions, Q1 – Q8, correspond to the budget sections in the excel sheet and the budget justification details should correspond. Each section has a maximum 300 word limit.

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 18 -

Q1. SALARY / STIPEND COSTS: For each post / part of a post where funding is requested, please provide details of the role, responsibility and need for the post on the project. The location(s) where the person will be based should be included.

Q2. MATERIALS AND CONSUMABLES: Funds may be used to meet the directly incurred costs of materials and consumables required to carry out the proposed research. A breakdown of all items is not required but any significant costs should be listed and justified separately.

Q3. MISCELLANEOUS COSTS: Please provide a justification for the funds requested to meet the directly incurred research costs within this category.

Q4 EQUIPMENT COSTS: Any piece of equipment requested must be essential to the successful completion of the project. Therefore, the need for the equipment must be justified and applicants should explain why the equipment is not current available.

Q5. ACCESS CHARGES: Please provide a description of the equipment / resource / facility to be accessed and the number of hours / days that will be needed. The use of the equipment/facilities must be essential to the proposed research.

Q5. ANIMAL CHARGES: Justification for the need for animals to carry out the research should be included together with robust justification for the species/strain and numbers requested. Additional details on animal use / purpose is requested in ANNEX E and applicants can refer to this Annex in this section to limit duplication of information.

SECTION 10: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (ALL APPLICATIONS) This section should be completed by all applicants even if the research does not involve human participants and/or animals.

Q1. ETHICAL APPROVAL: This question provides the applicant the opportunity to provide basic information regarding the need for / stage of the approval process that the application is in. If the answer to the question ‘Does this project require ethical approval?’ is NO, no other part of Q1 needs to be completed.

Q2. RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN PARTICIPANTS AND/OR ANIMALS: This question is used to simply identify if the application includes research involving human participants and/or animals. For the required detailed questions, applicants are directed to the appropriate annex – Annex C (human/biological samples) and/or Annex D (animals)

Q3. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY / COMMERCIALISATION: Applicants are asked to consider each of these questions, even if an immediate IP / commercialisation opportunity may not seem to be immediately apparent. The Trustees wish to ensure that applicants have considered all the potential outputs from their research and also the steps which should be taken to protect them if necessary.

Restrictions on intellectual property rights (IPR)/publications: If there are any restrictions on IPR or publications arising from your research, you must provide a written statement detailing these. Restrictions on intellectual property may affect your eligibility to apply to MEC.

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 19 -

Applicants are advised to discuss any matters relating to these questions with their local intellectual property / commercialisation representative.

SECTION 11: PRINCIPAL APPLICANT SIGN OFF This section must be signed by the principal applicant prior to the application form being submitted to the relevant research office. For joint applications, this section should be signed by both principal applicants. Q1. CONSULTANCIES, EQUITIES AND DIRECTORSHIPS: The purpose of this question is to monitor potential conflict of interest. If YES, please provide details, maximum 100 words.

Q2. PRINCIPAL APPLICANT SIGN OFF DETAILS: The Principal Applicant(s) should complete this section.

Q3. EXTERNAL PEER REVIEW: The Trustees reserve the right to request external peer review on any grant if considered appropriate and necessary. Grants within the region of £50,000 and above will normally be externally peer reviewed prior to the Scientific Advisory Panel meeting.

(a) Proposed external peer reviewers: Up to four reviewers may be recommended here. Do not include individuals who may present a conflict of interest with your application (e.g. same institution, close/recent collaborator, co-authorship in the last three years). The Charity may or may not choose to approach some, or all, of the individuals you have selected

(b) Peer review restrictions: A reasonable number of reviewers who are considered to be in direct conflict with the application may be listed here. While the Charity will endeavour to omit these reviewers, the final decision on reviewer selection lies with the Charity and Trustees.

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 20 -

ANNEXES Applicants must ensure that they complete all the relevant annexes in their application form. Annex A and E must be completed in ALL applications.

ANNEX A: BUDGET See SECTION 8: BUDGET DETAILS for details on how to complete the budget excel sheet. This file, when approved by research finance, should be submitted as an excel file with the final application form.

ANNEX B: COLLABORATOR FORM A collaborator form should be completed for each collaborator and attached to the final application form.

A collaborator, in this context, is normally a person who will provide specific input / expertise into a discrete part of the project but who will not be involved in the majority / day-to-day activity of the project. This person(s) may for example provide a reagent, resource or a portion of their time but they will have no rights to the research outcomes of the project. Funds cannot be requested to pay / reimburse a collaborator for their time. If a fee is charged then in this context the person is considered to be providing a service (consultancy service) and cannot therefore be considered a collaborator.

ROLE / CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROJECT: This section should clearly outline the role/contribution of the collaborator to the project. This should also include details of time which will be spent on the project.

Maximum 100 words

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY / MATERIAL TRANSFER AGREEMENTS: This section should clearly outline any IP or MTA agreements and/or restrictions.

Maximum 100 words

ANNEX C: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (CLINICAL/TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH) This annex should be completed by the applicant where clinical / translation research is being proposed. Applicants are asked to complete all relevant sections as much as possible and attach the Annex to their application submission. The information is requested as part of the institutional sign off process and does not represent remit or funding priority areas of Moorfields Eye Charity.

Q1 BRC RESEARCH THEMES: Please select the theme which represents the major theme of the proposed research.

Q2. NIHR CLINICAL RESEARCH NETWORK PORTFOLIO: The purpose of these questions is to determine whether the proposed project is or can be included as part of a CRN portfolio. As clinical

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 21 -

/ translational research carried out in MEH is supported by funding generated by NIHR accruals, applicants are asked to consider how they can ensure registration can and will be secured.

Q2. R&D NON-COMMERCIAL RESEARCH STUDY SET-UP: The purpose of these questions is to determine if the proposed project has/will need MEH sponsorship. Applicants should clearly articulate where in the ethical approval process their project current lies.

Q4 RESEARCH ACTIVITY RECORD: This section should be completed, when relevant, and with regards to the principal applicant. Applicants are asked to complete as much of this section as is possible/relevant to them. This information is requested as part of the intuitional sign off process only and will not directly inform a funding decision.

Q4(d) Supporting research capacity development: Applicants are asked to consider in this section: To what extent have you fostered research pathway development for individuals (clinical/non-clinical) that ultimately lead to the growth of research-active leaders in ophthalmology? Examples include: supervising higher degrees in vision research; support for an individual’s research Fellowship application (MRC/NIHR/Wellcome Trust or other); identifying and fostering research collaborations or recruitment in key areas of activity (AMD, Diabetes, Glaucoma, rare diseases).

ANNEX D: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (RESEARCH INVOLVING ANIMALS) The Trustees prefer not to use animals in research unless absolutely necessary for long-term research.

This annex should be completed by the applicant where the proposed research will involve animals and/or animal tissue. The requested information is for monitoring purposes only. It is the responsibility of the Host Institution to ensure that research involving the use of animals complies at all times with relevant laws and regulation and adheres to the provisions of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and any amendments.

Q2. CONSIDERATION OF THE THREE R’S: The section provides the applicant the opportunity to describe why animal use is necessary for the proposed research and why no other possible approaches are currently appropriate/used. Applicants are also encouraged to consider how the design of the proposed studies will ensure that the three R’s have been taken into consideration.

Maximum 200 words

ANNEX E: RESEARCH OFFICE APPROVAL This Annex must be completed for all applications irrespective of where the research will be carried out or which institution will host the grant if awarded. It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that they adhere to and work within any deadlines set by their institution(s) with regards to grant application sign off procedures. There deadline are managed by the institutions, not the Charity.

• Signatures must be signed and not typed and the completed page scanned and submitted as a PDF or TIFF file

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 22 -

• Applicants who have selected IoO as the host institution must ensure this Annex is signed by MEH R&D office before they submit their application to the IoO Research Office for approval.

TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT PRIOR TO SEEKING R&D APPROVAL

Applicants should complete this section prior to seeking MEH R&D approval and must tick one box for each question. Where costs will be incurred (charged to) at MEH, applicants must discuss and secure approval for those budgets from the MEH R&D research finance representative (who completes Q1).

TO BE COMPLETED BY THE MEH R&D / UCL INSTITUTE OF OPHTHALMOLOGY RESEARCH OFFICE REPRESENTATIVES

When the application form has been completed applications should bring/email their application to the MEH R&D office (see contact details below).

Q1. MOORFIELDS RESEARCH FINANCE REPRESENTATIVE APPROVAL

The signatory is asked to confirm whether they have reviewed the proposed budget. In completing this section they confirm that they approve the submission of the application on the basis of the costs outlined.

Q2. MOORFIELDS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE REPRESENTATIVE APPROVAL

The signatory is asked to confirm whether they have reviewed the application. In completing this section they confirm that they approve the submission of the application on the basis of the project and costs outlined.

Q3. UCL INSTITUTE OF OPHTHALMOLOGY RESEARCH OFFICE REPRESENTATIVE APPROVAL

The signatory is asked to confirm whether they have reviewed the application. In completing this section they confirm that they approve the submission of the application on the basis of the project and costs outlined. Applications which will be hosted by MEH do not require sign off from IoO.

Research Offices Contact details

Gisela Barreto (MEH R&D office) Gisela.Barreto@moorfields.nhs.uk

Anthony Hecker (MEH research finance) anthony.hecker@moorfields.nhs.uk

Mays Jawad (MEH R&D office) Mays.Jawad@moorfields.nhs.uk

Natalie Reeve (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology research office) n.reeve@ucl.ac.uk

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 23 -

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: GENERAL GRANTSMANSHIP The purpose of the information is to provide points for consideration when an application is being prepared. This is for presented as an aid only and the points raised do not represent specific requirements or sections under which applications will be assessed. Research question

• Make a compelling case for your proposed research – is this a good research idea? You will need to demonstrate that the work is important and cutting-edge, either as fundamental hypothesis-driven science or by addressing a significant clinical problem

• A research proposal that would result in incremental progress or low-impact findings, or that is poorly cited, not thought-through and does not have a contingency plan, is unlikely to be competitive

• For a project that is ‘high-risk’, you should demonstrate that although the topic being studied is intellectually and conceptually challenging, you have the capability to make it successful

• Collaborative and interdisciplinary work is encouraged, but the overall strategy needs to be coherent and the complementary skills of any necessary research partners or collaborators emphasised

Technical approach • Your technical approach should be feasible (provide pilot data in your application) and use

the best contemporary method to achieve the answer • You should consider any potential difficulties and limitations and how these will be

overcome or minimised. Explain why a particular approach is necessary and why others are not to be pursued.

• Describe how data will be obtained and how they will be used in any statistical analyses and, if relevant, how they would be combined with data or observations from other studies.

Experimental plan • You should demonstrate that your objectives are attainable within the stated timeframe. Be

realistic – overly ambitious proposals may not give the Panel confidence that the objectives will be achieved

• Clearly describe how the research will be carried out. • In a population- or patient-based study you will need to make sure that the cohort is large

enough to achieve the aim. Consider the size of any association or difference that you might be seeking – will your sample size be large enough to detect it? Seek advice from a statistician, if appropriate, and show power calculations where this may be of particular importance

• You will need to demonstrate an awareness of the underlying principles and the associated complexities of the area under study, to show that you can interpret the anticipated results

• You should include pilot/feasibility data as appropriate to the scheme you are applying to

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 24 -

• Check that you have the correct expertise for all aspects of the proposal. If not, you will need to show evidence of achievability and/or involve researchers with the appropriate expertise as formal co-applicants or signed collaborators

Below are links to further guidance on preparing a grant application: How not to kill a grant application How to get a grant funded - by David Goldblatt (BMJ) Art of Grantsmanship - by Jacob Kraicer Proposal Writer’s Guide by Don Thackrey For database / resource grants NIH funding tips for writing grant applications in Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology

APPENDIX B: LAY SUMMARIES Below are a number of external websites which provide general information on writing lay summaries. This information is provided for reference only.

• How to write a lay summary. Monica Duke (DCC) in collaboration with the Patients Participate! project.

http://www.dcc.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/publications/HowToLaySummariesDec2012.pdf

• Bournemouth University Research Blog. http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2011/06/15/writing-a-lay-summary-is-easy-right/

• European Commission. How to write clearly. http://ec.europa.eu/translation/writing/clear_writing/how_to_write_clearly_en.pdf

• AMRC blog post http://www.amrc.org.uk/blog/meaningful-open-access-its-way-you-tell-it

APPENDIX C: IMPACT STATEMENT As examples applicants should briefly outline previous indicators of the relevance of their research: changes to the state of knowledge within a field, where past group members have found employment, industrial interest in their past or current work, collaborative projects, companies formed, problems solved, documented changes to public policy or guidelines, improvements in public health.

Impact statements should be written primarily in lay, non-technical language be as specific and comprehensive as possible and cover potential impacts by addressing the following, as relevant:

• Beneficiaries – who (patients, family members, public, organisations etc) will benefit from this research

GUIDANCE NOTES PROJECT GRANT APPLICATION FORM

PGGN/11/2014/VER3.0 - 25 -

• Quality of life - such as improved healthcare provision, environment, social cohesion, health, education and cultural advances.

• Policy development, implementation or reform - the impact that research could have on the creation and application of government policy.

• Business and commercial - what impact could this research have on specified market places, potential financial and efficiency savings, new business and job creation.

• Knowledge Transfer / Exchange - the benefits of knowledge transferred to a business / third party and vice versa to the university e.g. benefits to other researchers and students. NOTE: Without being exploited patents are not impacts, applicants should articulate why the intellectual property is important and how it will potentially be utilised subsequently.

• Communications and engagement - an explanation of how the research and its impacts will be communicated. This needs to be specific about which journals and conferences would be appropriate to reach the potential beneficiaries and why. Rather than general statements about the usual types of journals that would be used.

Common characteristics of high quality Impact Statements

• Good knowledge of the relevant beneficiaries of the proposed research • Clear description of how the applicant intends to reach and engage with the beneficiaries of

the research, including clear deliverables and milestones • Genuine inclusion of appropriate collaborators in the research programme, especially in the

application area of the research if interdisciplinary in nature • Consideration/Involvement of beneficiaries and end users from the outset taking this input

into the design of the research programme • Brief description of track record and relevant accomplishments for knowledge exchange and

impact generating activities in the context of the proposed research project • Good knowledge of national priorities and activities in the relevant areas

Common characteristics of poor Impact Statements

• Statement is vague, lack of specificity and clear deliverables • Activities are not project specific, but routine activities for academic research posts • Lack of inclusion of appropriate collaborators in the research programme, especially in the

application area of the research if interdisciplinary in nature • Too much focus on track record rather than what will be done as part of this research

project • Lack of knowledge of beneficiaries, likely impacts and appropriate mechanisms for realising

the potential impacts • Too focussed on outputs for their own sake rather than their contribution to impact

generation • Unrealistic expectations (not to be confused with setting ambitious goals)