Applications for the NIHR Global Health Research Centres programme involve a two-stage assessment process. For this second stage, invited applicants must complete an online application via the Research Management System (RMS). The closing date for applications is Wednesday, 24 November 2021 at 1pm UK time.
- Applications will not be accepted if submitted after the exact closing date and time. The system will automatically prevent this from happening.
- It is the applicants’ responsibility to allow sufficient time to submit an application.
- Applicants must contact the NIHR Global Health Research Centres team by emailing ghrcentres@nihr.ac.uk if they encounter a system problem while attempting to submit their application before the deadline.
ORCiD: It is mandatory for all applicants to register for an ORCiD identifier and to include this in their RMS user profile.
A word template of the Stage 2 application form is available for reference only.
NIHR recognises the developmental and iterative nature of planning activities that will inform applications to the Global Health Research Centres programme, and - for those successful - the early phases of establishing Centres in receipt of an award. We would encourage all applicants to attend the following events that NIHR will host online to support the development of their Stage 2 application, as follows:
- Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) seminar - Monday 19 July 2021, 12 PM to 2 PM (UK Time)
- Impact and capacity-strengthening (pre-application) workshop - Wednesday 8 September 2021, 9 AM to 1 PM (UK Time)
- Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) workshop - Wednesday 22 September 2021, 12.30 PM to 2 PM (UK Time)
- Finance Webinar - Wednesday 20 October 2021, 1 PM to 2:30 PM (UK Time)
Section 1: Application Summary Information
NIHR Global Health Research Centre Contracting Organisation
Please note that your original response to this question will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
Please provide details of the UK institution that will be the contractor (i.e. the organisation that will sign the contract with the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) if the Centre is funded. This will be the UK Joint Lead Applicant’s organisation (i.e. substantive employer). The contracting organisation must be selected from our current list. If your institution does not appear on the list, please contact the NIHR: ghrcentres@nihr.ac.uk.
Note: For the NIHR Global Health Research Centres, it is mandatory for applications to have two Joint Lead Applicants (one from an ODA-eligible country and one UK-based). The NIHR contract requires the Contracting Institution to be a UK based institution (i.e. where the UK Joint Lead Applicant is based).
NIHR Global Health Research Centre Name
Please note that your original response to this question will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
Applicants should state clearly and concisely the proposed name or title of the Centre, which should reflect the research and research capacity strengthening activities to be conducted by the Centre in the chosen non communicable diseases (NCDs). Titles need to follow a set format starting with ‘NIHR Global Health Research Centre…’ and should be no more than 100 characters including spaces. Any abbreviations should be defined in full.
Research Type
Please note that your original response to this question will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
Select the appropriate research type to be conducted by the Global Centre. If your proposed NCD research programme will include any element of primary research, please select ‘Primary Research’. If you will carry out new analysis of existing data alongside primary research, select ‘Primary and Secondary Research’. If you are not sure which category to select, choose the closest match to your project, as this can be adjusted later.
Please note this is not independent of research capacity strengthening (RCS). It is expected that the research programme will be strengthened through ongoing RCS activities.
Proposed Start Date
Note: This should be the 1st of September 2022.
Research Duration
Ensure you include sufficient time to complete all aspects of the NCD research and research capacity strengthening activities, including application approvals (where required) and the final report. NIHR’s expectation is that awards will be active for a maximum duration of 60 months.
End Date
This field will automatically populate once you enter the start date and information about the research duration.
Total (Stage 2) Research costs
This will be automatically pulled through from the budget section.
Total (Stage 2) External intervention costs
If you are conducting research that requires an intervention to be delivered in the LMIC you are permitted to claim for External Intervention Costs. These are the costs additional to routine clinical treatment in the local setting. For comparison, in the UK these would be NHS support costs.
Sections 2 and 3: LMIC Joint Lead Applicant Details/UK Joint Lead Applicant Details
Please note that your original responses in this section will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
NIHR Global Health Research Centre applications must be led by two Joint Lead Applicants – one based in an ODA-eligible LMIC institution (Centre Director) and the other in a UK institution (Co-Director/ Deputy Director). Please complete the name, contact details and other information requested for both Joint Lead Applicants.
LMIC Joint Lead Applicant
Please complete the name, contact details, ORCID identifier and other information requested for the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant in the form. Some of this information will be pre-populated based on your CV details and any remaining fields must be completed.
Please note that the Lead Applicant completing the form (expected to be the UK Joint Lead Applicant) must add the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant’s details to the RMS as part of the Centre application.The LMIC Joint Lead Applicant will receive an automated email informing them of this. Therefore, we would expect this individual to have been consulted beforehand. The application will not be able to be submitted until the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant has confirmed their participation.
UK Joint Lead Applicant
Please complete the name, contact details, ORCID identifier and other information requested for the UK Co- Lead Applicant in the form. Some of this information will be pre-populated based on your CV details and any remaining fields must be completed.
In sections 2 and 3, both the LMIC and UK Joint Lead Applicants should provide details of their publication and grant records.
Some of the responses required in this section will have been pre-populated based on your CV details and any remaining fields must be completed to provide the required information.
To update your publications and grants select the 'Save and Close' button at the top of this screen then access the relevant left hand menu toolbar.
- To update publications, select My Research Outputs from the left hand menu.
- To update Grants and your general CV Select Manage My Details then Update My CV from the left hand menu.
Once your CV is up to date:
- Select the relevant publications and grants using the green “+” icon.
- Use the delete icon (the red and white button) to remove a publication or grant from the list.
- Re-order each list by clicking and dragging the green arrow icon.
Publication Record
Please provide details of a MAXIMUM of six of the Joint Lead Applicants' most recent publications (in the last ten years) relevant to this application (using Vancouver or Harvard citation format). Include DOI reference numbers, if possible.
Research Grants Held
Please select research grants held (as a named applicant) CURRENTLY or IN THE LAST 5 YEARS OF ACTIVE RESEARCH – as well as any additional previous grants relevant to this application, stating who the grant is with and the amount of each grant. If no grants are held, please enter N/A (as this is a mandatory field).
Section 4: The Global Health Research Centre Team
In this section, the names of all LMIC-based Co-applicants/Partners (one each, per Co-applicant / Partner Institution) will also need to be added to the RMS, and to this NIHR Global Health Research Centre application. Please note that once you add a Co-applicant’s details to the RMS, they will receive an automated email informing them about that. Therefore, we expect Co-applicants to be consulted before adding their details into the RMS. The application will not be able to be submitted until all Co-applicants have approved their participation.
The individual roles and contributions of all Joint Lead Applicants and Co-applicants to the NIHR
Global Health Research Centre (on behalf of the institutions they represent) should also be specified here.
Any Collaborators can also be listed in this section.
Definitions and requirements
Joint Lead Applicants: It is a requirement to have two Joint Lead Applicants, with one being from an institution in an ODA eligible country (i.e. the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant) and the other from a UK-based institution.
NOTE: For contracting purposes, there can only be one contracting organisation for flow of funds. The UK Joint Lead Applicant’s employing institution will be the contracting organisation with the Department of Health and Social Care.
Co-applicants: These are the individuals who are employed by the Co-Applicant institutions in ODA-eligible countries. They form a core part of the Centre team and are responsible for the day-to-day management and successful delivery of the consortium’s research and RCS projects and activities in NCDs - as agreed with the Joint Lead Applicants. You can add up to three Co-applicants (one each, per Co-applicant Institution).
Collaborators: These are individuals who provide specific expertise on particular aspects of the Centre’s NCD research programme and would be part of your wider multidisciplinary institutional research team. They do not share in the responsibility for the delivery of the NIHR Global Health Research Centre’s research and RCS.
Please include information on Collaborators within ‘Centre Structure and Team’.
Note: NIHR recognises and values the varied perspectives that community representatives, patients and carers bring to research projects. Therefore, if a NIHR Global Health Research Centre Collaborator is also a community representative, patient or carer, then please indicate this and provide a summary of their relevant knowledge, skills and experience that they will draw upon to contribute to the Centre.
Other Supporting Roles: As a minimum, the following (mandatory) UK, based supporting roles are required to be added to an application:
1. Director of Finance
2. Head of Department or Senior Manager
Please see Section 5 to add these roles.
Specify the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant’s Role in the NIHR Global Health Research Centre
In addition to the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant’s role as Centre Director and representative of the LMIC institution for the NIHR Global Health Research Centre application, please explain briefly (100 words) the expertise and role that they will undertake in the proposed Centre (e.g. coordination and project management, analysis, methodological input, etc.). There will be an opportunity to elaborate upon this further in the ‘Centre Structure and Team’ section.
%FTE: Please enter the percentage of the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant’s time to be committed.
Specify the UK Joint Lead Applicant’s Role in the NIHR Global Centre’s Research
In addition to the UK Joint Lead Applicant’s role as the representative of the UK contracting institution for the NIHR Global Health Research Centre application, please explain briefly (100 words) the expertise and role that they will undertake in the proposed Centre (e.g. coordination and project management, analysis, methodological input, etc.). There will be an opportunity to elaborate upon this further in the ‘Centre Structure and Team’ section.
%FTE: Please enter the percentage of the UK Joint Lead Applicant’s time to be committed.
Co-applicants
Co-applicants
Add details of all Co-applicants (up to three), their specific roles in the Centre and the percentage of their time (%FTE) to be committed to the Centre.
Do not include information about Collaborators here, as they should be mentioned (if applicable) in the ‘Centre Structure and Team’ section of the form.
Section 5: Other Supporting Roles - Signatories (Electronic)
The following supporting roles from the contracting organisation must be added to the application:
- Director of Finance
- Head of Department or Senior Manager
On assigning these contacts an email will be sent to each of them by the system. They will be required to tick a check box indicating that they have read and understood the terms on which they have been nominated for this proposal and accept this role. Ticking this box constitutes an electronic signature of the supporting role for the full application.
No original or ‘wet ink’ signatures are required for this application.
Section 6: Changes From The First Application
Please summarise the changes made to address the feedback received at Stage 1. The feedback point being addressed should be clearly identified. All feedback should be addressed in this Stage 2 application.
Please describe and explain any additional changes that have been made to this proposal since the Stage 1 application (e.g. in the light of new research or in developing equitable partnerships with LMIC researchers and community and public representatives).
Section 7: PLAIN ENGLISH SUMMARY
A Plain English Summary is a clear and accessible explanation of your proposed Centre’s research strategy and approach to RCS and the specific overarching (1-2 years), medium (3-4 years) and long term (5+ years) aims.
If your application for funding is successful; the summary will be used on NIHR and other websites. Therefore, it should be aimed at, and accessible to, members of the public.
Many reviewers/assessors use this summary to inform their review of your funding application. They include clinicians, other practitioners and researchers who do not have specialist knowledge of your field as well as members of the public. If your application for funding is successful, the summary will be used on NIHR and other websites.
A good quality Plain English Summary providing an easy to read overview of the Centre’s strategy and NCD research will help:
- those carrying out the review (reviewers and committee members) to have a better understanding of your research proposal
- inform others about your research such as patients, members of the public, health professionals, policy makers and the media
- the research funders to publicise the research that they fund.
If your Plain English Summary is not clear and of a good quality, you may be required to amend it prior to final funding approval.
It can be helpful to involve people without a scientific background in developing the summary - this could include patients/carers/people from community or civil society organisations relevant to NCDs. When writing your summary, consider including the following information where appropriate:
- Aim(s) of the research and RCS activities
- Background to the Centre’s institutional-level collaboration in NCD research
- Approach taken to NCD research and research capacity strengthening
- Community Engagement and Involvement, and
- Dissemination.
The Plain English Summary is not the same as a scientific abstract - please do not cut and paste from other sections of your application form to create the Plain English Summary.
Further guidance on writing in plain English is available online.
Section 8: Scientific Abstract
The scientific abstract should be a clear and concise scientific summary of the research strategy and approach to RCS.
It will be for researchers to decide the appropriate elements to be included in the scientific abstract, but it is suggested the summary includes the aims and strategic approach to research and RCS activities, the partnership and institutional-level collaboration in NCD research and the dissemination plan, the potential benefits and impact of the research. Applicants may find the guidance on the EQUATOR Network website useful.
Section 9: Global Health Research Centre Structure and Management
Please note that your original responses in this section will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
Centre Structure and Team
Please use this section to describe how the Centre consortium will work collectively to deliver its objectives and outline the arrangements for joint working between the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant, the UK Joint Lead Applicant and Co-applicant institutions. In this section, please include:
- A description of the proposed leadership model for the Centre. Whilst the expectation is for the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant to act as a Centre Director, please explain how the leadership roles will be managed across the consortium and how responsibilities will be shared.
- The proposed structure, location and size of the Centre, detailing how the Centre will be managed and the rationale for this approach.
- The respective strengths and ambition of participating institutions. Please describe existing track record, experience, expertise, skills, capacity, resources and facilities available in the chosen thematic area and explain their input to the Centre. This should be in addition to the information already provided for the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant, the UK Joint Lead Applicant and Co-applicants.
- The needs and gaps the LMIC partner institutions wish to address and explain how the skills, expertise and resources available to the Centre will achieve this.
A list of key Collaborators should be provided in this section. A brief outline of their role and the contribution they are making to the multidisciplinary approach to research should be included. If any Collaborators are community representatives, patients or carers please include this information.
Please expand on the approach to programme management and governance in the below question.
Programme Management and Governance
Please provide details of the practical management and governance arrangement for the Centre, including:
- The key roles and responsibilities required for successful management of the Centre and delivery of the research and RCS plan (e.g. programme managers, support staff, finance staff etc). Please highlight where staff are in post and where recruitment will be necessary.
- A description of how the Joint Lead Applicants, Co-applicants and Collaborators will work together to manage the Centre. Please describe how equitable contributions will be encouraged throughout joint working. The contribution of the Joint Lead and Co-Applicant institutions should also be outlined.
- Details of steering or advisory groups, specifying the role of the advisory group, frequency of their input and the type of expertise you will require. If you have already identified specific individuals who are willing to join the advisory group please name them.
- Risks and challenges the Centre will face. Please provide details of any mitigating actions that will be taken and how the risks will be managed.
- An organogram of the governance arrangements.
- Applicants should note that it is a NIHR requirement that a full-time programme manager is appointed to manage the research contract, and sufficient resources are included and costed to manage the regular programme and financial reporting processes.
Cross-cutting Theme Leads
Each Centre is required to have a cross-cutting theme lead in the following four areas:
- Training and capacity strengthening
- Community Engagement and Involvement
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning
- Knowledge exchange
Please name the leads and briefly describe their relevant expertise and the contribution they will make to the Centre..
Section 10: Research and Research Capacity Strengthening Plan
Please note that your original responses in this section will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
In this section please outline the NCD research challenges and your proposed research and RCS strategy to address these challenges. Please ensure you complete this section using the prompts in the application form in conjunction with this guidance and the NIHR Global Health Research Centres Call Specific Guidance.
References should be provided as a single attachment and uploaded in Section 16 of the application form.
Background and rationale
Please provide the background and rationale for the proposed Centre. This section should include:
- An overview of the NCD challenges and the applied health research areas that will be addressed by the Centre. A description of how the NCD areas relate to each other and the overall strategy should be provided. Please demonstrate the relevance and local need by including details of disease burden and the impact on patients, communities and the healthcare services.
- An overview of the research and work in progress to address the NCD challenges, existing research capability and the remaining evidence gap/ clinical need. Please describe how people living with NCDs in LMICs have helped shape the rationale.
- A description of how the proposed Centre is in scope of the Call, and how it would add value.
Global Health Research Centre Strategy
Please provide details of the overall strategy for the Global Health Research Centre. Include details of the aims and objectives for both research and research capacity strengthening elements, the research plan and methods that might be employed. This section should include:
- Details of specific short (1-2 years), medium (2-3 years) and long term (4-5 years) aims and objectives. Please indicate how they address the overall aims of the Global Health Research Centres Call.
- How the Centre will provide high quality, multidisciplinary research evidence. Please include examples of the proposed institutional-level collaborative research design and methods, highlighting target populations and settings and approaches to data collection and analysis. This should be expanded on in the Research Themes question.
- An overview of the research capacity strengthening needs which have been identified in the partner LMIC institutions and how these will be addressed through a research-driven approach
- Details of the institutional commitment and support that will be available, and identify any additional points or key references made in supporting statements or any previous sections.
- Outline how the Centre will demonstrate successful attainment of milestones for both the research and research capacity strengthening plan and for equitable partnership development.
- The main challenges the Centre will face in delivering the research and RCS strategy.
Research Themes
Please identify the NCD research themes the Centre will address. For each theme please provide:
- The name of the theme
- The research theme lead and key researchers
- The research questions the theme will address
- The aims and objectives of the theme
- A brief outline of key projects planned
- The theme’s relevance to the NCD needs and the overall objectives of the Centre
- The anticipated outputs and benefits from the theme
- RCS activities that will take place within the theme
Approach to Research Capacity Strengthening
Please provide an overview of the Centre’s approach to strengthening research capacity in NCD research for the long term in the ODA eligible partner institutions.
Information on how the proposal will strengthen the institutional research environment and culture, and also support the wider research ecosystem as a whole should be provided. Please include:
- The areas of strategic need that will be the focus of capacity strengthening initiatives
- An outline of the type of posts and opportunities that will be available. Please indicate how equity will be achieved through the available opportunities
Plans to expand and strengthen research management, project management and research-enabling functions to strengthen the research management system as a whole. - Plans to increase the uptake of scientific evidence in policy and practice, reflecting on the important role of public and civil society ownership in achieving this goal.
- The proposed leadership mechanisms that will have oversight of the capacity strengthening work and how these feed into local and Centre-wide management and governance structures
NIHR recognises the developmental and iterative nature of planning activities that will inform applications to the Global Centres programme, and particularly aspects relating to the design and delivery of research capacity strengthening. Applicants are encouraged to reflect on resources that offer empirically-informed guidance around the design, selection and evaluation of research capacity strengthening interventions (e.g. Pulford et al, 2021; ESSENCE 2014) and consider an appropriate balance of individual, institutional and societal-level ambitions.
NIHR is offering all Stage 2 shortlisted applicants the opportunity to attend an impact and capacity strengthening workshop to be held virtually on Wednesday 8 September 2021, to facilitate their development of plans in this area, and to hear more about NIHR’s expectations for this programme.
Recognising that there is a need for flexibility in the outline plans, it is expected that successful Centres submit their plans to assess baseline research capacity and create action plans to address these within the first 6 months of the start date of any award.
For further information on the kinds of activities that might be considered as part of Centres’ plans to build sustainable research capacity, please refer to relevant sections of the Centres Call guidance and Theory of Change.
Equitable and Sustainable Partnerships
Please describe how equitable partnerships will be developed and sustained through the Centre. Identify whether the proposed partnerships are building on existing relationships or the Centre is developing new collaborative relationships. Please describe the contribution of the LMIC Lead and UK Joint Lead Applicants and Co-applicant to the development of this proposal and their ongoing contribution to the Centre (please reference earlier sections where relevant).
Applicants should consider:
- How will equity be ensured in the partnerships?
- How will the collaborating institutions work together to deliver the aims and objectives of the research and RCS activities?
- How will the partnerships be sustained beyond the Centre award?
Knowledge Exchange and Anticipated Impact
Please describe the planned approach to dissemination and knowledge exchange and how this will support the delivery of intermediate and longer-term outcomes
A description of how the Centre will create lasting impact on the research systems in the ODA-eligible countries should be provided, this could include but is not limited to:
- Sustained and demonstrable improvements to institutional research culture in all collaborating LMIC institutions
- A description of how individuals who have undertaken training provided through the Centre will establish careers in NCD research
- Trained research managers and support staff retained for sustainable management and delivery of NCD research
- Collaborating LMIC institutions obtaining further funding to continue to support NCD research
A Theory of Change or Logic Model should be developed for the Centre to provide a visual illustration of how activities, outputs and outcomes might lead to impact. Please see Section 16: Uploads. NIHR recognises that Centres’ strategies to plan, deliver and assess progress towards longer-term outcomes will be determined to a large degree by the nature of early community engagement and involvement (CEI) activities, and the development of research capacity strengthening plans. Nonetheless all applicants are encouraged to consider developing their own nested Theory of Change (or similar) as a means to initiate a dialogue around Centre’s longer-term aspirations and activities that will support impact pathway planning.
NIHR is offering all Stage 2 shortlisted applicants the opportunity to attend an impact and capacity strengthening workshop to be held virtually on Wednesday 8 September 2021.
For further information to assist planning and conceptualisation of knowledge exchange and impact-generating activities, please refer to relevant sections of the Centres Call Remit and Guidance.
Section 11: Community Engagement and Involvement
NIHR is committed to supporting Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) that empowers communities and fosters co-production of research. Involving communities in LMICs who are affected by the health challenge you are working on will improve the reach, quality and impact of your research. The incorporation of meaningful CEI activities will also support the sustainable capacity building of your research centre. More information is available on our engage and involve communities webpage.
There is no standard model for CEI. Applicants should demonstrate that their CEI approach is appropriate and effective for the particular context(s) of the proposed Centre. Applicants should ensure that people affected by NCDs are empowered to contribute towards decision-making in research as well as being part of the capacity strengthening of the Centre and your governance structures.
You may find the following Information and resources helpful:
- NIHR Community Engagement and Involvement Resource Guide
- UNICEF Minimum quality standards and indicators in community engagement
- NIHR and Institute of Development Studies (IDS) CEI learning resource
- Involvement payment guidance for researchers
You may also find it helpful to refer to Mesh, a collaborative open-access web space that provides CEI resources, encourages networking and shares good practice within global health research.
Please note: Applicants are not asked to submit a full CEI strategy at this point. Submission of a full CEI strategy within six months of the start date will be a contractual requirement of all Centre awards. This will enable consortia to become fully established before identifying the full range of their CEI plans.
Application Development
Please describe how people living with NCDs, and their families or carers, were involved in developing this proposal. This might be through working with civil society organisations or direct engagement with individuals. This section could include:
- Whether you've reached out to people or communities who are often marginalised or particularly affected by your research area(s).
- Where CEI activities took place - were they delivered across multi-sites?
- What changes were made to your proposal as a result of your CEI activities? Please give specific examples where possible.
CEI in the NIHR Global Health Research Centre
Please outline your plans for engaging and involving people living with NCDs, and their families and carers, in the work of the proposed Global Health Research Centre. This could include direct engagement with individuals or engagement through civil society, patient or community organisations. This section could include:
- How you will incorporate CEI into both research and research capacity strengthening elements of the Global Health Research Centre.
- How you will reach communities who are most affected by your NCD area/s of focus, as well as those who are often marginalised. What you will need to do to ensure this is meaningful.
- How you will support, train and build the capacity of people living with NCDs to get involved in the work of the Centre. Ensure you have considered the following: how people will be engaged in informing the design, methods and research outcomes, monitoring, evaluating and disseminating research and part of the strategic decision making e.g. within governance structures.
- How research capacity strengthening activities will foster impactful and innovative CEI learning and practice. You should consider how you will develop and deliver sustainable CEI shared learning across and beyond the consortia.
- How your CEI activities will help to maximise the impact of research for the direct and primary benefit of the population in the countries involved.
Please ensure your plans are fully costed within your budget.
Section 12: Location of Research
Please note that your original responses in this section will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
ODA-Eligible Countries
Please select from the OECD DAC list the ODA-eligible country where the proposed NIHR Global Health Research Centre will be based.
Other Countries
Please list any other countries that are not listed above, and where consortium applicants/members will be conducting research or forming research collaborations.
Section 13: ODA compliance statement
Please note that your original responses in this section will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
Applicants must provide a statement that demonstrates how the proposal meets key ODA funding requirements. It must provide information that address the following points:
- which country(ies) on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of ODA-eligible countries will directly benefit;
- how the application is directly and primarily relevant to the development challenges of those countries;
- how the outcomes will promote the health and welfare of people in the country or countries on the DAC list;
Where all or part of the research is not undertaken in an ODA-eligible country during the course of the award (including where a country graduates from the DAC list during the lifetime of the award or there is a need for specialist expertise) the application must clearly state the reasons for this with due consideration to the benefit of the research to ODA-eligible countries.
Section 14: Justification of Costs
Justification of the costs proposed in the detailed budget should be provided. Please explain how the proposed costs offer good value for money, i.e. the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes. Consideration should be given to Economy, Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Equity (as appropriate) and what these mean in the context of a research proposal.
Please see the Finance Guidance for Applicants for more information on justifying the costs of research.
Section 15: Detailed Budget
The finance section of the application form provides details of the finances required to deliver the planned research. Applicants will need to complete all sections of the finance form providing a detailed breakdown of costs for staff posts and salaries, travel, subsistence, conference, equipment, consumables, community engagement and involvement, dissemination, risk management and assurance, external intervention costs, other direct costs, monitoring and evaluation, training and development costs, and indirect costs will need to be provided.
The template budget form is available on the NIHR website.
Please see the Finance Guidance for Applicants for more information on eligible costs.
Section 16: Uploads
Mandatory
- One single-side A4 page, listing references used throughout your proposal
- Theory of Change, Pathways to Impact or Logic Model for the Centre
- CVs for Cross-cutting Theme Leads
- A Delivery Chain Risk Map
Non-mandatory
- Letters of support from Ministries responsible for health and/or research in participating countries and from other major contributors
- If required, an additional supporting (single side of A4) document can be submitted with your application form (e.g., a flow diagram illustrating the Centre’s structure or NCD research design and the flow of participants, Gantt chart, diagrams, pictures etc.). If submitting a flow diagram, applicants should also describe complex interventions and controls as accurately and fully as possible within their diagram. You may find the EQUATOR Network website useful. The PDF file should be submitted along with your application form.
- Any further supporting documentation (flow diagrams, pictures, logic models, trial protocols, letters of support for any other major contributors and co-applicants (institutional support), etc.)
NOTE: No more than 15 separate files are permitted. The total file size should not exceed 10Mb. Total file sizes larger than this may not be considered as part of this submission. We strongly recommend that only .doc or .pdf files are uploaded as some file types are not supported by the system (such as .xls and .zip file types which will not render out into the final version of the application form). Should you wish to upload documents of other file types, we encourage you check that they appear in the PDF of the application form prior to submission as changes cannot be made after the deadline has passed.
Please ensure that the document uploaded containing the list of references does not contain its own page numbering.
Section 17: Administrative Contact Details
Please note that your original responses in this section will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
Please provide the details of an administrative lead, in the Contracting Institution (UK Joint Lead Applicant Institution), as a secondary point of contact for any queries relating to the application, should it be supported.
NOTE: Please note that this person does not need to be the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant, UK Joint Lead Applicant or a Co-applicant.
Section 18: Research and Development Office Contact Details
Please note that your original responses in this section will be automatically pulled through from your stage 1 application.
Please provide the contact details and job title of a person in the Research and Development Office of the Contracting Institution so that NIHR can notify them about the outcome of this application, including any associated feedback.
NOTE: This person does not need to be included as a Joint Lead Applicant or Co-applicant.
Section 19: Acknowledge, Review and Submit
Conflict Of Interest (COI) Declaration
Please declare any conflicts or potential conflicts of interest that you (the UK Joint Lead Applicant), the LMIC Joint Lead Applicant or your LMIC-based Co-applicants may have in undertaking this research, including any relevant, non-personal and commercial interest that could be perceived as a conflict of interest.
Agreement to Terms and Conditions
As Joint Lead Applicant for the UK Contracting Organisation, please tick the box to confirm that the information entered into the application form is correct and that you take responsibility for overall management and delivery of the research.