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NIHR Global Health Policy And Systems Research - Projects Call 2 - Guidance For Applicants

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Published: 23 February 2024

Version: 02/24 v.1

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The closing date for electronic submission of applications is 13:00 UK time on 19 June 2024. This will be a two-stage competition.

This call guidance should be read together with the Global Health Research Programmes – Core Guidance for applicants.

Introduction

We are pleased to launch Global Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) Projects Call 2 which will meet the aims and ambitions set out in the following call specification.

  • award funding: from £250,000 up to £800,000 for up to 3 years
  • leadership model: either 2 joint leads, at least 1 of whom is based in a Low or Middle Income Country (LMIC-based), or a sole lead who must be LMIC-based
  • contractor: UK or LMIC joint lead, or LMIC sole lead, to administer funding to downstream partners
  • submission deadline: 13:00 UK time on Wednesday 19 June 2024 via REALMS

The NIHR Global HPSR Programme supports high quality applied health research to strengthen health policy and health systems in ODA-eligible countries on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list. This is achieved through research that is developed by engaging with policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure policy-relevant research, equitable research partnerships, and capacity strengthening tailored to needs.

Programme objective

The NIHR Global HPSR Programme funds research to improve access to appropriate and affordable health services, aligned with the aims of Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goal 3.

It is underpinned by 3 principles which guide development and delivery. Research should:

  1. meet eligibility criteria as ODA, i.e. funded research directly and primarily benefits people in ODA-eligible countries on the OECD DAC-list
  2. deliver high-quality applied health research, building on the Principles of the NIHR: Impact, Excellence, Effectiveness, Inclusion, Collaboration
  3. strengthen research capability and training, as appropriate, through equitable partnerships

Further information on the NIHR Global HPSR portfolio is available on our Funding Awards website.

Aims of the Global Health Policy and Systems Research Programme

The programme aims to support applied research to strengthen health policy and health systems through:

  • high quality research on health policy, health services and health systems which improves outcomes for the most vulnerable people in LMICs and addresses issues of health equity
  • addressing applied health policy and systems research questions which target challenges or evidence gaps prioritised by local stakeholders and policymakers
  • supporting equitable partnerships and networks between researchers to generate new research knowledge and evidence
  • involvement and engagement with policymakers, communities, patients and the public, and civil society organisations throughout the research lifecycle
  • delivering evidence to inform policy and/or practice, for example through engaging with policymakers and informing local, regional or national strategies
  • capacity strengthening plans for individuals and institutions in LMICs which are proportionate and relevant to the delivery of the proposed activities
  • including appropriate project management and financial/administrative support
  • supporting career development for research leaders of the future, i.e. by giving less experienced researchers in LMICs the opportunity to lead or jointly lead on the research proposal with effective mentoring and appropriate support

Budget and length of funding

Through this call, awards of between £250,000 up to £800,000 over a period of up to 3 years are available for NIHR Global HPSR Projects.

The amount requested and the length of the funding period should be fully justified according to the nature of the proposed research and capacity strengthening. Smaller applications which meet call aims are welcomed, and applicants are encouraged to match their ambitions to their level of research experience. The budget should reflect the significance of the research questions and the magnitude and degree of complexity of the required research. All research and training activities must align with the funding call aims and be completed in the contracted award timeframe.

The NIHR expects funds to be distributed equitably between partners, with the flow of funds reflecting where the majority of work is taking place (i.e. in LMICs). Where this is not possible, applications should justify how the funds will primarily benefit LMIC organisations and populations. The Funding Committee will carefully scrutinise the appropriate distribution of funds between all UK and LMIC partners.

Eligible costs for Global HPSR Projects include:

  • research staff engaged in proposed research
  • research support staff supporting proposed research
  • travel, subsistence, meetings and conference registration
  • equipment
  • consumables
  • community engagement and involvement
  • equality, diversity and inclusion activities
  • dissemination (please refer to open access publication costs)
  • monitoring, evaluation and learning
  • risk management and assurance
  • training and development fees/stipend for students from LMICs
  • other direct costs specific to the research
  • other legitimate and reasonable indirect costs such as HR, finance

The detailed NIHR GHR Finance Guidance offers further information on this.

Methodology research

Applications may include elements of methodology research as part of a wider programme of work. Methodology research should not form a significant part of the overall research plans, and direct costs for this must not exceed 5% of the total budget.

Proposed methodology research must:

  • meet a clear methods gap
  • contribute to the aims of the award
  • have generalised applicability to improve health research methods in LMICs

Scope

Applications in any area of applied health policy and health systems research for the direct and primary benefit of people living in one or more ODA-eligible country/ies will be considered. NIHR strongly encourages applications that address health systems elements including aspects of leadership and governance, financing, health workforce, information systems, quality of care and health service delivery, health services management, community engagement structures and impacts of broader determinants of health. Where research is focused on a specific health problem or service, the proposal should make clear how it also addresses the wider system linkages and influences.

This is an open/researcher-led call, however NIHR remains interested in its previously published priority area which is strengthening health systems in primary care settings and community care settings.

NIHR also welcomes applications under the following cross-cutting themes:

  • scalability, cost-effectiveness, affordability and stakeholder engagement in relation to integrating health services
  • quality of care or perceptions of quality of care, identification of barriers to quality in health systems (at any/all levels of community, primary care, secondary or tertiary care)
  • health workforce management and planning, using innovative technologies within health system settings, innovations in team configurations and skills mix, education and training needs
  • improving data quality and use in health system planning, research on digital solutions, using data to improve efficiency in health system operations

NIHR expects research teams to be multidisciplinary, including experts from social sciences, health economics, political science and related disciplines, epidemiology, medical statistics, experts in community engagement, and community groups.

In scope

This Global HPSR Projects call will support applications which:

  • address the call aims, scope and key criteria for funding (section 6) and eligibility (section 7)
  • propose applied health policy and systems research projects to primarily and directly address challenges faced by one or more LMIC(s)
  • meet needs identified within LMICs and consider how these align with LMIC global/national/regional/local priorities, strategies, or frameworks
  • propose research relating to wider elements ofLMIC health systems such as:
    • leadership and governance
    • financing
    • health workforce
    • information systems
    • quality of care and health service delivery
    • health services management
    • community engagement structures
    • impacts of broader determinants of health
  • may include the development, testing and/or evaluation of interventions or approaches to improve health systems
  • target research areas that will lead to improved outcomes for the most vulnerable
  • address issues of health equity through research which considers gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic barriers to improved health, access to healthcare and economic impact
  • identify problems and outcomes relevant to health systems and policy which matter most to patients and carers, and consider how health systems could better meet their needs
  • include involvement and engagement with policy makers, communities, patients and the public, and civil society organisations, to inform policy and practice
  • demonstrate equity and collaboration in:
    • programme leadership
    • decision-making
    • capacity strengthening
    • governance
    • distribution of funds
    • ethics processes
    • data ownership
    • dissemination of findings
  • support South-South learning and bi-directional South-North learning

Out of scope

The Global HPSR Projects call will not support applications which:

  • do not meet the published call criteria for Global HPSR Projects call 2
  • do not demonstrate demand from LMIC stakeholders and/or links to relevant local, regional or national policies and priorities
  • do not demonstrate potential for generalisability of the research findings, or potential for scale-up of interventions to the wider health system
  • request costs for delivery of health services and training for health care staff unless essential to the improvement of these services, as part of a research programme
  • primarily focus on observational research, secondary research or health policy implementation
  • consist of one of the following on its own, rather than as part of an integrated research programme:
    • randomised clinical trials (RCTs) of interventions
    • epidemiological studies
    • evidence synthesis
    • plans for service evaluation in isolation, unless this will inform evidence-based development and improvement of these services
    • replicating research already undertaken in High Income Countries without clear justification – research proposals should be clearly relevant to, and demanded by, the ODA-eligible country/ies in which the research is being undertaken
    • dissemination or public health messaging
  • are focused on a specific intervention or service and ignore the wider health system within which the intervention/service is situated.

If you are unsure whether your proposal would be in scope for this call, please contact nihrglobalhealth@nihr.ac.uk.

Key criteria for funding

Global HPSR Projects Call 2 is a two-stage call. Stage 1 is a shortlisting outline stage. Stage 2 is for successful applicants at Stage 1 to produce a full application.

At Stage 1, applications will be assessed against meeting the eligibility and call specification. At this stage, applicants are expected to address key criteria 1-4 and consider, but not provide extensive detail on, key criteria 5-8 listed below. Applicants should, however, ensure these are met and embedded throughout proposal development.

At Stage 2, the Funding Committee will assess research proposals based on all key criteria 1-8. Applicants who are successful at Stage 1 will be expected to further develop their proposal and provide sufficient detail on all the criteria at Stage 2.

Stage 1 key criteria assessed

1. Relevance of the proposed research

Applications should demonstrate that the proposed research is designed with LMIC partners from the outset, fulfils a significant gap and addresses unmet health needs and priorities in ODA-eligible countries, and aligns fully with the scope of this call. The proposed research plans should be based on a review of the local context, health systems, services and polices and relevant evidence on improving health-related outcomes for people in LMICs.

2. Research quality and excellence

The research plan should be robust and include clear research questions, objectives and sound design. Detailed methodology should show how the research will address the questions and meet planned objectives, with clear milestones, the identification and mitigation of possible risks, and ethical considerations included. Applications must include appropriate plans for effective programme management, governance, institutional support and contract management.

3. Strength of the research team

Applications should demonstrate the research team has the required range and depth of relevant expertise and promotes interdisciplinary approaches to working.

4. Impact and sustainability

There should be a clear and implementable strategy to achieve impact, including research uptake and dissemination. Research outputs should have the potential to, as appropriate, improve practice, inform policy, and support implementation and scalability of health services and systems improvements and sustainability of research and partnerships in LMICs beyond the end of the award. You can read more about how NIHR expects Global HPSR Projects awards to deliver wider impacts in our Theory of Change.

Stage 2 key criteria assessed

At Stage 2, in addition to 1-4 above, key criteria 5-8 assessed are:

5. Capacity Strengthening

There should be clear plans for research and research management capacity and capability strengthening at individual and institutional level. Plans can include appropriate training in research support functions (training in finance, programme and research management and informal training opportunities) and training for community stakeholders.

6. Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI)

Relevant and appropriate stakeholder and CEI should be evident throughout all stages of the research. Plans should address barriers and effectively engage the most vulnerable and marginalised groups and relevant stakeholders or actors in the context over the lifetime of the research programme. For further information, please refer to: Global Health Research Programmes - Core Guidance for applicants (section 15).

7. Equity of partnerships

Equity and collaboration should be demonstrated and embedded across all aspects of the research proposal, including; programme leadership, decision-making, capacity strengthening, governance, appropriate distribution of funds, ethics processes, data ownership, and dissemination of findings. Promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion is expected to be strongly reflected in all aspects of the planned research, and within and across the research teams, to ensure gender balance and leverage of existing expertise within ODA-eligible countries. For further information, please refer to: Global Health Research Programmes - Core Guidance for applicants (section 6).

8. Value for money

Include a clear, well-justified budget that represents good value for money. Applications must demonstrate that all planned expenditure is proportionate and appropriate against the planned activities outlined in the application and consider Economy, Efficiency, Effectiveness and Equity. For further information, please refer to Global Health Research Programmes - Core Guidance for applicants (section 17).

Eligibility

ODA eligibility

To be eligible to receive NIHR Global HPSR funding, applications must demonstrate how they meet ODA compliance criteria and outline:

  • which country or countries on the OECD 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 a country or countries on the OECD DAC list

Where some elements of the research are not undertaken in an ODA-eligible country during the course of the award (including where a country may graduate 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.

Further information can be found in NIHR ODA Guidance for Researchers and in Global Health Research Programmes - Core Guidance for applicants (section 5) and resources.

Who can apply?

NIHR Global HPSR Project applications can have either:

  • one sole lead employed by an eligible LMIC institution - sole leads from UK institutions are not eligible to apply
  • two joint leads, one of whom must be employed by an eligible LMIC institution - the other joint lead can be employed by a different eligible LMIC institution, or an eligible UK institution

For sole leads, the funding contract will be signed with the LMIC sole lead’s institution. For joint leads, the funding contract can be signed with either of the LMIC joint leads’ institutions, or with the UK joint lead’s institution. The joint or sole lead institution which signs the funding contract will become the contracting institution and funding will be disbursed from NIHR to that institution only. The contracting institution will be responsible for onwards disbursement to all collaborating institutions including to any named LMIC or UK joint lead institution, if relevant. Both the UK and LMIC institutions must be eligible Higher Education Institutions (HEI) or Research Institutes.

Joint and sole lead applicants will normally be principal investigators employed by an LMIC or UK HEI or Research Institute. Depending on the nature of the partnership, there may be other affiliated co-applicants (in addition to the sole lead or two joint lead applicants) and collaborators, including service level providers, necessary to deliver the HPSR Project award. There are no restrictions on the number of co-applicants or collaborators but please justify their role and why they are necessary to effectively deliver the aims of the NIHR Global HPSR Project award. If High Income Country co-applicants or collaborators outside the UK are included, please justify their role and why it cannot be performed by an LMIC co-applicant or collaborator. For more detailed information, see Core Guidance: Structure of Team.

An individual cannot be named as joint lead or sole lead on more than one application to this call.

HEI or Research Institutes may submit more than one application to this call as joint or sole lead, provided each application is distinct in its aims and objectives.

NIHR’s expectation is that if there are multiple applications from a single institution, at least 50% of the Lead Applicants should be women. Justification should be provided where this is not possible and plans should be in place to address this over the longer term. NIHR’s position on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion should be considered at all levels of the awards, including leadership, governance and delivery, and an important aim of this call is to support career development for global research leaders of the future.

Existing NIHR Global HPSR award holders are eligible to apply to this call, provided there is assurance they have sufficient time and resources available to deliver concurrent awards successfully, and they make a robust and compelling case for funding.

However, NIHR will not accept the same or substantially similar applications across multiple NIHR Global Health Research Calls. Please refer to Global Health Core Guidance for more information.

If you are unsure of eligibility, please contact nihrglobalhealth@nihr.ac.uk.

Selection process

All eligible applications at Stage 1 and Stage 2 will be considered by an independent international funding committee that will make recommendations to the Department of Health and Social Care on which applications should be supported. Resubmissions of previously unsuccessful revised applications that address committee feedback are eligible for consideration.

DHSC retains the right to make strategic decisions at the final outcome stage (following Stage 2 Funding Committee). DHSC final funding decisions will be based on available budget, overall portfolio balance, alignment with relevant UK Government policies, NIHR strategic priorities, institutional balance and ranking based on scientific quality.

Indicative timeline

  • call opens for applications: 28 February 2024
  • webinar for applicants: 26 March 2024 - 2 sessions throughout the day:
  • deadline for remit and REALMS registration queries: 10 June 2024*
  • Stage 1 application deadline: 19 June 2024, 13:00 UK time
  • Stage 1 Shortlisting Funding Committee: 2 to 6 September 2024
  • notification of outcomes: week commencing 28 October 2024
  • Stage 2 call opens for successful applications: week commencing 28 October 2024
  • Stage 2 application deadline: 19 February 2025, 13:00 UK time
  • peer review – comments shared with applicants: April 2025
  • Stage 2 funding committee: late May 2025
  • applicants informed of outcomes: June 2025
  • contracts start: from 1 January 2026

*NIHR will not guarantee they will be able to answer queries about the remit or content of applications, or guarantee new REALMS accounts (for lead or co-applicants) will be verified and approved after this date.

Applicants will be notified of outcomes by June 2025 and contracts for Projects must start on, or before, 1 February 2026.

Contracting institutions should review the terms of the current DHSC ODA research contract and consider how these terms will be flowed to downstream research delivery partners.

The NIHR will request completion of a Due Diligence assessment from the contracting institution of successful applicants prior to contracting. Submission of Risk Registers and a Theory of Change will be included as contracted milestone deliverables.

Annual milestones and deliverables will be monitored and reviewed/agreed annually and aligned with original approved HPSR Project aims and deliverables. The NIHR will review the progress of funded Global HPSR Projects after the first 6 months of their contracts to ensure the effective set-up and delivery of initial milestones has been achieved. Contracts will then be actively monitored through quarterly finance/high level progress reporting and annual milestones monitored through annual progress reports.