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Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation - Call 2 Remit and Guidance for Stage 1 Applications

Contents

Published: 01 January 2019

Version: Version 2.0 - January 2019

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Introduction

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)’s Global Health Research funding aims to develop and commission new global health research which will deliver primary benefit to the health and economies of the poorest people living in Official Development Assistance (ODA)-eligible countries as given on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list, whilst also strengthening UK and low and middle income countries’ (LMICs) research capabilities and expertise. In line with ODA principles, between 2016-18, the NIHR has established a substantial portfolio of global health research programmes, through open ‘Investigator-led’ calls. These have positioned the NIHR as a key player in global health research; including support to 13 NIHR Global Health Research Units, 40 Global Health Groups and the Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) scheme.

The NIHR continues to broaden its investments in key areas, where a strategic and targeted investment can result in a transformative impact. Through the provision of focused research funding that prioritises implementable results, DHSC support UK researchers in partnership or collaboration with researchers in ODA-eligible countries in their ability to meet the Sustainable Development Goals while at the same time also benefiting the UK’s own knowledge economy.

The NIHR RIGHT programme forms part of the UK government's commitment to ODA. Through RIGHT, NIHR provides research funding to support cutting-edge interdisciplinary applied health research that addresses the health issues faced by ODA-eligible countries. 

Aims and focus of RIGHT Call 2 

RIGHT Call 2 provides targeted investment in mental health research in ODA-eligible countries, through supporting applied research on the development and evaluation of interventions to improve outcomes for those affected by mental health issues.

The aims of RIGHT Call 2 are to:

  • Deliver research for the primary benefit to the health and wealth of the poorest individuals living in ODA-eligible countries, through research for the development and evaluation of interventions to improve outcomes for those affected by mental health issues
  • Ensure that the research funded through this call strengthens capacity for research and knowledge exchange through development of equitable partnerships between researchers in the UK and ODA-eligible countries
  • Promote interdisciplinary approaches to working, by specifically encouraging applications necessitating expertise and activities associated with a broad range of health-science disciplines, including but not limited to: clinical, health economics, statistics, qualitative and social sciences

Rationale

Mental health issues represent a major global health challenge with major social and economic consequences. The growing global health burden of mental illness was recognised by world leaders when adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015.

Although, mental health and substance use disorders are common in all regions of the world, affecting every community and age group across all income countries, there is a disproportionate effect on people in LMICs, where 75% of those suffering from mental health issues do not have access to the treatment they need. [WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP)].

Given the scale of unmet need, a significant body of research at all stages of the development pipeline is required [WHO Discussion Paper: Mental health, poverty and development, July 2009] and a number of national and international funding bodies have made investments seeking to address this challenge. Through RIGHT Call 2, NIHR will specifically target support to the relatively late stage applied research that is needed to develop and evaluate interventions to improve prevention, access to treatment, clinical management and outcomes for those suffering with mental health issues in ODA-eligible countries

The WHO report on mental health and development in 2010 recommended that mental ill-health sufferers should be considered as vulnerable populations. The report highlighted a need for greater coordination between research and practice communities, including research to better understand health seeking behaviours, and/or to develop support mechanisms that are able to reach potentially hard to reach populations. These activities are required to ensure that proven interventions are more accessible to
vulnerable people living with mental ill-health and psychosocial disabilities. And to support the provision of evidence based evaluation of the outcomes and impact of interventions on mental health at a population level.

People with long term chronic physical health issues are understood to be at higher risk for common mental health issues such as depression. However, the mental health aspect of such conditions is often poorly understood or integrated into the overall care package. Similarly, addiction can be a driver or consequence of mental ill health necessitating complex and multidisciplinary approaches (including actors outside traditional healthcare systems) for the development and evaluation of interventions. The knowledge and
evidence base for these issues are currently weak, and research to develop, understand and evaluate interventions in these contexts is needed.

Furthermore, WHO and UN Enable both note that institutionalisation of those with mental illness remains the primary approach to treatment in many LMICs, whereas the evidence base in Higher Income Countries (HICs) supports and encourages an outpatient and community-based treatment for all, but the most severe cases. Identification of effective alternatives to institutionalisation is recognised as a priority unmet need.

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) have recently reported significant gaps in the understanding of the effectiveness of mental health support and interventions that are applied during the management of global emergencies (including but not limited to conflict, flood, earthquake, volcanic eruptions etc.).They also acknowledge a deficit of understanding and provision around the application of mental health support and interventions during situations of chronic hardship.

Research and humanitarian aid agencies have invested in interventions to detect and support people with conditions potentially attributable to the crisis, e.g.: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mental healthissues arising during emergency may be new to the individual concerned but may be an exacerbation or
surfacing of an existing condition. These conditions may not be best served by interventions focusing on issues such as PTSD. Therefore, research to evaluate mental health interventions for use in emergencies, alongside research to develop interventions focussing on the more common conditions and/ or potentially pre-existing issues is required.

Focus of the call

Applied research programmes funded through NIHR RIGHT Call 2 should employ inter-disciplinary approaches and link research and practice communities, build and strengthen sustainable and equitable partnerships with partners in LMICs, and support capacity building in global mental health research. Applications should set out how research objectives and priorities are relevant to the local setting and present a clear plan for delivering the research with strong governance and management in place.

NIHR encourages applications for NIHR RIGHT Call 2 that address research in (but not limited to) the following areas:

  • Development and evaluation of interventions to reduce the incidence of institutionalisation for treatable/manageable mental health conditions
  • Development and evaluation of interventions targeting mental health as a co-morbidity
  • Development and evaluation of community-delivered interventions in situations of chronic hardship (including better understanding of factors influencing access to treatment)
  • Development and evaluation of interventions to tackle addiction as a driver (or consequence) of mental ill-health
  • Evaluation of effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial support in post-crisis settings to promote sustainable services that meet enduring needs of the population.

RIGHT Call 2 – Outline

NIHR RIGHT Call 2 is a two-stage competition. Stage 1 is a short-listing outline stage. Stage 2 is for successful applicants at Stage 1 to produce a full application. An International Funding Committee will consider eligible applications at both stages.

This document sets out the process for Stage 1 applications. It should be read in conjunction with the Finance Guidance for Applicants.

Remit

This call will support competitive interdisciplinary research programmes in global mental health. Dementia is NOT in scope for the current call on mental health.

NIHR RIGHT Call 2 will support:

  • Applied health research programmes that are of primary and direct benefit to people and patients in ODA-eligible countries, which address the challenges faced by ODA-eligible countries in the area of mental health
  • Interdisciplinary applied research teams with demonstrable expertise and a track-record of ensuring clinical research is transferred into benefits for patients – this can include teams in ODA-eligible countries as well as teams and researchers, who may want to build new research partnerships with colleagues in ODA-eligible countries or apply their research expertise to global health challenges in mental health
  • Proposals that incorporate research questions around gender, age, social barriers to health, economic impact and equity that demonstrate strong partnerships with institutions in ODA-eligible countries
  • Applications that include appropriate researchers from LMICs, and demonstrate plans for equitable partnership and engagement between UK research organisations and researchers and other partners in ODA-eligible countries. Please note for RIGHT funded programmes a co-applicant or Joint Lead Applicant from an ODA-eligible country MUST be included on the application
  • Applications that include relevant engagement with policy makers, patients and the public, civil society organisations and charities
  • Applications that include PhD students based in LMICs 

NIHR RIGHT Call 2 will not support:

  • Applications with a focus on basic research or experimental medicine, including research on animals
  • Costs to establish biobanks, bio-sample collections or new patient cohorts are not eligible under this initiative (samples or data from existing cohorts may be used in applications)
  • Applications consisting solely of epidemiological studies
  • Applications consisting solely of evaluations of existing services, where the programme of work does we not include evidence-based development and improvement of these services
  • Applications solely comprising a single Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT)
  • Applications that solely replicate research already undertaken in High-Income Countries – research proposals should be clearly relevant to the ODA-eligible country in which the research is being undertaken

NIHR RIGHT Call 2 would not typically support applications that primarily focus on observational research, secondary research or health policy implementation.

Eligibility

Applications are invited from UK-based (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) Higher Education Institutions and Research Institutes. Non-UK institutions in High-Income Countries can be included in the application if there is a strong justification as to why the expertise they are bringing cannot be found in the UK or in an ODA-eligible country; evidence for this needs to be provided in the application. Applications from joint groupings of UK institutions will be considered, though a lead UK institution must be specified.

Please note that for RIGHT applications, it is mandatory to include a co-applicant or Joint Lead Applicant in an ODA-eligible country relevant to the research proposal. The research must be focused on improving the health and welfare of the poorest and most vulnerable people in ODA-eligible countries. In order to be eligible to receive ODA funding, applications must demonstrate how they meet ODA compliance criteria and outline:

  • Which country or countries on the 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 a country or countries on the DAC list?

Selection criteria for Stage 1

The selection criteria for Stage 1 will be:

  • Relevance of the proposed research to the research requirement outlined in the Remit (above)
  • Quality of the research design and work plan (i.e. clear research questions/objectives, sound design and detailed methodology to address the questions/meet the objectives; clear milestones, identification of possible risks and factoring in of ethical considerations)
  • Strength of the research team (i.e. depth and breadth of relevant expertise and track record of applicants in a related area)
  • Impact of the proposed work (i.e. likelihood of significant contribution to the evidence base in the relevant area, pathways to improvement in health, wellbeing, lives saved and economic, social and cultural benefits in ODA-eligible countries) and plans for engagement with policy makers, communities and the public at an early stage)

Selection process

All eligible applications will be considered by an Independent Funding Committee that will make recommendations to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Budget

The amount of NIHR funding available for this competition is £15 million. Awards of typical range £3-5 million (maximum of £5 million) over 3-4 years are available for ODA-eligible research, starting January 2020. The amount awarded and the length of the funding period should be fully justified according to the nature of the proposed research.

Eligible costs for NIHR RIGHT Call 2 include:

  • Research staff engaged in relevant research
  • Research support staff supporting relevant research
  • Travel, subsistence and conference costs
  • Equipment
  • Consumables
  • Community and public involvement
  • Dissemination
  • Risk management and assurance
  • External intervention costs
  • Non-pay research costs
  • Other legitimate and reasonable indirect costs (e.g. accommodation, HR, finance)

Please see the RIGHT Finance Guidance for further details.

Proposal and Partnership Development Award

Applicants that are successful at Stage 1 and invited to submit a Stage 2 application are eligible to apply for a Proposal and Partnership Development Award (PPDA). PPDA provides funding of up to £10,000 to support partnership development and the preparation of the full proposal to be submitted for Stage 2.

To be considered for a PPDA applicants must complete a separate PPDA application at the SAME time as completing their RIGHT Stage 1 application and must be submitted at the same time as the Stage 1 application in the RMS deadline Wednesday, 27 March 2019 at 1pm

PPDA applications will be reviewed for those applicants that are successful at Stage 1. Those applicants that are rejected at Stage 1 will not be eligible for PPDA. Those applicants that are successful at Stage 1 will be notified of the outcome of their PPDA application at the same time as the RIGHT Call 2 Stage 1 applications.

Please Note: NIHR may challenge PPDA proposed costs that it does not consider appropriate or does not offer Value for Money, for example Business Class travel. Applicants will be required to provide an invoice for actual spend and evidence of spend at the time of submitting the Stage 2 application. Lead Applicant organisations will need to pre-finance these activities once approved by NIHR.

For further information on costs, please see the RIGHT Finance Guidance.

Timetable for RIGHT Call 2 Stage 1 and PPDA

Call launch3 January 2019
Deadline for receipt of Stage 1 applications 27 March 2019 (1pm)
Selection committee review of applications and recommendations May 2019
Applicants notified of outcome of Stage 1 June 2019
Stage 2 opens for successful Stage 1 applicants 17 June 2019
Deadline for receipt of Stage 2 applications 05 September 2019 (1pm)

Completing your RIGHT Stage 1 application

You must complete an online application via the Research Management System (RMS). The closing date for applications is Wednesday, 27 March 2018 at 1pm. A word template of the Stage 1 application form is available for reference only.

Section 1: Application summary information

Host organisation

Provide details of the organisation, who will be the contractor (i.e. the organisation who will sign the contract with DHSC), if the programme is funded. If your organisation does not appear on the list, please contact the NIHR Central Commissioning Facility.

Research title

The programme title should state clearly and concisely the proposed research. Any abbreviations should be spelled out in full.

Research type

Select the appropriate research type. If your proposed programme is predominantly primary research, please select ‘Primary Research’. If you are predominantly carrying out new analysis of existing data, select ‘Secondary Research’. If you are not sure which category to select, choose the closest match to your project as this can be adjusted later.

Proposed start date

Note this should be from 1st of the month, regardless of whether this is a working day or not. Please be realistic about your possible start date taking account of the necessary contracting and staff recruitment prior to starting your project.

Research duration (months)

Ensure you include sufficient time to complete all aspects of the research including applications for
regulatory approvals (where required) and the final report.

End date

This field will automatically populate once you have entered the start date and research duration information.

Estimated research costs

Enter the total budget for research costs requested on the application form (see the RIGHT Finance Guidance).

At Stage 1, applicants are required to provide a total figure for the costs on the application form and to provide further details of the cost breakdown (in particular the anticipated split of funds between the UK, ODA-eligible countries and any other international parties) by uploading a completed Stage 1 Financial Summary Form.

Please note the total amount given on the financial summary form should be the amount being requested from NIHR; that is 80% FEC for UK HEIs, 100% costs for ODA-eligible countries and other international countries.

Section 2: Lead applicant CV

Complete your name, contact details and other requested information.

Section 3: Lead applicant research background

Publication record

Provide details of a maximum of six of your most recent/relevant publications (in the last ten years) relevant to this application (using Vancouver or Harvard citation format). Please include DOI reference numbers, if needed.

Research grants held

Please select research grants held (as a named applicant) CURRENTLY or IN THE LAST 5 YEARS – 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). For more information about resubmission of a research/trainee funding application, or joint funding please contact the NIHR Global Health RIGHT programme team; ccf-globalhealth@nihr.ac.uk or 020 8843 8286.

Has this application been previously submitted to this or any other funding body?

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ from the drop down box to indicate whether this or a similar application has previously been submitted to this or any other funding body. For more information about resubmission of a research/trainee funding application or joint funding, please contact the NIHR Global Health RIGHT programme team; ccf-globalhealth@nihr.ac.uk or 0208 8843 8080.

Applications submitted to other NIHR programmes

Where this application or a similar one has been submitted to this or another NIHR programme or elsewhere, please click the ‘Add’ button and complete the necessary information.

You must inform us if the application has been submitted elsewhere. This includes, but is not limited to, any facts that, should they come to light at a future date, would embarrass either the programme or the individual who withheld the fact (e.g. if a member of the team holds a patent or has a financial interest within the research area).

Failure to disclose accurately or fully will be considered by the programme as academic misconduct and treated accordingly. You should also include in this section information on whether this or a similar application has been submitted to any programme previously, or to any other funder including other NIHR programmes. You should name, and provide dates and outcomes of these. Please indicate whether you hold or have ever held an NIHR programme contract, which has been terminated prior to completion, extended in time or in terms of funding.

Section 4: The research team

Specify your (Lead Applicant) role in this research

Explain in addition to your role as Lead Applicant, the role that you will be undertaking in the research (e.g. co-ordination and project management, analysis, methodological input etc.)

%FTE

Commitment: This refers to the percentage of your time that you will commit to this project.

Joint Lead Applicant

Where appropriate and justified, it is acceptable for the application to be led by Joint Lead Applicants. Where this applies, please complete your name, contact details and other requested information.

Justification for Joint Lead Applicant

Justification should be given to demonstrate why more than one person would be required to lead this research and how this brings added value to the application.

Relevant expertise and experience of Joint Lead Applicant

Please summarise the proposed Joint Lead Applicant’s relevant expertise and track record in applied health research, in terms of skills and experience, previous publications, grant funding and impact on health service provision.

Specify role in research

Please provide a brief overview of your role in the proposed research. You have the opportunity to elaborate
upon this further in the ‘Research Plan’ section.

%FTE

Commitment: This refers to the percentage of your time that you will commit to this project.

Please note: For application/contracting purposes, the Joint Lead Applicant will be counted as a co-applicant.

A researcher based in an ODA-eligible country can be a Joint Lead Applicant but as above for UK based Joint Lead Applicant, for application/contracting purposes, the Joint Lead Applicant from an ODA-eligible country will be counted as a co-applicant and there can only be one lead host organisation for flow of funds which must be a UK HEI or Research Institute.

Co-Applicants

Please note for NIHR RIGHT applications it is mandatory to include a co-applicant in an ODA-eligible country relevant to the research proposal.

Add details of all co-applicants and their specific role in the programme. Do not include collaborators or
partners, who should be mentioned (if necessary) in the ‘Research Plan’ section of the form.

Co-applicants are those individuals with responsibility for the day-to-day management and delivery of the project and can include patients, carers and service users. Co-applicants are considered part of the project team and are expected to share responsibility for its successful delivery.

Co-applicants who are community representatives, patients or carers are not obliged to complete a standard CV, but are required to provide a summary of any knowledge, skills and experience relevant to their role in the application.

We recognise and value the varied perspectives that community representatives, patients and carers bring to a project as applicants. In this section, please provide a summary of any relevant knowledge, skills and experience that you will draw upon to contribute to this project.

This could include information about:

  • Previous or present work (paid or unpaid) with any relevant organisations
  • Links with any relevant groups, committees, networks or organisations
  • Experience of particular health conditions, treatments, use of services - or as a member of a particular community
  • Knowledge and experience of research including previous research undertaken
  • Knowledge and experience of community and public involvement
  • Skills from any other roles that are transferable
  • Relevant qualifications, training and learning

The bullet point list above is not exhaustive. Please include anything else that is relevant to the application.

Section 5: Plain English Summary of Research

A plain English summary is a clear and accessible explanation of your research.

Reviewers use this summary to inform their review of your funding application If your application for fundingn is successful; the summary will be used on NIHR and other websites and should, therefore, be accessible to members of the public.

A good quality plain English summary providing an easy to read overview of your whole study will help:

  • Those carrying out the review (reviewers and board and panel members) to have a better understanding of your research proposal
  • Inform others about your research such as members of the public, health professionals, policy makers and the media
  • The research funders to publicise the research that they fund

If it is considered that your plain English summary is not clear and of a good quality then you may be required to amend it prior to final funding approval. It is helpful to involve patients/carers/members of the public in developing a plain English summary. When writing your summary consider including the following information where appropriate:

  • aim(s) of the research;
  • background to the research;
  • design and methods used;
  • community and public involvement (see below); and
  • dissemination.

The plain English summary is not the same as a scientific abstract - please do not cut and paste this or other sections of your application form to create the plain English summary.

Access further guidance on writing in plain English.

For further support and advice on writing a plain English summary, please contact your local Research Design Service (where applicable). 

Section 6: Research Plan

Using all of the headings in the order presented below, please use this section to clearly explain your proposed research. As this is the main part of your application, which will be considered by the funding committee, you should ensure that the information is accurate, succinct, clearly laid out and provides sufficient methodological detail. The overall amount of information that you can provide at this stage is limited to 3-5 pages (dependent on the type/complexity/scale of study proposed). (Limit: 2000

What is the problem being addressed?

Provide a clear explanation of the problem to be addressed, the impact on patients and the community as well as health and care services in ODA-eligible country(ies) and demonstrate where the evidence gap is.

Explain how your proposed research is within the remit of the NIHR RIGHT programme and how it addresses the key aim of the programme to deliver research in the area of mental health in ODA-eligible country(ies).

Why is this research important in terms of improving the health and/or wellbeing of the relevant populations and healthcare services in the ODA-eligible country(ies?)

It is essential that you clearly identify the applied health and care challenges faced by the ODA-eligible country(ies) relevant to the geographic and scientific area of your research proposal. Please outline theanticipated value or contribution the research will provide.

Briefly describe:

  • The importance of the proposed research and its relevance to the priorities and needs of the ODAeligible country(ies), including a statement of the significance of the research area (e.g. burden of disease).
  • The anticipated outputs, outcomes and impact of the proposed research on the health and wealth of patients, the community and health and care services in ODA-eligible country(ies); where possible, quantifying the potential benefits.
  • The anticipated timescale for the benefits to the ODA-eligible country(ies) resulting from the proposed research, and how this work will create an enduring impact/sustainable capacity or capability enhancement in the ODA-eligible country(ies).

Review of existing evidence - How does the existing literature support this proposal?

Explain why this research is needed now, both in terms of time and relevance.

Briefly describe:

  • The need for research in this area, please include a summary of existing evidence and the rationale for the particular lines of research you plan to pursue.
  • How your proposed research would add distinct value to what is already known or in progress?
  • Work undertaken previously by the research team, which has led to the proposed programme (e.g. describe any pilot or feasibility data).

Applicants should be aware of ongoing research in this area and comment on any other research that might be deemed to overlap with the contents of the proposal. In particular, applicants are advised to use both PubMed Central and Europe PubMed Central and include reference to recent material on the topic area they are applying for.

Any applications that include primary research should include reference to the existing evidence and explain how this evidence has informed the proposed research. Where a systematic review already exists that

summarises the available evidence this should be referenced, as well as including reference to any relevant literature published subsequent to that systematic review. Where no such systematic review exists, it is expected that the applicants will undertake an appropriate review of the currently available and relevant evidence and summarise this in their proposal.

What is/are the research question(s)/aim(s) and objective(s)?

This section should be used to indicate the overarching aims/objectives of the research, outlining the key question(s), which the work will address and, where appropriate, the main hypothesis.

Team experience and expertise

Describe the skills, experience and expertise of the team that makes it well placed to carry out the proposed research. Please also list and explain the role of key collaborators or partners (i.e. those individuals who provide a substantial intellectual contribution and/or will play a role in delivering the programme of work).

Approach to creating sustainable and equitable partnerships with partners in ODA-eligible countries

Include details of your approach to, and plans to, create equitable partnerships between researchers in LMICs and the UK. If already established, please give clear details of the involvement of individuals and organisations based in the ODA-eligible country(ies) in the development of the research proposal and in undertaking the research.

Community and public involvement

The NIHR has well established requirements for patient and public involvement in the research that it funds. In this global health research call, we refer throughout to ‘community and public involvement’ rather than ‘patient and public involvement’. This is to emphasise the importance of involving relevant community groups and organisations from ODA-eligible country(ies) in an early and sustained manner throughout the research process.

The NIHR expects appropriate and relevant involvement of communities, patients, carers and other key stakeholders in the research it supports. It is essential to set out your approach to involving relevant community groups and organisations, patients and carers in the Stage 1 application. Consider the following issues in your response and include anything else that will give us a clear description of your approach:

  • What is the purpose of community and public involvement in your research?
  • How do you plan to identify relevant communities and organisations as potential partners from ODAeligible country(ies)?
  • How do you plan to establish effective ways of communicating?
  • How do you plan to support and enable relevant community groups, organisations to contribute to the research as partners?
  • If you have involved relevant community groups and organisations in the development of your application, what you have changed or included as a result?

Information and resources to assist you can be found on the NIHR website (a definition of patient and public involvement in research, briefing notes for researchers on how to involve patients and the public and payment guidance for researchers and professionals).

You may also find it helpful to refer to Mesh, a collaborative open-access web space that provides resources, encourages networking and shares good practice to bridge the gap between the research community and the general public in ODA-eligible country (ies).

Your community and public involvement plans will be assessed by the peer reviewers and Independent Selection Panel including public members.

Please note that applicants invited to submit a Stage 2 application will also be invited to participate in a webinar/workshop (TBC) on community and public involvement in research.

Project plan

Provide an expert summary of the project plan of investigation (e.g. deliverables, methods, approach to patient and community involvement, timescales), plus any additional points required to support statements made in the previous sections, and include any key references required to justify the points made (e.g. in the use of particular outcome measures or methods of analysis). References should be provided as an attachment (see section 7: Uploads). Please clearly outline the likely risks and challenges, as well as mitigating actions, in delivering the proposed work and any ethical considerations.

Section 7: Uploads

Mandatory

  • One single-side A4 page, listing references used throughout your proposal.
  • Budget breakdown – at this stage, applicants are required to provide a total figure for the costs on the application form and to provide further details of the cost breakdown (in particular, the anticipated split of funds between the UK, ODA-eligible countries and any other international countries) by uploading a completed Stage 1 Financial Summary Form.

Non-mandatory

If required, an additional supporting (single side of A4) document can be submitted with your application form (e.g. a flow diagram illustrating the study design and the flow of participants, Gantt chart, pictures, diagrams etc.). If submitting a flow diagram, applicants should also describe complex interventions and controls as accurately and fully as possible within their diagram. Alternatively, you may find the EQUATOR Network website useful (www.equator-network.org). The PDF file should be submitted along with your application form.

Section 8: Administrative contact details

Please provide the details of an administrative lead as a secondary point of contact for any queries relating to the application, should it be supported.

NOTE: This person does not need to be a co-applicant.

Section 9: Research and Development office contact details

Please provide the contact details and job title of a person in the R&D office, so that we are able to notify them of the outcome of this application including any associated feedback. NOTE: Please note this person does not need to be included as a co-applicant.

Section 10: Acknowledge, review and submit

Conflict checks

Please declare any conflicts or potential conflicts of interest that you or your 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

As lead applicant, 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.

Checklist of information to include when submitting a NIHR Stage 1 research application Applicants should click the checkboxes to indicate that they have included the necessary information prior to submitting their application.

  • A good quality Plain English Summary
  • A clear explanation of the problem being addressed
  • A clear demonstration of the need and importance of the research
  • A review of existing literature (primary research) 
  • A clear research question/aim(s) and objectives 
  • A clear project plan summarising the study design and methods, risks and ethical considerations
  • A clear description of team member roles and contribution
  • Appropriate and relevant community and public involvement 
  • A single A4 page of references (document upload), mandatory 
  • RIGHT Stage 1 Financial Summary Form (document upload), mandatory