Team Science Round 2: applied health and social care methodology - guidance for applicants

Background

The NIHR works in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, people with lived experience of using or needing health or social care support, and the public. We fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth.

Across the NIHR we are passionate about people and developing careers in research. NIHR develops and coordinates academic training, career development and research capacity development through the NIHR Academy’s awards and programmes.

We play a pivotal role in attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle the complex health and social care challenges of the future and complement additional NIHR investment in world-class research facilities and a skilled research workforce. NIHR aims to develop a highly skilled research workforce capable of advancing the best research which improves health and social care, and benefits society and the economy.

Team Science Award round 2

The Team Science Award is a development award of up to £100k per team, designed to support research teams to collaborate on a future application to other research programmes, expand their research network, and develop research capacity in the field of Applied Health and Social Care Research Methodology.

Examples of how this funding could be used include:

• Supporting pilot research
• Training and development for the research team
• Establishing new collaborations

The Team Science Award aims to bring together individuals to form teams to address a research challenge from different disciplinary perspectives. The award recognises the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to tackle complex current and emerging challenges for health and social care. The award is designed to be different from traditional “investigator-led” awards and aims to recognise the contribution of every member of the research team.

Team Science has been a theme which has been around in the sector for a number of years, and the purpose of this initiative is to help encourage the approach and recognise the value of a team approach.

Definition of team science

Team Science for this programme refers to the collaborative and interdisciplinary approach where researchers from diverse disciplines, institutions, and sectors work together to address complex challenges for health and social care.

Principles of team science

For the purposes of this programme, Team Science encompasses the following principles:

Collaboration: Collaboration is at the core of Team Science. It emphasises the value of working together in research teams, fostering a culture of cooperation, mutual respect, and shared goals.

Interdisciplinarity: Team Science values the integration of knowledge, methods, and perspectives from different disciplines. It recognises that complex health and social care issues often require insights from various fields, for example medicine, biology, psychology, sociology, social sciences, engineering, methodology, data science, programme management and research delivery.

Equity and Inclusion: Team Science promotes equity and inclusion by valuing and respecting the diverse voices, backgrounds, and experiences of team members. It aims to create inclusive research environments that encourage participation from individuals of different cultures and career stages, and with different protected characteristics and identities. Team Science recognises the unique contribution of every member of the team.

Open Communication and Trust: Effective communication and trust are critical for Team Science. It emphasises transparent and open sharing of ideas, data, and findings within the team and with external stakeholders.

Capacity Building: Team Science promotes a culture of continuous learning, professional development, and capacity building. It encourages researchers to acquire new skills, expand their knowledge base, and embrace interdisciplinary ways of working. Team Science also emphasises mentoring, leadership development, nurturing the growth of individual researchers, and the sustainability of collaborative research.

Positive Research Culture: A positive research culture underpins Team Science and implies a commitment to a supportive environment for researchers and their career development, and clear principles for research integrity and conducting research. In particular, it provides early-stage researchers the opportunity to develop their research ideas, learn from their mistakes, and allow team members the space to share good practice and learnings with each other.

Round 2 theme: applied health and social care research methodology

Round 2 will focus on Applied Health and Social Care Research Methodology.

Definition

Applied Health and Social Care Research Methodology in the context of this round refers to the development, improvement or practical application of various research methods, techniques, and approaches in health and social care research. In this context, research methodology is relevant and applicable at both the individual patient or person level and the health and social care systems level where the method is used for research.

Applied methodology in the context of the Team Science initiative aims to bridge the gap between theoretical research methods and their practical application in health and social care research. The primary objective of the theme is to foster collaborative teams comprising methodologists, health and social care professionals, and public contributors, working together to develop, improve, or apply various methodological approaches to address critical areas of need in health and social care research. The theme also aims to give a platform to researchers to identify and overcome barriers to the use of existing better methods, for example where there is limited use or misunderstanding, but may be important in the context of health and social care; research efforts could be directed towards addressing such barriers, ensuring that effective methodologies are appropriately understood and utilised in practice.

Teams will bring together methodologists from applied health and social care disciplines such as statistics, project/trial management, health economics, psychology, social sciences, behavioural sciences, implementation science, bioethics, computer science, health informatics, and data science, alongside health and social care professionals who also possess domain expertise and practical knowledge. This collaborative approach aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, enabling methodologists to gain insights into real-world challenges faced by practitioners, while practitioners can benefit from the expertise of methodologists in developing and applying appropriate research methods and techniques.

Rationale

There is a need to bring together methodologists with health and social care professionals and public contributors to enhance and develop methodological approaches for applied health and social care research. The NIHR highlights strengthening careers for those in under-represented disciplines and specialisms as one of its key strategic areas of priority. This outlines that there are groups within our research community that lack recognition and career support, including methodologists. In addition, NIHR is committed to building capacity and capability in preventative, public health and social care research which aligns with the Team Science call. 

Strategic priorities for applied health and social care methodology research

This call is for research methodology applied at either the individual or the health or social care systems level. Proposed Team Science work should be within both the theme of Applied Health and Social Care Research Methodology and within the NIHR’s remit. Methodologists, researchers, and health and social care professionals who want to bridge the gap between methods and their practical application in applied health and social care research are invited to apply. 

List of Strategic Priorities 

Methodology for diagnostic test evaluation and prediction modelling – e.g. study design, fairness, use of health and social care systems data, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Evaluation methodology – e.g. trials of complex interventions in health and social care methodology, health economic assessment, efficient designs, outcome selection, addressing challenges around study conduct, inclusivity, understanding lived experiences.

Methodology for epidemiology – e.g. causality inference, inequalities assessment.

Please highlight within your application if your project aligns with one or more of the strategic priorities. Applications do not have to fit within these strategic priority areas, as long as applications meet the overall round theme of Applied Health and Social Care Methodology Research.

NIHR remit 

All research funded by NIHR Academy Programmes must fall within the following remit.

1. The overall remit of the NIHR is early translational (experimental medicine), clinical and applied health research, and social care research.
   1. Proposals must have clear potential for directly benefiting patients/service users, carers and the public (but recognising the training element of the research)
   2. Proposals can involve: patients/service users and/or carers; samples or data from these groups; other people who are not patients/service users and/or carers; populations; health technology assessment; or health or social care services research.
       
2. For this award, early translational (experimental medicine) research is not within remit. A clear and plausible path to patient /service user, carer or public benefit must, however, be demonstrable.
    
3. NIHR does not support basic research or work involving animals or their tissue.
    
4. If the work involves biomarkers:
   1. Research that tests whether application of new knowledge can improve treatment or patient outcomes, and has obvious direct potential benefit, is within remit; this might include application of known biomarkers, or other prognostic factors, to refine and test novel therapeutic strategies.
   2. Research that aims only to elucidate mechanisms underpinning disease or identify risk factors for disease or prognosis (including search for biomarkers) is out of remit.
       
5. The NIHR is also prepared to support high quality educational research (defined broadly as education for health and social care providers) and methodological research. It is expected that the research will have the potential to have practical application and the potential impact on patients/service users, carers and the public must be made clear.

Applications are welcome from teams working in any scientific discipline or sector that can demonstrate a role in, and contribution to, improving the health and/or social care of the population served by the health and social care system in the UK.

Eligibility

Applications must be made by interdisciplinary teams. This includes teams that were formed at the 2024 NIHR Team Science Camp, but teams do not have to have attended or expressed an interest in the camp to apply for this award. 

Please note, applicants/team members do not need to be NIHR Academy Members.

Applications will need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be within the NIHR’s remit. 
• The proposed Host Organisation must be based in England, however, team members can be based in any of the Devolved Administrations.
• Team members can hold the position of ‘Chair’ and clinical team members must have completed relevant pre-registration training.
• Focus on an area of Applied Health and Social Care Research Methodology where there is a clear gap or national need for research and to build research capacity.
• Experience within Applied Health and Social Care Research Methodology or a demonstrated interest in this area.
• Experience within Team Science/interdisciplinary research or a demonstrated interest in this area.

Team membership/composition

• Teams should be at an early stage or newly formed. For the purposes of this award, early-stage teams are those that have come together recently to begin an interdisciplinary project with strong potential for innovative and impactful advances in the given research area. Should your team consist of existing collaborations you will need to outline why this is critical and where new team members have been incorporated. 
• Teams applying for the Award must demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach in their proposal, in that they should include, at the minimum, researchers from across different career stages, and have representation of at least two distinct disciplines on the team.
• Teams are encouraged to include early career researchers (ECRs). Should a team be composed mainly of ECRs, we encourage these teams to carefully consider additional sources of support such as collaborators and partnerships, where appropriate. 
• In addition, diversity in terms of race, gender, institution, career stage, discipline etc. is strongly encouraged. 
• All applicants must declare any existing salary contributions or NIHR funding they currently receive. Please note that the NIHR’s funding cannot exceed 100% of an individual's total working time. 

Assessment criteria

Eligible Team Science applications will be appraised holistically, as well as from the perspective of the relevant disciplines. The following Assessment Criteria will guide the assessments and each criterion will have equal weighting: 

Team and team development

• Appropriate interdisciplinary team formation to further Applied Health and Social Care Methodology research, including the breadth of the team’s composition, formation and the role of each member.
• Quality and suitability of the team development activities, including provision for early career researchers and those who play key roles in team science.
• Evidence of commitment to Team Science principles and approach as stated in the guidance notes.

Project, plan and partnerships

• Justification that the proposal will address an area of Applied Health and Social Care Methodology research in which there is a clear gap or national need and linked to the highlighted priority areas, supported by existing evidence.
• A clear development plan for the delivery of the proposal; including achievable and realistic objectives and success criteria that outline how the team will achieve its intended goal.
• Where required, appropriate partnerships and collaborations for the development of the research area and/or team.
• Appropriate and meaningful patient/service user, carer, and public involvement.
• Plans to secure additional funding for the research idea and/or team members both during and following the completion of the Team Science Award.

Place and support 

• Track record of host organisation in the project area being proposed.
• Evidence of the host organisation's commitment to creating and maintaining an inclusive and supportive research culture, including evidence of commitment to the principles of equality, diversity and research inclusion and research integrity. 
• Outline what and how the named host will support the team. 

Start dates

Awards must start on the first of the month and can be started between 1st September 2025 and 1st February 2026. Awards must be completed within 24 months of the start date.

Scope of funding

The Team Science award offers funding of up to £100,000 to support interdisciplinary research teams to collaborate on a future application to other research programmes. 

Funding can include: 

• Supporting pilot research, securing access to relevant data.
• Training and development for the research team, including travel, accommodation, and subsistence for the team/team members to attend training courses and workshops etc.
• Attendance at relevant UK events and conferences including travel, accommodation and subsistence.
• Establishing collaborations and partnerships.
• A contribution to the salary of team members to buy out the necessary time for them to collaborate on an application for further funding.
• Dissemination costs/article processing charges (open access).

Funding for the Team Science award will be paid at 100% directly incurred and does not cover Full Economic Costs.

All costs included in the Team Science application must represent value for money. Team Science Award is a training and development award. Therefore, funds should primarily support the team members in the completion of the proposed project and training and development activities. We discourage use of the funds for consultancy services or additional research staff, as these do not align with the developmental aims of the award. 

Identifying a host organisation

Teams will need to identify an eligible Host Organisation that will administer and support the award and hold the contract for the duration of funding (please see the ‘Contractual Arrangements and Management’ section below). This will entail moving funds from the host to other participating team members’ institutions. 

The Host Organisation must be the employing organisation of the individual who initiated the application. The Host Organisation can either be a recognised HEI, NHS body, social care provider, a research institution (such as think tanks or charitable organisations), or any other organisation which provides health or social care services and must be based in England. 

The Host Organisation will provide support for the duration of the award, and therefore we ask that the following points are taken into consideration when teams are identifying a Host.

The Organisation should:

• Have the capacity and necessary infrastructure to support the Team Science award for the duration of the funding.
• Have a track record of supporting interdisciplinary research.
• Have experience of the Team Science approach and/or commitment to support the principles of Team Science.
• Work in partnership with and support flow of funds between the employing organisations of all team members (see contractual arrangements below for further details).
• Have experience in supporting researchers from different career stages, in particular early career, as well as from a range of professional backgrounds.
• Be committed to the principles of equality, diversity, research inclusion, and research integrity.
• Have appropriate policies and procedures in place to support the team for the duration of the award.
• Outline any in-kind support or contributions to the award within the Host Organisations section of the application and Host Organisation Support Statement.

Contractual arrangements and management

Contractual arrangements

Financial support for a Team Science award is subject to a contract between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Host Organisation listed on the application form.

Appropriate sub-contracts must be put in place for any element of the Team Science award that is to be paid to another organisation.

Once funding for the award has been discussed and agreed upon, NIHR will confirm the financial arrangements with the Host Organisation. NIHR will provide the Host Organisation with a contract setting out the details of these arrangements.

The Host Organisation is responsible for creating and submitting sub-contracts and collaboration agreements in line with NIHR’s standard agreements, as outlined within the contract. The nominated Host Organisation is responsible for keeping all co-applicants informed of the contractual terms with the NIHR.

Government procurement transparency regulations require publication of details of all contracts made with the DHSC on their website. Confidential information including detailed finance information, bank details, and departmental staff names (other than the names of the team members) will be removed from the published versions.

Reporting

NIHR will request annual and ‘end of award’ narrative reports, we will also ask for annual and end of award finance reports that outline how the funds have been spent/disbursed and data on who is being supported by the award. Relevant templates will be provided by NIHR and reports must be submitted within timeframes outlined when reports are requested.

For example, NIHR will request information on:

• Progress/completion of the award and the activities proposed in the application, which should lie within the NIHR remit.
• Whether the team is on track or has met their aims and objectives (particularly related to team training and development), and/or an explanation of mitigating circumstances where any aim(s)/objective(s) has/have not been met.
• Development of an application for further funding using the Team Science approach including any target funding schemes you have identified.
• Overall experience of the award/Team Science, including any specific activities and outputs that demonstrate teamwork.

Application procedure and selection process

• We use an adapted version of the NIHR Standard Application Form (SAF). The application form needs to be submitted by the published deadline.
• We can advise on eligibility and remit enquiries, and answer queries you may have when completing the application form but cannot comment on the design and/or methodology of specific research projects. Please contact the NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) and/or NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Public Health or the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Social Care for help and advice with your application.
• All applications undergo an initial screen for eligibility and compatibility with the NIHR remit. Following this, applications are reviewed by the funding committee before a decision is made as to which applications are to proceed to the next stage.
• If you are successful in being selected for an interview, you will be invited to be interviewed by the funding committee including public contributors. Interviews will provisionally be held in Leeds on 11 or 12 June 2025. You will be asked to give a 5-10 minute presentation to the funding committee that will be followed by 20-35 minutes of questions.
• Funding committees will make recommendations for funding that will be considered by the Chief Scientific Adviser and the Director for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Science, Research and Evidence (SRE) Directorate. Once confirmed, the funding decisions will then be communicated to applicants.
• Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by email when all required processes are complete.
• The selection process and subsequent management of the Team Science award will be managed by the NIHR Academy.
• All documents must be submitted in English.
• Awards cannot be deferred unless for statutory reasons.

Application deadlines and timetable

Your application must have been submitted by the deadline and signatories must have approved your application by this time using the Academy Research Awards Management Information System (ARAMIS) online application system. All components of your application, including supporting documents for the Uploads section, must be submitted by the deadline.

Timetable

Applicants are asked to keep the interview dates available to attend an interview in Leeds on either 11 or 12 June 2025. Interview dates are based on the availability of committee members and are constrained by a full schedule of interviews. Unfortunately, interviews cannot be re-arranged. 

Please note these dates are subject to change.

Registering, completing and submitting the application

Registering

All applications must be completed and submitted via the NIHR online application system, (aramis.nihr.ac.uk).

Before a team can start an application, one team member will need to initiate the application process and will be required to register on the system, this person will be the ‘Lead Applicant’ on ARAMIS for the purpose of completing the form only. The individual initiating the application process will be asked to supply a valid email address and to complete some basic information. Once this has been submitted, they will receive an email confirming their registration and a temporary password. They should then follow the instructions in the email to log onto the system (team members will also need to register to ARAMIS using the same process).

Once signed into the system team members will be able to update various details and apply for any applications to any open rounds. To start an application, they will need to go to ‘My Applications’ and select ‘New Application’. They should then select ‘NIHR Team Science Round 2’ from the list provided. After answering all the eligibility questions, they will be able to start completing the online form. All team members must ensure they read all available guidance text including this document as well as any online instructions thoroughly whilst completing the form.

Completing and submitting the form

Co-Applicants

All individuals within the team, apart from the individual initiating the application process, must be granted access to edit the application form. 

The individual initiating the application process will be required to enter the details of each team member into the ‘Team Details’ section of the application form under ‘Co-Applicants’.  They will then give access to the form to each team member by inviting them via the ‘Participants and Signatories’ section of the application form (see participants and signatories section below). All team members must be registered to use ARAMIS by following the instructions provided above.

Participants and Signatories

Participants

You are required to supply the names and email addresses (if not already registered on the ARAMIS application system) of the individuals who will be undertaking ‘participant’ roles as part of your application. Individuals named in this section will be acting as a ‘participant’ to your application and will need to agree to be part of this application. Participants are required to review the declaration for the role before confirming participation as part of the one-click ‘confirm’ process.

By confirming participation, participants are acknowledging their involvement and input into this application and agree to be involved in it before it is submitted. You must ensure all participants are happy for your application to be submitted before submitting it on the online system.

Required Participants

Administrative Authority or Finance Officer: the Administrative Authority or Finance Officer based at the Host Organisation must confirm that they will ensure the accuracy of the financial details of the application and that the host organisation is prepared to move money as appropriate, carry out this research at the stated costs and to administer the award if made.

Participants must confirm their participation in the application before you will be able to press the submit button. They will have no further action to take in the submission process. It is recommended that you contact your participants as early as possible to ensure they understand any action they must take before you can submit the application. 

Signatories

You are required to supply the name and email address (if not already registered on the ARAMIS application system) of the individual(s) who will be ‘signing off’ your application. Once their contact details have been entered, the signatory will be invited to log into the system and confirm their participation.

The signatories will be required to agree to the role being asked of them in the application before it is submitted, and then approve the final version of the application after it has been submitted via the online system. 

The signatory must have agreed to participate and complete their sections before the application can be submitted (by the named Lead Applicant) and sent to signatories again for signatory approval'. Signatories must approve the application AFTER the application has been submitted but BEFORE the application submission deadline, all signatories will be able to approve the application by going into the ‘My approvals’ tab in the menu on the left hand side on ARAMIS, they will then need to select the application and select ‘Approve’. Failure to do so will result in your application not being submitted. Please see the 'Application Submission Process Flow Diagram’ in Annex B further on in these Guidance Notes. The signatory approval will result in the application being submitted to the NIHR. All parties (applicants, participants and signatories) will be notified of this with an automated system generated email.

NIHR will not accept any applications unless fully approved by your signatory prior to the 1pm deadline. No exceptions will be made.

Required Signatories

Co-Applicants: Each team member (named on the ‘Team Details’ page) must be added to the ‘Signatories’ section of the form under ‘Co-Applicants’. Co-Applicants must confirm that they have agreed to participate and have completed their sections of the form before the application can be submitted and sent for sign-off.

Lead Signatory of the Host Organisation: the lead signatory from the Host Organisation (in which this award will be based) can be a head of department/organisation or equivalent. The lead signatory should not be a proposed team member. They must confirm that they support this application and that, if funded, funds will be distributed as required, research and training will be supported as appropriate by the named organisation and that the team for whom they are responsible will undertake this work. As such, the Lead Signatory of the Host Organisation will be required to complete a ‘Statement of Support’ under the ‘Participants and Signatories’ section of the application form.

Submitting the Application

The individual who initiated the application process will need to submit the application on behalf of the team.

You will only be able to press the ‘Submit’ button, which will send the application for final sign off by signatories when:

• All mandatory sections of the application form are complete.
• All Participants and Signatories have agreed to their role.
• The Lead Signatory of the Host Organisation has completed the ‘Host Organisation Support Statement’.

Please note that when completing the application form, you are advised to validate your application as you go. You will find a Validation Summary button in the left-hand menu. This section will detail any points within your application that are either incomplete or incorrect. Failing to validate your answers may result in you being unable to submit your application by the required deadline.

Should you require assistance in completing the online form, please contact the NIHR at 0113 532 8444 or by emailing academy-awards@nihr.ac.uk.

Completing the application form 

Team members can access the application form at any time using the ‘My Approvals’ tab in the menu on the left-hand side in ARAMIS.

Please note, team members should not be working on or completing the same pages of the application form simultaneously. ARAMIS will flag that data loss may occur if there is more than one individual working on a particular page.

NIHR Team Science Award - Introduction

This page provides an overview of the NIHR Team Science award, including links to the scheme guidance and relevant information.

Application Summary Information

Host Organisation (which will administer any award):

Please provide the name of the proposed host organisation which will administer the award. Please note, this must be based in England. If you are unable to add the name of the proposed host organisation, please contact us via Academy-awards@nihr.ac.uk. Please note payments from NIHR will be made to the Host Organisation only who will be responsible for the management of finances associated with the award.

Proposed Start Date

Please select an award start date from the pre-populated options. This must be the 1st of the month, regardless of whether this is a working day or not. The award must be started within 6 months of 1 September 2025.

Duration

Please select the proposed duration for the award. Please note all awards must be completed within a 24-month period.

Team Details

Team Name

Please enter the name of the team.

Co-Applicants

Please enter the details of all the team members on this application (min 1, max 30) in this section. You must enter the names of each team member again in the ‘Participants and Signatories’ section so that they are granted access to edit the application (see Participants and Signatories Section of these guidance notes). 

Each team member will be required to provide a Narrative CV in the uploads section of the application form using the template provided (this can be downloaded from the ‘CV’ heading under ‘Uploads’ section).

Team and Team Development

Plain English Summary

A plain English summary is a clear explanation of your proposal, this should include:

• How you intend to use this award to develop as a Team to ultimately submit a grant application.
• The area(s) of the research (in line with the Round Theme) that the team is interested in and the societal benefit of pursuing these area(s).
• A brief outline of the planned activities during the period of the award. 
• Patient/service user, carer and public involvement.

Many reviewers use this summary to inform their review of your funding application. They include clinicians, 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 the NIHR and other websites.

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

• those carrying out the review (i.e. reviewers and funding committee members) to have a better understanding of your research proposal;
• inform others about your research such as members of the public, health and social care professionals, policy makers and the media;
• the research funders to publicise the research that they fund.

If it is felt 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/service users/carers/members of the public in developing a plain English summary.

Further guidance on writing in plain English is available on the NIHR website.

(Max 600 words)]

Tell us about your team and team formation

Please provide details of your team including the professional backgrounds and career stages of team members and the rationale for bringing these individuals together, this should include:

• How the team was brought together to apply for this award.
• The role of each team member.
• How members will benefit from being part of the team.
• How the formation of the team will further research in the related theme.
• How the organisation that will host the team science award was decided upon.

(Max 500 words)

Team development activity 

Please explain how you will use this award to further develop as a team, build research capacity, and create opportunities, please include your plans for: 

• Individual and whole team training, this should include any particular courses, workshops, and events or conferences that you have identified as relevant for the development of the team or individual team members, taking into consideration different career stages, different roles within the spectrum of research design and delivery and different professional backgrounds. 
• Working collaboratively to achieve the aims and objectives of the award. 
• Where required, appropriate supervisory arrangements. 
• Evidence of appropriate interdisciplinary team formation to further research in the theme area, including the breadth of the team’s composition and the role of each member.

(Max 500 words)

Approach to team science

How are the principles of team science embedded in the formation/development of the team? 

Please reference the principles of team science as stated in the guidance notes and include the following:

• Approach to maintaining teamwork and managing conflicts.
• Commitment to inclusive research.
• Evidence of commitment to Team Science principles.

(Max 500 words)

Project, Plan and Partnerships

Team area of research interest

Which area(s) of the research theme is the team interested in pursuing an application in? 

Please also include: 

• A brief description of the background to the research area of interest and the research gap that you intend to address. 
• How your team's research is aligned with the round theme.
• A brief description of any initial plans for this development award. 
• The likely impact and relevance to patients/service users, carers, the public, and health and/or social care services.

(Max 500 words)

Detailed proposal for research development activity

Please outline your aims and objectives for the award and how these will be delivered, please include: 

• An explanation of how the team will use the award to develop a research proposal, this can include preliminary activities that you plan to undertake to develop your proposal such as a pilot study, or feasibility work/study. 
• Key milestones and outputs. 
• Any specific outputs that demonstrate teamwork. 
• The measures of success you intend to use.

(Max 750 words)

Collaborations and partnerships

Provide details of any partnerships developed as part of this proposal and/or plans to develop these during the award period, with particular emphasis on how these will support team development and the area of research interest. If you do not plan to develop collaborations/partnerships beyond the team membership please state this here.

(Max 500 words)

Patient and public involvement and engagement 

Please describe how patients/service users, carers and the public have been involved in developing this proposal. Please describe the ways in which patients/service users, carers and the public will be actively involved in the award and the subsequent research proposal, including provision for training and support. 

(Max 500 words)

Future application plans

Please provide details of your plan to secure additional funding for your research ideas and/or team members both during and following the completion of the Team Science Award, please also include any specific target funding schemes you have identified. 

(Max 300 words)

Place and Support

Host organisation’s support

Outline what and how the named host will support the team. Highlight the track record of the host organisation in the project area being proposed. 

Please describe the host organisation’s commitment to supporting this team science award, including commitment to the principles of equality, diversity, research inclusion, and research integrity. 

(Max 1,000 words)

Detailed Budget

Justification of Costs

Please provide a breakdown of costs associated with undertaking the award and provide justification for the resources requested. This could include the following costs: staff costs, travel and subsistence and conference fees, costs for patient/service users, carers and public involvement (PPI), costs for preliminary research, training and development costs and any other direct costs. For help with estimating PPI costs please see this guide to good practice for payment and recognition.

All costs provided should represent value for money. The NIHR reserves the right to reject any costs that it considers unreasonable or insufficiently justified.

Detailed Budget Breakdown

The finance section should provide a breakdown of costs associated with undertaking the award as described in the proposal.

General Information

• The information entered in this section should provide an analysis of the total funds requested to undertake the activities proposed and should be based on current prices. 
• It is in best interest to undertake a thorough, realistic and accurate costing. You must provide a clear and full justification for all costs. 
• Costs must be provided at current prices. An adjustment for inflation will be made annually thereafter at rates set by DHSC.
• Years should be calculated starting from the start date of the award.
• Further itemisation of costs and methods of calculation may be requested to support the application at a later date.
• Payments will be made to the contracted organisation only and the contracted organisation will be responsible for passing on any money due to any other organisation, i.e. the employing organisations of team members.
• Appropriate sub-contracts must be put in place for any element of the Team Science award which is to be paid to another organisation.
• All applications are expected to have appropriate HEI, NHS, social care, commercial and other Partner Organisations input into the finance section of the application form.

Information on different types of organisations

This award does not cover Full Economic Costs therefore all prices should be entered at, and will be paid at, 100% regardless of the type of organisation (NHS, HEI or Other).

If the Host Organisation is a Higher Education Institution, please select the ‘Other’ option when entering the Type of Cost to prevent costs being submitted at 80%.

Direct Costs

This section must provide a clear breakdown and full justification of all funds requested. Please note the award is for a maximum of £100,000. These are costs that are specific to the NIHR Team Science award, which will be charged as the amount actually spent and can be supported by an audit record (receipts).

For each item/cost being requested please:

• Select ‘Add’ under the relevant cost type.
• Please detail the cost being requested (i.e ‘Travel’, ‘Conference Fee’, ‘Training Course Fee’, ‘Subsistence’ etc.) in the ‘Description’ box.
• Please select ‘Other’ from the drop-down options for the ‘Type of Cost’.
• Please outline a brief reason for the cost/item being requested within the “Justification of Cost” box.
• Finally, please enter the total cost for the item being requested in the ‘Year 1’ or ‘Year 2’ box as appropriate.

Training and Development 

Please enter the costs for any suitable training courses, workshops, events, and other developmental activities that you have identified for the team/team members.

Patient and Public Involvement (including people with lived experience, patients, carers)

Please enter the fees for planned patient and public involvement here. This includes reimbursement of Public Contributor fees and the cost for patient and public engagement activities. For help with estimating PPI costs please see the INVOLVE cost calculator. 

Travel, Subsistence and Conference Fees

Travel: where applicable, you can include the travel, accommodation and subsistence costs that will be incurred by team members, in travelling for face-to-face meetings, training courses, events and conferences etc.

Enter the total cost of transport for all journeys. If travel is by car, apply your institution’s mileage rates (however, this should not exceed HMRC approved mileage allowance payments, which is 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p thereafter).

Travel by the most economic means possible is encouraged; please note NIHR awards do not fund first class travel.

Subsistence: please enter the total cost of subsistence costs to cover all meals required during travel for award related activities and training (if applicable) whilst undertaking the Team Science award (excluding any alcoholic beverages).  Please also enter the total amount of accommodation costs (if necessary) to cover any accommodation required to attend face-to-face meetings, training courses, workshops, events and conferences. Please note; that subsistence rates should be in accordance with the applicant's Host Organisation’s ‘Travel and Expenses Policy’ approved rates’. 

UK Conference Fees: please itemise the conferences you wish to attend and describe the costs fully. Please note that all conference attendance must be UK based.

Other Direct Costs

Please enter ‘Other Direct Costs’ in this section, these can include:

Salary Costs: enter any contribution to salary costs for team members. Salary figures should be calculated using the current annual costs, % WTE of the cost should be provided, and the number of months funding is requested for. These should all be clearly outlined within the justification section. Please note that the NIHR’s funding cannot exceed 100% of an individual's total working time.

Research Costs: costs to support any planned pilot research/research activities, including funding for open access publication. 

Other Costs: costs relating to building collaborations and partnerships and other appropriate award-related activities. 

Summary of costs

Funding for the Team Science award will be paid at 100% directly incurred and does not cover Full Economic Costs.

Please note that the NIHR reserves the right to award a grant for less than this maximum where it is considered appropriate.

Uploads

To support your proposal, you are able to upload the following documents in the ‘uploads’ section of the form:

• References: 1 A4 page listing all references cited in the application
• Figures/table: 1 A4 page of figures/tables to supplement the award/research plan, please note this is optional.
• Development Award Gantt Chart: You may include a Gantt chart of your planned award to aid the selection committee members in understanding the timeline for preparing an application for further funding.
• Team Structure Chart: 1 A4 page detailing the team structure.
• List of collaborators/partnerships/supporting organisations (optional): 1 A4 page listing all collaborations/partnerships/supporting organisations outlined in the proposal.
• Supporting statements: Statements of support for each team member from supervisors/mentors.
• Narrative CVs: Each team member will need to download the Narrative CV template linked in this section, complete the form and upload. The Narrative CV template offers flexibility to highlight key achievements of academic and non-academic team members. Applicants may use the various Module sections to highlight achievements such as, professional experiences, key professional achievements, research grants and publication records, which indicate their suitability for this Award. 

When uploading documents to your application form, please ensure that they are in Adobe PDF or Word DOC/ DOCX format. If you are looking to upload a gantt chart the following file types are allowed; doc, docx, pdf, xls, xlsx.

Participants and Signatory

A number of participants and a signatory are required to be added to your application. Details of the required individuals are provided on the online application form along with details of how they should be added. The flow diagram in Annex B goes through the actions required of participants, signatories and the applicant.

Host Organisation Support Statement

The following statement of support must be completed by the Signatory of the Host Organisation once they have confirmed their participation. This must be the head of department or the individual who will be providing support to the team.

The statement should include/confirm that the Host Organisation:

• Has the capacity and necessary infrastructure to support the team science award for the duration of the funding and will work in partnership with the employing organisations of all team members.
• Has experience in supporting researchers from different career stages, in particular early career, as well as a range of professional backgrounds.
• Will support the principles of Team Science.
• Is committed to the principles of equality, diversity, research inclusion, and research integrity.

Acknowledge, Review and Submit

Conflict checks 

Please declare any conflicts or potential conflicts of interest that you may have in undertaking this research, including any relevant, non-personal and commercial interest that could be perceived as a conflict of interest.

(Max 300 words)

Agreement to terms and conditions

Please click the check box to confirm you agree to the Terms and Conditions of submission as detailed on the application form.

Additional supporting information

Plagiarism in NIHR funding applications

NIHR expects all content within applications for funding to be original material of the applicant's own work, with the exception of sections that other participants are required to complete. Whilst we anticipate and expect that applicants will get help and advice from various sources when putting together an application, including on occasion input from those previously awarded funding, care must be taken to ensure this does not lead to plagiarism of either published work or other previous applications. If an allegation of plagiarism is raised against an application this will be investigated in accordance with the NIHR’s policy on plagiarism, a copy of which is available on request from academy-awards@nihr.ac.uk.

NIHR Privacy Policy

Our purpose for collecting information is to communicate with you about your application and have the necessary information to evaluate you for a grant. The data we collect here is collected in the public interest. Information provided here may be subject to Freedom of Information requests.

The NIHR Academy Executive is part of the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The contracting agent for the NIHR Academy Executive is the Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust (LTHT). The DHSC is the Data Controller and LTHT is the Data Processor under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) EC 2016/679. DHSC NIHR respects the privacy of individuals who share their data and processes it in a manner that meets the requirements of GDPR. The DHSC Data Protection Officer can be contacted by email at data_protection@dhsc.gov.uk.

The NIHR privacy policy includes further information including ways we may use your data, our contact details and details on your individual rights regarding how your data is used. Your data may be shared across the NIHR, including with other coordinating centres, to allow the application to be managed and for statistical analysis, and with external grant reviewers as part of the process for managing the allocation of a grant. Information collected from you will not be shared outside the EEA without your consent.

This notice is under constant review and will be updated and/or revised based on that review as appropriate.

International Standard Registered Clinical/soCial sTudy Number 

All primary research studies need to be assigned an International Standard Registered Clinical/soCial sTudy Number. There is information on the International Standard Registered Clinical/soCial sTudy website. Please note that the remit of this database has been widened to include all primary research projects, even those that are not randomised controlled trials. There is no registration fee for NIHR funded trials.

Requirements for systematic reviews to be registered with PROSPERO

Applicants undertaking systematic reviews should note the commitment of NIHR to publication in the database. PROSPERO was developed by the NIHR’s Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) and is the first online facility to register systematic reviews for research about health and social care from all around the world. Access is completely free and open to the public. PROSPERO registration is a condition of NIHR funding for eligible systematic reviews.

UK Biobank

UK Biobank is a major national health resource, and a registered charity in its own right, with the aim of improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of serious and life-threatening illnesses – including cancer, heart diseases, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, eye disorders, depression and forms of dementia. UK Biobank recruited 500,000 people aged between 40-69 years in 2006-2010 from across the country to take part in this project. They have undergone measures, provided blood, urine and saliva samples for future analysis as well as detailed information about themselves. The health of members of this large cohort will be followed over the coming years and the participants have consented to be approached about health research.

Applicants are encouraged to consider whether Biobank may be able to provide suitable data for their study. We do not want to discourage establishment of new collections of participants and their data where this is necessary to address the research questions under consideration, our aim is to avoid applications for funding to set up Biobank-like cohorts where the use of Biobank would prevent wasteful duplication of Biobank-like activities.

NIHR Carbon Reduction Guidelines

Researchers applying for NIHR funding are asked to consider the carbon footprint of their research and take steps to reduce carbon emissions where appropriate. Advice on how to do this can be obtained from the NIHR Carbon Reduction Guidelines.

Transparency Agenda

In line with the government’s transparency agenda, any contract resulting from this tender may be published in its entirety to the general public.

MRC/NIHR Complex Intervention Guidance

Where appropriate applicants are encouraged to read the MRC/NIHR complex interventions guidance available.

NIHR Research Support Service (RSS)

The NIHR provides support for prospective applicants to make high quality applications for research funding from the NIHR and from other national research funders.  Assistance is primarily focused around refinement of research questions, research design and methodological support. Complementing the advice applicants receive from supervisors and/or mentors.  The NIHR RSS can also assist prospective applicants to understand the scope of the NIHR’s various funding streams and to develop patient and public involvement (PPI) strategies.

Applicants seeking research support should visit the Research Support Service website.

NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN)

The NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) supports researchers and the life sciences industry in planning, setting up and delivering high quality research to the agreed timelines and study recruitment target, for the benefit of the NHS and social care and patients/service users/carers in England.

In partnership with your local R&D office, we encourage you to involve your local RDN team in discussions as early as possible when planning your study to fully benefit from the support the NIHR RDN offers as outlined in their Study Support Service. There is additional support on the NIHR website to help deliver your study.

Ethics/Regulatory Approvals

Guidance on the application process for ethical and other approvals can be found on the HRA website. Please note that if your study is led from England and involves the NHS in England you should apply for HRA approval. Social care research falls within the remit and terms of the HRA.

If you are using patient/service user/carer information from an existing database, you should check whether they have given their consent for their data to be included in that database for research purposes, or if not whether the database is exempt under Section 251 of the NHS Act 2006. Where exemptions are not already in place, approval to use confidential information without consent must be requested from the HRA which makes decisions with advice from the Confidentiality Advisory Group (CAG).

Please note that NIHR is interested in taking advantage of the growing utility of routine data (such as HES, GP records etc.), and would like investigators, where appropriate, to ask study participants to consent to long term follow up (for example, beyond the outcomes to be collected in the funded trial) using routinely collected data, and appropriate linkage to allow this data to be best used.

Freedom of Information Act

The NIHR manages the NIHR Team Science award (2024) on behalf of the DHSC. As such the findings of researchers funded by the programme are incorporated into the Department of Health and Social Care Freedom of Information Publication Scheme.

Diversity Monitoring Information

NIHR is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in research and asks applicants to provide Diversity Monitoring Information. By answering these Diversity Monitoring Information questions, you will help us to better understand the different groups of people that apply to us for funding and their experiences of the funding process – particularly the groups protected by UK equality legislation. Although it is mandatory to answer these questions, it is possible to select “prefer not to say” as a response. However, the more information you provide, the more effective our monitoring will be. This information will not be used to make decisions about funding.

The NIHR is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture, as outlined in our EDI strategy 2022-2027. We want everyone to realise their full potential and make a positive contribution. We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and communities. We are committed to having leadership and teams that are made up of diverse skills and experiences. To find out more, visit our equality, diversity and inclusion page.

We will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments to remove barriers in the application process. If you have any access needs or require any support throughout the application process, please contact us (Phone: 0113 532 8410, Email: academy-awards@nihr.ac.uk). If appointed, we will also work with you to identify adjustments to carry out the role.

Public Involvement

The NIHR expects the active involvement of patients/service users, carers and the public in the research and activities it supports. NIHR recognises that the nature and extent of active involvement is likely to vary depending on context. The term involvement refers to an active partnership between patients/service users, carers and members of the public and researchers in the research process. It is essential to set out your plans to involve patients and the public in this application. Your patient/service user, carer and public involvement plans will be assessed by the selection committee including patients/service users, carers and public members.

Further information and resources about funding research can be found on the NIHR website. This includes:

• a detailed definition of public involvement in research
• briefing notes for researchers on how to involve the public and payment guidance
• the NIHR Research Support Service provides advice on developing research applications including on public involvement.

The James Lind Alliance also has a step-by-step guide on involvement in research identification and priority setting.

Guidance and Advice

Please read these Guidance Notes carefully. If you require any further information, advice or guidance please contact the NIHR using:
Phone: 0113 532 8444
Email: academy-awards@nihr.ac.uk

Annex A: Team Science Award resource pack

Future Funding Opportunities

We would encourage applicants to consider the possible future funding avenues for methods research: (examples, not an exhaustive list)

1. Better Methods for Better Research Programme
2. NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) programme funds health, public health and social care research covering a wide range of health service challenges; specific highlight notices may be relevant to applied methodology research. 
3. NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR)- funds collaborative, multidisciplinary programmes of applied research to solve health and social care challenges. 

Team Science Resources 

1. Team Science Toolkit | Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance | Atlanta GA - Team Science toolkit put together by the Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance with useful resources on strategies for interdisciplinary work, finding collaborators, communication and conflict resolution.
2. CRediT – Contributor Roles Taxonomy- high-level taxonomy that can be used to represent the roles typically played by contributors to research outputs, and would be a useful guide for teams as they look to define roles and responsibilities. 
3. Positive Research Culture-UKRI- Further information and guidance on building a positive research culture.
4. Tackling research challenges through the power of team science – UKRI- Example of Team Science as relevant to the BBSRC project.
5. Collaboration and Team Science: A Field Guide- NCI (.PDF) Resource by NCI for scientists participating in or leading a research team, and for those building or setting up research teams. 
6. Building an inclusive and supportive research environment - REF 2021- Recommendations on how to establish an inclusive and supportive research environment.
7. NIHR Research Support Service

Methodologist Networks

1. Applied Health and Care Research Methodology Incubator 
2. MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP) 
3. NIHR Statistics Group 
4. ARC NWC Health Economics Group