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Applying for a Grant

Deadlines for applications

Closing dates for our next rounds of grant applications are:

• end December
• end June

Please note that all grant applications must make provision for at least one of the deliverables to be an evidence based tool that employers in both private and public sector can apply directly at work.

Current priorities

Please see our page on Call for research bids

BOHRF strategy is now to

• identify which practical questions need evidence based answers according to employers and their professional advisers in both private and public sectors
• approach two research centres of excellence on the topic and request proposals designed to provide evidence based answers to the questions. We are also willing to receive bids from other research teams.

Specialist Registrars are encouraged to approach us if their proposed research is in one of our areas of priority

Critical success factors for applicants include

• clear demonstration that your proposal has outcomes that are of direct practical application at work (preferably to a number of employment sectors)
• input from an occupational health specialist and from an experienced HR professional are often invaluable at the stage of developing applications. This is to help check the practical aspects of what is being proposed; and the practical aspects of proposed deliverables
• addresses one of our key priority areas (see 'current priorities' above)
• robust, cost-effective methodology (advice of a statistician is recommended)
• cost benefit analysis features? If so, we expect a health economist to be included in the research team
• very similar research is not currently being done elsewhere
• the proposal being of international relevance (although we recognise the "context" issue)
• you have checked out the possibility of null hypothesis
• intention to publish in high quality, peer-reviewed journal and the relevant practitioner publication

Conditions of awarding grants include

• ethical approval. Applicants are requested to consider whether local ethical committee or MREC approval is more appropriate. Please see 'Ethical Approval' below
• where the proposal is dependent on access to organisations, written confirmation from the relevant organisations that necessary access will be granted (We do not necessarily expect applicants to get this access approval prior to the BOHRF Board meeting at which the application is considered. However, any grant awarded will normally be subject to such written approval being obtained before a contract is drawn up)

Ethical Approval

Local ethical approval is accepted by BOHRF unless your application is based in whole or in part in NHS, or is reliant on accessing NHS staff, patients or records.  In such cases NHS LREC or MREC approval is required.  The full circumstances for which LREC or MREC ethical approval is required are:

• NHS patients, i.e. persons recruited through their past or present treatment by the NHS. This includes NHS patients treated under contract in the private sector
• Access to records of past or present NHS patients
• The use of or potential access to NHS premises or facilities, including staff working in the NHS
• Research projects where the researcher is an employee of the NHS. This includes the following types of study:
  • Pilot studies that involve patients, patient information of NHS staff or facilities
  • New research studies involving patients
  • New analysis of data sets or samples not entirely anonymised

Researchers may wish to refer for guidance to the Manual for Research Ethics Committees produced by the Centre for Medical Law and Ethics at Kings College London.

It is essential that where Research Projects are being undertaken within the NHS you should review the most recent advice emerging from the Central Office of Research Ethics Committees (COREC) and in particular discuss your proposal and seek advice from the relevant Research & Development Department within your Trust.

Evidence Reviews

Whether your grant application is solely an evidence review, or has an evidence review as part of a larger piece of work, it is essential that your methodology clearly states the methodology that will be adopted.  You will need to give sufficient detail in your application to give confidence to peer reviewers, research committee and the BOHRF Board that your approach is robust and represents value for money. Reviews funded by BOHRF are expected to encompass both quantitative and qualitative research in the field.

Making Your Application

First please read the page, 'Funding policy', before starting to make your application. Next please download the MS Word template file, 'Application for a Grant'. Place this in your MS Word 'My Templates' directory, open it via 'Project Gallery' and then immediately 'Save As' to create your personal '.doc' file. Complete this offline and archive it on your own computer.

Finally please submit two versions of this file (and of each supplementary file relating to your application) in time for the deadline as follows:

1. Digital (as email attachment) to: admin@bohrf.org.uk
2. As hard copy:
   • by post to:
     BOHRF, 42 The Croft, High Barnet, Herts EN5 2TL
   • or by fax to:
     020 8449 7218

Last Update: 17-Jun-2011