Bidding for large projects
Large projects
For tailored advice on bidding, information about funding streams and support with proposals, contact your Trust’s research and innovation team on their relevant email address and they will support you through this whole process.
Resources and information
- NIHR Resources
- NHS Innovation Service
- Wellcome trust
- Burdett Trust for Nursing
- Royal College of Nursing Foundation
- You can signup for a research professional account (funding streams and opportunities that are personally tailored to your subject area)
The bidding process
Bidding for competitive grant calls for research can feel daunting, and takes time. It is important to understand the process, prepare and take your time (though sometimes, calls for funding have short turnaround times that you can’t control). NIHR provide a thorough walk through of tips for making applications for funding your research.
The HRA also provide a wealth of information on a planning a successful research project, including, but not limited to, funding, writing systematic reviews and methodologies, research registration, preparing study documentation (i.e. protocol, participant information and consent templates) and publishing your findings.
Once you are linked in with the research and innovation team within your organisation, you are likely to get help with the process, such as searching for funding, applying for grants and proofreading applications.
Once your grant is successful
Research regulatory approvals
Once your sponsorship and funding arrangements are agreed, you can then start the regulatory approval application process. This can feel confusing and overwhelming so here are some points to consider to help you on this journey. Please also link with your organisation or regional NIHR research staff, who can provide more expert advice.
- Consider which organisation is sponsoring the study, as they will need to provide formal sponsorship confirmation. They will guide on the appropriate regulatory approvals needed and may have an in-house ethical review incorporated.
- The Health Research Authority (HRA) Decision Tool (Is my study research? (hradecisiontools.org.uk)) is an excellent resource to check with to determine whether a project is actually defined as clinical research and whether it needs NHS Research Ethics Review alongside HRA review/ approval.
- Once you have established which regulatory approvals you require, you will need to complete your Integrated Research Application System application. Have a look at ‘New to IRAS’ to help get you started and familiarise yourself with the IRAS system.
- The IRAS Form will have a question around NIHR portfolio adoption; how to apply for this and the benefits it will bring to a study can be found here: CRN Portfolio | NIHR.
- To help with understanding which contracting arrangements you’ll need, there is a suite of national templates available: IRAS Help – Preparing & submitting applications – Templates for supporting documents (myresearchproject.org.uk).
- To assist with preparation of your study documentation to support your IRAS application, please visit: Prepare study documentation – Health Research Authority (hra.nhs.uk).
- As the national applications progress, you’ll also need to link with the delivery teams/ research offices at the supporting Trust(s), as there will be a local capacity and capability assessment process to be completed before the study will be able to open.
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