Grant Application

Introduction

The Council has recommended that, as well as continuing to fund quantitative scientific research, it wishes its research funds to be used to assist in qualitative medical/healthcare research.

Current Membership of Research Awards Sub-Committee (RAC) can be found on the NSMI website.

The RAC is Co-opted by University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) Attendees. NSMI is in grateful receipt of an external funding contribution from the UHNM for the 2025 NSMI Research Awards, temporary co-opted members are therefore included within the 2025 RAC.

Research Awards Administrator: Mrs J Forrester

Functioning of the Research Awards Sub-Committee

The Sub-Committee should meet at least once per year. It will report to the Finance & General Purposes Committee.

Sub-Committee make-up:

The subcommittee consists of up to 12 members.

-Chair to be one of the members.

-One member to be the NSMI Trustee representative.

-Membership should include at least one lay member.

An elected member of the Research Awards Sub-Committee shall serve normally for a period of 3 years with the opportunity to discuss a second term.

Nominations (including self-nomination) to the Research Awards Sub-Committee will be made by any Member of the Institute and ratified by Council.  If necessary, there should be a vote at a meeting of Council.

The membership of this Sub-Committee will reflect the wide research interests of all aspects of healthcare within North Staffordshire.

Applicants will be notified of the Committee’s decision as soon as possible after the meeting and will be given limited feedback on request. No further correspondence or discussion on the decision will then be entered into.

Terms of reference of Research Award

To encourage high quality research applications for grant funding from all sections of the Health Sector where work impacts upon patient care, both directly and indirectly.

To consider such applications and to agree those projects which should be funded and the amount of funding to be given, within the constraints of budgeted monies available.

Applications that conform to the guidelines below will be scored by the RAC and will be considered for funding. Highest scoring applications will be funded first, if there are insufficient funds to fund all applications above the threshold. The decisions of the RAC will be final.

In the event that an application is selected for the award of funding, the applicants are required to provide evidence of satisfactory ethical review, where appropriate, before funds will be released. If not provided within 18 months the offer may be withdrawn.

 In addition, the lead applicant will be required to confirm that they and the principal researchers involved in delivering the research project will apply for membership (full or student as applicable) of NSMI and ensure such applications made, before funds are released.

Recipients of funding are ineligible for application purposes in the following round but are again eligible in the one after.

The policy of the North Staffordshire Medical Institute is to encourage pilot studies and new researchers/early career researchers. This should be borne in mind by potential applicants. The Research Awards Committee offers project grants to the value of £25,000.00 maximum.

Exceptionally, the Institute may offer Fellowship or larger grant awards with differing indicative maximums.

Acknowledgement of financial support from the North Staffordshire Medical Institute must be made in any abstract or other publication/research output of the research and copies of all papers forwarded to us. Further to this we will seek your assistance with social media promotion of your award, preparation of short lay articles for our Midlands Medicine journal immediately following on from award and subsequently at completion of studies, and your continued support in our achieving our charity’s ambitions.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you require information on completing the Research Project Application form, please contact:

Jeanette Forrester

Research Awards Committee
North Staffs Medical Institute
Hartshill Road
Hartshill
Stoke-on-Trent

01782 714888

Email: jeanette@nsmedicalinstitute.co.uk