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Research Grant Round application guidelines 2020
Contents1. Introduction........................................................................................................................2
1.1 Document purpose......................................................................................................21.2 About the Cancer Society of New Zealand...................................................................21.3 Contact information.....................................................................................................3
2. Scope.................................................................................................................................33. Eligibility.............................................................................................................................34. Types of grants..................................................................................................................4
Research project....................................................................................................................4Post-doctoral fellowship.........................................................................................................4PhD Scholarship.....................................................................................................................5Grant in aid............................................................................................................................5
5. Application process and timelines......................................................................................65.1 Submission..................................................................................................................75.2 Reporting.....................................................................................................................75.3 Privacy provisions........................................................................................................7
6. Assessment criteria............................................................................................................87. Eligible costs....................................................................................................................108. Research ethics approval.................................................................................................139. Contract information and institutional approval...............................................................14
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1. Introduction1.1 Document purposeThe aim of the Cancer Society’s National Grant Round is to fund high-quality research across the cancer continuum (including prevention, diagnosis, treatment and supportive care). This guide is for those who wish to apply for a research project grant, post-doctoral fellowship, grant in aid or McClelland Trust award through the National Grant Round. There is a separate application form and guidance for PhD scholarship applications.
1.2 About the Cancer Society of New ZealandThe Cancer Society’s mission is to improve community wellbeing by reducing the incidence and impact of cancer. Our activities include:
o Supporting and funding research within New Zealand across the cancer continuum.
o Providing supportive care and information to people affected by cancer, their families/whānau and carers.
o Promoting education about cancer for health professionals and publicising progress made in research and treatment.
o Delivering health promotion programmes focusing on cancer prevention.o Leading advocacy across the cancer continuum.o Working collaboratively with organisations who share similar goals to the
Cancer Society.
The Cancer Society receives no direct government funding and is reliant on funding support from the communities in which it works.
The Cancer Society is made up of six Divisions and a National Office (that operate in a federal structure). The six Divisions are:
o Auckland Northlando Waikato/ Bay of Plentyo Central Districtso Wellingtono Canterbury-West Coasto Otago and Southland
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1.3 Contact informationPlease contact the Cancer Society’s Policy Advisor, Science and Research with any questions during the grant application process at [email protected] or 04 494 7270.
2. ScopeThe Cancer Society will consider any research grant application that is relevant cancer outcomes across the continuum. Applications peripheral to cancer research should not be submitted.
3. EligibilityGrant applications will be considered from any appropriately qualified person, as long as the principal investigator is a resident in New Zealand or intends to become a resident.
A principal investigator may only submit one grant application in each Grant Round. A researcher who has submitted an application as principal investigator may also be named as an associate investigator in one additional application in the same round.
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4. Types of grantsResearch project
Description Maximum value of award Maximum grant duration
Research project grants provide support for an individual or group working on a clearly defined research project, answering either a single question or a small group of related questions.Grants are not normally renewable and applications should be for a new project, or for one which has emerged from the old.
Recent project grants awarded by the Cancer Society are between $80,000 and $290,000
36 months
Grant specific notes - research project Applicants should fill in the ‘2020 Cancer Society Research Grant Round Application
Form’ found on our website, and tick ‘research project grant’ in section one. Applicants should include any subcontracts/MOU, letters of collaboration, appendices
and any other supporting documents. A letter of collaboration should outline how the interested party intends to provide material or support for the research.
Post-doctoral fellowshipDescription Maximum value of award Maximum grant duration
Post-doctoral fellowships provide support for outstanding individuals who have recently completed a degree at doctoral level.
Up to $200,000
(Annual salary at a Post-doctoral Fellow level for two years, plus two years working expenses, fully justified and not to exceed $35,000/annum).
24 months
Grant specific notes – post-doctoral fellowship Applicants should fill in the ‘2020 Cancer Society Research Grant Round Application
Form’ found on our website, and tick ‘post-doctoral fellowship’ in section one. 4 | P a g e
Applicants must be within five years of gaining their research degree. Applicants should include letters of collaboration outlining how the interested party
intends to provide material or support for the research. Applicants should ensure the named collaborator(s) recognise their intended commitment to the proposed research and timeline of their involvement.
PhD ScholarshipDescription Maximum value of award Maximum grant duration
PhD scholarships provide funding for students to undertake advanced research in the field of cancer, leading to a Doctorate in Philosophy from a New Zealand University.
$97,500
($27,500/ annum for stipend + $5,000/ annum for research expenses, University fees, travel to scientific meetings and cost of publication, subject to the Scholar’s supervisor and the Cancer Society).
36 months
Grant specific notes – PhD scholarship Applicants for a PhD Scholarship award should fill in the ‘2020 Cancer Society PhD
Scholarship Application Form’ found on our website, and refer to the ‘2020 Cancer Society PhD Scholarship Application Guidelines’.
Priority will be given to PhD scholarship applications in areas where grant opportunities are limited (for example, nursing and allied health care).
Applicants should include referee letters and clear detail about training environment.
Grant in aid Description Maximum value of award Maximum grant duration
A grant in aid is an award designed to further the objects of the Cancer Society, but not within the other grant categories previously described, for example a piece of equipment.
Up to $50,000 36 months
Grant specific notes – grant in aid5 | P a g e
Applicants should fill in the ‘2020 Cancer Society Research Grant Round Application Form’ found on our website, and tick ‘grant in aid’ in section one.
5. Application process and timelines
All grants will be awarded by open competition (for all individuals who meet the above eligibility criteria to apply for funding). Applications will be assessed by the Cancer Society’s National Scientific Advisory Committee (NSAC). For all grant types, except the McClelland Trust award, the final funding decision will be made by the Cancer Society’s National Board. Applications will be assessed through several stages:
23 August 2019 Open for applications
11 October 2019 (5pm)
Deadline for applications (late applications will not be accepted) Applications must also be submitted in hard copy
November 2019
Depending on the number of applications submitted to the call, the NSAC may triage applications at this stage in the process. Applications will be assigned to Committee members and pre-scores will be submitted by the Committee. The group will propose a cut-off score for applications which will be agreed upon by the whole Committee. Triaged applicants will be notified.
December 2019 – Jan 2020
External peer review of applications
February 2020Applicants receive peer review comments and are given the opportunity to provide a rebuttal (no more than one page in total)
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March 2020
The NSAC meet to review the applications: The NSAC consists of up to eleven members (including the Chair
and the Cancer Society Medical Director) with research expertise across the cancer continuum.
The NSAC review applications based on the assessment criteria detailed in section 6.
Applications are anonymously scored by the Committee. The NSAC make a recommendation to the Cancer Society’s
National Board.
April 2020 The Cancer Society’s National Board take into account the NSAC’s recommendation and make a final funding decision
May 2020 Applicants notified of outcome
1 July 2020 Project start date (subject to receiving the signed contract)
The Cancer Society may refuse to consider an application if it considers actions of the applicant to be contrary to the interests of the Cancer Society, or may bring the Cancer Society into disrepute.
5.1 SubmissionThe appropriate application form should be completed (see section 4) and submitted electronically
to [email protected] by 5pm on 11 October 2019. PDF files need to be clear and legible – please scan from originals rather than from another pdf copy. If your original is double sided, please set scanning accordingly at 2-sided ‘head to head.’
5.2 ReportingApplicants successful in receiving funding through the Grant Round will be required to submit annual
progress reports and a final report. Reports will include a lay person’s summary which may be used to inform the public about the work we support, an update on the project’s timelines and milestones; whether they are met, partially met or delayed, and an explanation for any delays. The Cancer Society recommends writing lay summaries at the reading age of twelve years old. Funding for the subsequent year will only be released upon receipt of a satisfactory annual report.
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For PhD scholarship grantees, in addition to the student’s report, the supervisor must submit a report on the student’s progress – please see the 2020 Cancer Society PhD Scholarship Application Guidelines for details.
5.3 Privacy provisionsThe information requested in an application will be used for assessing that application and, in a non-
identifiable form, some information will be used for Cancer Society statistical purposes. All research applications will be stored in a secure place. Security and confidentiality will be preserved for any application declined.. Personal information contained in the application may be made available to external referees and members of the Cancer Society National Scientific Advisory Committee reviewing the application, including electronic and paper copies of the application. When an application is successful, the Cancer Society reserves the right to publish the applicants’ names, details of the Host Institution, lay summary and funding awarded.
6. Assessment criteriaAll applicants should demonstrate that their proposed research meets the following parameters:
o Strong rationale for research: addresses important research questions, likely to result in significant benefit for people affected by cancer or advancement in the scientific understanding of cancer.
o Research design: clear objectives and deliverables, excellent and appropriate research design.
o Research team: qualifications, experience and knowledge in the proposed research area, right mix of expertise, appropriate networks and collaborations, history of productivity and delivery, right research environment.
o Equity: clear identification how the research will contribute to equitable cancer outcomes across the continuum for New Zealanders (such as geography, ethnicity, socio economic status, and gender, where applicable). The proposal should demonstrate commitment and application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and responsiveness to Māori.
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o Research impact: contribution to increased knowledge, health, social and/or economic gains, appropriate pathway for knowledge transfer and responsiveness to Māori.
o Value for money: funds requested are well justified and the applicant’s stated time commitment to the work is appropriate and sufficient.
o Significance/ contribution to the goals of the Cancer Society: the expected outcomes of the proposed research will add value and contribute to the goals of the Cancer Society.
Post-doctoral fellowship applicants should also demonstrate that they meet the following parameters:
o Suitability of the applicant: The application represents an independent research stream, the applicant is able to carry out the proposed work, has a strong track-record of achievement to date and a strong potential for a career in cancer research. The applicant is likely to make a significant contribution to the wider research environment and research community.
o Training environment: Opportunities for training and career development actively identified and supported by strong commitment from supervisors, mentors and the Host Institution.
For the PhD scholarship assessment criteria, please refer to the 2020 Cancer Society PhD Scholarship Application Guidelines.
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7. Eligible costsAll calculations should be GST exclusive and in whole dollar amounts i.e. no cents or decimals.
Please use the below table to help calculate the total costs requested (salaries, salary-related costs and working expenses). Note, the Cancer Society only funds ‘direct costs’ of the research, and does not pay any ‘indirect costs’ of the research, such as overhead recovery.
CATEGORY ACCEPTABLE COSTS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS NOTES
Staff members Please include details of all staff who will be associated with the research (whether or not a salary is being requested). Note, only salaries for staff who work specifically on the proposed project will be considered for funding.
Part-time salaries (noting %FTE on the spreadsheet).
Any allowance for increases in inflation will be the responsibility of the Cancer Society. Where it is known that salaries will increase at scale rates, this information should be included in the application.
Salaries for staff who do not work on the proposed project.
Salaries for PhD scholarship project supervision.
It is the responsibility of the employing institution, not the Cancer Society, to provide for maternity benefit.
The Cancer Society would not usually cover the salary costs of tenured academic staff or of those undertaking research in their roles as an employee of a Government Departments or other State
The monetary value should be the actual salary amount that the named staff member is expected to receive for the proposed research during that period, not annual salary.
The names of individuals whose salary is already underwritten by the Cancer Society (eg. Cancer Society Fellows) should be underlined.
If an applicant expects a significant contribution from a collaborator (more than 5% FTE), a signed statement from each collaborator indicating their
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CATEGORY ACCEPTABLE COSTS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS NOTES
Staff promotions to be requested during the grant period must be clearly documented in the staff grade and year 1-3 columns.
owned enterprise. Where an applicant proposes for these costs to be covered by a grant, a strong rationale must be provided. This would be considered by the Research Committee on a case-by-case, but is unlikely to be approved.
commitment must be appended to the application.
Casual salaries should be requested under working expenses.
Working expenses Research consumables (these should be itemised at current cost per unit and total cost)
Other costs directly related to the research – telephone calls/communications, mail and freight.
Computer-related license fees for research-specific software.
Minor research equipment (to a total of $5,000).
Expenses of research participants.
Costs associated with knowledge transfer activities.
Standard per unit IT charges.
Phone/ computer accessories (drivers, cases, chargers, batteries).
Contributions to property costs or laboratory space.
Cost of staff appointments.
Utility charges such as lighting, heating and water, telephone installation and connection fees and line charges.
Capital costs, (with the exception of minor equipment). Note, this is not applicable to the Grant in Aid.
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CATEGORY ACCEPTABLE COSTS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS NOTES
Conference costs/ travel within New Zealand and in Australia (excluding the Northern Territory and Western Australia), provided that the travel is directly relevant to the project and that alternative sources of funding are not available (maximum $1000 per grant). If more extensive travel is required, this should be justified in the application.
Fair and reasonable charges associated with the approved publication of the results of Cancer Society sponsored research in journals, reports, monographs or books. These publication costs will only be paid upon proof of acceptance of the article.
Casual salaries. Animal costs,
including transportation, maintenance
Equipment charges (includes computer hardware and office based software).
Contributions to any central or group service or utility.
Library charges. Home Office
Licenses and animal handling training costs.
First class travel to meetings/ conferences.
Financial services.
Personnel services.
Public relations. Subscriptions to
journals. Furniture.
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CATEGORY ACCEPTABLE COSTS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS NOTES
(including food) and experimentation costs.
PhD scholarships Stipend ($20,000/ year)
Research expenses ($5,000/ year) for University fees, travel to scientific meetings, and the cost of thesis publication, subject to approval by the scholar's supervisor and the Cancer Society.
Please refer to the 2020 Cancer Society PhD Scholarship Application Guidelines for further details.
As above
If you believe that any of the ‘unacceptable costs’ above should be seen as direct costs of the research, you must provide a full and detailed justification for this in your application.
8. Research ethics approval All areas must be fully and accurately completed for this section to be accepted. List the full name of the accredited Ethics Committee(s) from which you are seeking approval. If the applicant has not sought ethical approval, a detailed reason is required.
General guidelines to applicants: It is the responsibility of the Host Institution to evaluate the ethics involved in any
research on human or animal experiments or utilizing personal information. However, the Cancer Society wishes to be fully informed on the ethical arrangements covering any work for which it supplies funds.
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The applicant must supply a copy of any submission for ethical approval that is awaiting approval and evidence of approval must be supplied to the Cancer Society before any research procedures involving animal or human materials, or personal information may commence.
Research ethical approval(s) must come from an accredited Ethics Committee(s). Please refer to the HRC Research Ethics Guidelines for details on how to apply and a list of accredited Ethics Committees - http://www.hrc.govt.nz/sites/default/files/HRC%20Research%20Ethics%20Guidelines%20-%20December%202017.pdf
If appropriate, more than one Ethics Committee approval may be necessary, for example, if the research geographically covers an area serviced by more than one committee or if human and animal studies will be undertaken. All committees applied to for approval should be listed.
Where a dispute arises over the ethics of experimentation, the Cancer Society reserves the right to refer the matter to the Health Research Council Committee on Ethics and Research for arbitration.
Guidelines for applicants on research involving animals: Animals used for research purposes shall be lawfully acquired. They shall be kept and
used in strict compliance with the relevant laws and by-laws. Any research project involving animals must be approved by a properly constituted
Animal Ethical Advisory Committee, and conform to the guidelines for Institutional Animal Ethics Committees, of the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee.
An Act of Parliament (October 1984) established the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee, to advise the Minister of Agriculture. Further information on how to apply for Animal Ethics approval can be found here - http://www.mpi.govt.nz/protection-and-response/animal-welfare/overview/national-animal-ethics-advisory-committee/
Guidelines for applicants on research involving human subjects:All research supported by the Cancer Society on human subjects must conform to the code of ethical principles established by the Health Research Council of New Zealand. In addition, research funded by the Cancer Society must conform to the below principles1:
The applicant and any other researchers involved must be satisfied by forethought, by study of the literature, and by consultation that the proposed research is likely to contribute to the understanding of the matter being investigated.
The Investigator must be satisfied that the research on human subjects is based as far as possible on the results of experiments conducted “in vitro” or on animals.
The Investigator must be satisfied that adequate facilities will be used for the 1 Grants may be terminated at any time and without notice should the Cancer Society find that these principles have not been observed.
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solution of the problem being investigated. The Investigator must be satisfied that the research will not impose unreasonable
discomfort or hazard upon the subject. In order to ensure the safety of the subject in an untoward event, the Investigator must ensure that appropriately qualified persons are present during experiments and that proper facilities are at hand to ensure the safety of the subject in any emergency.
The Investigator must modify appropriately or discontinue the research if it becomes apparent that the procedure is likely to cause unreasonable risk to the subject.
Before the research project is undertaken, the Investigator must obtain the free informed consent of the subject or his/her guardian in writing and in the presence of a witness. The consent must be obtained without the exertion of pressure on the subject and without being dependent on any obligation of the subject toward the Investigator.
The Investigator should be satisfied that the subject, or the guardian, has been informed, in terms capable of being understood, of the nature and purpose of the proposed research, the methods to be employed, and the possible risks and discomfort that may be involved.
Special care must be taken in the case of subjects at particular risk, for example, children, the mentally infirm, the unconscious patient, and pregnant and nursing women. Children should never be the subjects of research which could appropriately be undertaken in adults and, in the e case of unconscious patients, the written consent of the next of kin must always be obtained.
The subject, or the guardian, shall be free at any time to withdraw consent for further participation in the research and must be made aware of his/her right in this respect. Such withdrawal does not in any way prejudice the subjects further management and treatment as a patient.
New therapeutic or experimental procedures which are at the stage of early evaluation and which might have long-term effects should not be undertaken unless full provision has been made for long-term care and observation of the subject.
9. Contract information and institutional approval
Please ensure the appropriate individuals have signed the application form confirming their support, before it is submitted to the Cancer Society:
Principal Investigator – The Principal Investigator is the staff member at the Host 15 | P a g e
Institution who accepts scientific responsibility for the conduct of the research supported by the Cancer Society. He/ she is responsible to the Head of his/ her institution and through him/ her to the Cancer Society, for the direction of the research and for the associated expenditure.
Head of Department - In the case of University employed applicants, the Head of the appropriate Academic Department should sign the Agreement. When applicants are employed by a hospital, the Head of the appropriate Clinical Department should sign. If the applicant is a Head of Department, he/she should also sign this section.
Authorised official on behalf of the Host Institution - The Host Institution is the University, Hospital, or other institution which undertakes to provide facilities and accept overall responsibility for the conduct of the research and the administration of grant funds. The official authorised to sign for the Host Institution will be a matter for decision by that Institution. In the case of a University employed applicant carrying out research on University property, the Vice-Chancellor or his/her nominee would normally sign. Where the research is to be carried out in a hospital, the Chief Executive, or General Manager of the Company would normally sign for the Host Institution.
Successful applicants will be asked to sign a research contract. You can find our 2019 research contract on our website. Please read this carefully before submitting an application to the Cancer Society. Note, there may be minor changes to the contract prior to the 2020 Grant Round awards being made.
When a matter relating to research arises and the Cancer Society does not have a stated policy the Cancer Society may follow any existing guidelines of the Health Research Council.
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