Task

Questions to be answered

Generic:

1. Is this the right funding body (amount of funding, duration of funding, priorities of funding body)?

2. Are all of the right people involved in this study (collaborators/specialists/lay involvement)?

3. Is the background work optimal (pilot data/conducting thorough literature review/background research knowledge)?

4. How important is the topic you selected for the field?

Study Design:

1. Has the methodology been discussed with relevant experts (i.e., statistician, local community, etc.)?

2. If relevant, have you thought of ways to optimize recruitment?

Costs:

1. Does the amount fall within the remit of the funding body?

2. Are you aware of the process and timelines of the University or Business or Non-Profit or Public Health or NHS finance departments involved (for a project related grant)?

3. Would it be relevant to involve the Local Research Network for Service Support Costs (for a project-related grant)?

The application itself:

1. Have you highlighted the importance of the research topic, the strength of the research team and the business/industry/department?

2. Would a pre-submission wider review of the grant application be relevant?

3. Do you need letters of support (from lay representatives/local Research Network/clinicians who have agreed to participate)?

Other important considerations:

1. Timelines: preparation and application tasks take a lot of thought and time.

2. What topic or idea of study are you interested in?

3. What is the "best" research design to answer your question?

4. What has already been done in this area (the literature review)?

5. What intervention (independent variable) are you interested in?

6. Are you looking for differences or a relationship (association)?

7.    Have you thought about any ethical issues likely to be raised?

8.    Have you considered relevant legislation and regulation issues (e.g., data handling and storage)?

9.    How will you control for confounding variables?

10. Do you want to intervene or simply observe?

11. How much will your study cost (budget)?

12. How will you keep track of your study (research protocol)?

13. What is the granting agency that would be interested in funding your project (funding sources)?

14. Who will be doing what tasks and function in what roles (personnel)?