... for our health Funding and Sustaining a Research Network : 25 Years of WREN Experience Paul D. Smith, MD, Professor John Beasley, MD, Professor University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine Supported by the University of Wisconsin Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (UW ICTR), funded through an NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA), grant number 1 UL1 RR025011

Topics Today Basic principles Business models Grants

Topics Today Building a budget Promoting your network Membership

Basic Principles Collaboration is the key Think strategically ▪ With limited time and resources, where are you most likely to succeed? ▪ Who has similar interests/values? ▪ Future potential?

Basic Principles The best time to be involved in a project is at the beginning. ▪ Make sure your network has the tools to accomplish the tasks ▪ Start budget discussions early ▪ Establish clear expectations

Basic Principles My favorite phone call: “ I have a grant idea that I want to talk about.” A Maalox moment: “ I have a funded project and I want to use your network.”

More Basic Principles You have to be paid for what you do. ▪ “Do you work for free?” “Little Joe never once gave it away, Everybody had to pay and pay” Lou Reed

More Basic Principles Consider “investing” time in a project with potential for future fully funded projects. Too much “investing” is not a viable long term plan.

More Basic Principles You have to know what it costs to do your work. Try to charge for it. Anyone spending time on project has to have a source of revenue to cover the time.

Even More Basic Principles Establish a track record ▪ Start small ▪ Have success ▪ Build on previous successes

Even More Basic Principles It always takes longer than you think it will Track actual time spent for future estimates PIs always want more ▪ Identify and avoid “scope creep”

Questions?

Acknowledgements Walter L. Calmbach MD MPH Wilson Pace MD MPH L.J. Fagnan MD MPH, Richard Wasserman MD MPH

Business Models What is a business model? ▪ Not a business plan – an estimate of performance for a period of time ▪ Includes expected long term sources of revenue ▪ Focuses on sustainability and how revenue is secured and maintained to support core functions

What are Core Functions? People ▪ Network Director- part time ▪ Network Manager/coordinator- part time ▪ Administrative assistant?

What are Core Functions? Office space ▪ Telephone ▪ Computer/internet access ۰ access ۰ Webserver? ▪ Copying/scanning

Types of Revenue Core funding ▪ Critical for long term success Project specific funding ▪ Can pay for some core expenses

Assumptions for all Models Transparency with all partners Open process Share data (e.g., salary, % effort) Negotiate using collaborative process Be willing to walk away ▪ Money’s not right, project’s not right

It’s a Good Idea Model Leadership likes network idea Network leader willing to make it happen ▪ Ideally with dedicated salary support Organization has support/research staff Go make it happen

Infrastructure Grant Model NIH ▪ Disease or Organ specific ▪ Works well for specialty networks ▪ Clinical Translational Science Award funding Foundations ▪ Local ▪ National

Service Based Model Evaluation/ Development activities ▪ Fixed Price Models ▪ Support of someone else’s mission/project

Benefactor Model Endowment provides long term income State/University set aside Endowed Chairs ▪ Help but income small (~$50-$70K) Endowed Network ▪ $6 - $10 Million?

Key Considerations Find a reliable non-direct dollar income stream Develop carry over capabilities ▪ Can be very difficult in university environment Maintain control of dollars Develop capital for funding gaps and growth ▪ 4-6 months budget reserves?

Questions?

Grants PIs ▪ Someone has to write the grant application and be in charge of the project ▪ WREN’s biggest challenge ▪ Level of involvement ▪ Work toward long term relationships

Grants Federal ▪ Typically a year or more from concept to funding ▪ Very time consuming to write (for most people) ▪ Need track record for larger grants ▪ NIH allows multiple PIs

Federal Grants ▪ Other sources than NIH ۰ Department of Defense (DOD) ۰ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) ۰ Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) ۰ Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Foundation Grants Shorter application Less detail required Faster turn around Usually short project time : 1-2 years Smaller budget maximum Multiple sources for one project?

Questions?

Building a Budget Define the tasks each group will do Define who will do which tasks ▪ Match skill level to task Define other costs

Building a Budget Funding source for every task/cost Talk about money early in the discussion Always have someone else review ▪ Task/cost list ▪ Numbers

Building a Budget Time for everyone involved ▪ Insist on time for Director + Program Manager ▪ No Director, no network, no project. FTE VS hourly rate method ▪ FTE- Estimate actual time, then double it. ▪ Use week year for salary estimate

Facilities and Administration (F&A) “Indirects” Grant Receiving Agency Shares F&A ▪ Universities mostly fail at this ۰ Off site rate? ▪ Prof. Assoc. / Private non-profits’s better

Facilities and Administration (F&A) Network as grant receiving agency ▪ Join existing 501c3 ▪ Form your own 501c3 Hard to qualify for higher F&A rates

Questions?

Promoting Your Network Who do you want to know about your network? ▪ Potential members ▪ PIs ▪ Collaborators ▪ Funders

Promoting Your Network Strong network identity, including mission Network operations Network experience/studies How do PIs/members connect with network?

Promoting Your Network Low hanging fruit Organizations and people with similar interests ▪ Previous relationships ▪ Top down VS bottom up

Promoting Your Network What do you bring to the table? Have something to leave with them ▪ Executive summary: 1-2 pages ▪ Brochure ▪ Benefits summary

Methods of Promoting Your Network Mass appeals ▪ ▪ Website ▪ Snail mail Personal contact ▪ ▪ Phone ▪ Face-to-face

Questions?

Membership Define membership ▪ Who do you want as members? ▪ What are expectations of members? ▪ What are benefits of membership?

Growing Membership Project related recruitment General recruitment Same as for promoting network in general

Sustaining Membership Sustaining membership ▪ Variety of levels of engagement ▪ Enough to do, but not too much ▪ Feedback during and after projects

Sustaining Membership ▪ Communication ۰ ۰ Newsletters ۰ Meetings ۰ Social Media

Questions?

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... for our health