1. Funding at the Wellcome Trust
10 February 2016
Alexina Weekes 1

2. Personal support for researchers
PhD
Four-year PhD Studentship Programmes
Senior Research Fellowships
Investigator Awards
Sir Henry Dale Fellowships
Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships
Intermediate Clinical Fellowships
Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowships for Clinicians
BASIC
Principal Research Fellowships
Senior Fellowships
Training Fellowships
Intermediate Fellowships
Masters Fellowships
PUBLIC HEALTH & TROPICAL MEDICINE
Research Career Re-entry Fellowships
Clinical PhD Programmes
CLINICAL
Research Training Fellowships
EARLY
INTERMEDIATE
SENIOR

3. Basic Biomedical Fellowships
- for non-clinical researchers - research projects can be based in the lab, the clinic or the field and may involve experimental or theoretical approaches

4. Fellowships - Key Features
To attract, train and retain the best researchers
Schemes designed for each stage of the research career
Salary of the fellow provided
Plus research costs – including the salaries of the fellow’s research team, consumables, equipment and other expenses

6. Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships
for outstanding post-doctoral researchers (up to 2 years from viva) working in the best laboratories in the UK and overseas
candidates must identify an important research question and develop and deliver their own plans to achieve their research aims
flexible support of £250k for four years to enhance research skills, career development opportunities and promote independence
Applications considered twice a year (next preliminary application deadline 2nd May 2016)

7. Sir Henry Dale Fellowships
For outstanding post-doctoral scientists to forge an independent research career addressing an important biomedical question.
Candidates will have:
up to 7 years of postdoctoral research experience;
made intellectual contributions to research that have been published in leading journals, and be able to demonstrate their potential to carry out high quality independent research.
5 year award, potentially renewable for 3 further years.
Applications considered there times a year (next deadline 12th April).

9. Clinical Fellowships - for medical, dental and veterinary graduates

10. The Trust’s old clinical pathway
Clinical Fellowships
The Trust’s old clinical pathway
Clinical Training

11. New Clinical Pathway Simplified + 50% more capacity Clinical Training
Clinical Fellowships
New Clinical Pathway
Clinical Training
Simplified + 50% more capacity

12. Postdoctoral Clinical Scientist Fellowship
Clinical Fellowships
Postdoctoral Clinical Scientist Fellowship
3 > 5 year or 5 > 3 year structure
Flexible to fit around your clinical training
Will accommodate career breaks / extended training
50% increased capacity vs Intermediate Clinical Fellowships + Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowships
Competition launched: April 2016
First awards: Autumn 2016

13. Public Health and Tropical Medicine Fellowships
Clinical Fellowships
Public Health and Tropical Medicine Fellowships
- For researchers based in a low- and middle- income country

14. Training Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Fellowships
Training Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine
for researchers from low- and middle-income countries who are at an early stage in their careers (no more than 3 years postdoctoral experience)
Research should be aimed at understanding and improving public health and tropical medicine of local, national and global relevance
flexible support for three years to provide with opportunities for research experience and high-quality research training relevant to health in low- and middle-income countries.
You must be based primarily in a low- and middle- income country but training may be undertaken in centres of excellence regionally or internationally
Applications considered twice a year (next preliminary application deadline 23rd May 2016)

15. Intermediate Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Fellowships
Intermediate Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine
for high-calibre, mid-career researchers from low- and middle-income countries to establish an independent research programme (have between 3 to 6 years postdoctoral experience)
Research should be aimed at understanding and improving public health and tropical medicine of local, national and global relevance
flexible support for up to five years
You must be based primarily in a low- and middle- income country
Candidates must have a relevant high-quality publication record and show potential to become a future scientific leader.
Applications considered twice a year (next preliminary application deadline 23rd May 2016)

16. Support and flexibility for our researchers
Generous maternity/paternity/adoption sick leave supplements and extensions
Flexible (part-time) working and career breaks
When deciding eligibility for our schemes we:
Take into account part-time working
For parents, we “stop-the-clock” for the primary carer, by six months per child (on top of parental leave)

17. Grantsmanship Good grantsmanship is a valuable skill
Poor grantsmanship can turn a good, well thought-through idea into an un-fundable grant proposal
“Good writing will not save bad ideas, but bad writing can kill good ones”
-Jacob Kraicer, former Director of Research Grants at
Human Frontier Science Program 17

18. Assessment Processes – Key Features
Early/ intermediate level fellowships preliminary application required
Main application submission
Written external expert peer review
Shortlisting by Interview Committee
with broad science expertise & review & short-listing
Interview by committee with broad science expertise & in relation to career stage/path
Assess eligibility & suitability for fellowship
Publications (can mention submitted) – primary research papers
Current funding or awards
Give advice
Note: Seeds = Application only (no interview, only triage)

19. Assessment criteria Person The candidate’s track record
The candidate’s vision of how the funding will contribute to their career development
The candidate’s long-term aspirations
Project
The quality and importance of the research question
The feasibility of the approach
The appropriateness of the resources
Place
The candidate’s choice of research sponsors
The quality and suitability of the research environment

20. What makes a strong application?
Grantsmanship
What makes a strong application?
A strong track record appropriate to the amount of research experience
Potential (early to mid-career) balanced by achievements (mid-career to senior)
Evidence that the candidate can do what is proposed and deal with any setbacks as they arise
Important, novel and innovative ideas that will make a significant difference to the field

21. What makes a strong application?
A clear research vision or goal
Sufficient information for reviewers to understand:
What is proposed
What approaches will be taken
Whether it is likely to work (and what if it doesn’t)
Access to required collaborations, resources and technology

22. Don’t forget to: Highlight institutional support:
Grantsmanship
Don’t forget to:
Highlight institutional support:
Designated lab or office space
Access to students
Start up costs
Highlight collaborations/projects you are responsible for
Use all sections of the form

23. Before you apply consider whether this is the best time to
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Before you apply
consider whether this is the best time to
apply and check the deadlines
formulate your ideas
discuss your ideas with colleagues & look at successful proposals
identify a suitable institution and sponsor
identify collaborators
generate preliminary data if necessary
contact the Trust for advice

24. Eligibility and competitiveness
Grantsmanship
Eligibility and competitiveness
Check the eligibility criteria carefully, if you are unsure please contact the office.
What are we looking for…..
Evidence of intellectual input in peer reviewed
papers
Recognition of achievements – prizes or awards
Dissemination of research – talks, posters
Evidence of esteem – Invited talks
Other markers of research output – patents, funding
Support/recommendation – letter of support/collaboration
Making use of the advantages of the scheme

25. Avoid common mistakes Have you considered the following?
Grantsmanship
Avoid common mistakes
Have you considered the following?
Be realistic
Submit relevant evidence
Be analytical and critical
Do not depend on your track record alone
Dedicate sufficient time to the project
Have you read the guidelines carefully?
Are the resources requested justified?
Have you completed all the relevant sections of the form?
Have you checked the deadlines?
Proof read the application and ask others to read it critically before submission – you will need to give them plenty of time to do this well!

26. Project (and comments you do not want to receive)……….
“...the work described in this application is over-ambitious, it could not be achieved in the life time of the investigator.”
“...it involves techniques with which the applicant appears to have no prior experience and for which no preliminary data are proposed.”
“The poor writing, referencing and proof reading of this application significantly detract from its overall quality.”
“I had only one problem with this application, I had no idea what they were trying to do.”
“...one weakness in the proposal is that there is no alternative plan should the proposed approach not yield information relevant to the hypothesis proposed...”
“... done a commendable job of marshalling evidence to support their hypothesis, however, the applicant has put aside facts that do not support their point of view…”

27. The interview Prepare and practise!
Grantsmanship
The interview
Prepare and practise!
There is no substitute for mock interviews
Listen to the questions
Own the project – demonstrate your enthusiasm
Be familiar with recent advances in the field
Be prepared to provide a concise summary of the proposed project and research career to date
Expect a large panel – this can be daunting so practice in a similar environment

28. Do I have an identity? Take advantage of opportunities
Grantsmanship
Do I have an identity?
It isn’t always possible or necessary to be completely independent
Find a niche
Give seminars/talks
Collaborate
Take advantage of opportunities
Supervise students
Get smaller grants
Use social media/blogging
Get training

29. Am I working with the right people?
Grantsmanship
Am I working with the right people?
Choose mentor(s)/sponsor(s) to match your career stage
Choose someone you trust, who will challenge you (and write a good letter of support)
Start discussions as soon as possible
Carefully consider who you employ
Should I move?
Big fish, small pond or small fish, big pond?
Match your environment to the stage of your career
Moving doesn’t necessarily involve moving house
If moving is required for a grant scheme, we’ll say so

30. Useful links - grantsmanship
Art of Grantsmanship by Jacob Kraicer
Proposal Writer's Guide by Don Thackrey
How Not to Kill a Grant Application
or straight to one of us!

31. Key contacts in Grants Management
Biomedical Grants Enquiries Desk
+44 (0)
Alexina Weekes