R&D2 Identify and recommend sources of funding for selected research and development topics

Overview

This standard has broad application and includes investigations for speculative (blue sky) and applied research. Investigations may be undertaken by a single researcher or managed by a single researcher who delegates investigations to a research team. Investigations may range in scale and utility from a thesis, which adds to the pool of knowledge in a given area, to proposed improvements to specific services and/or practices. The researcher must clearly identify realistic and valid sources of funding, relevant to the research purpose, size, and topic and target audience, and provide recommendations to assist the next stage of taking the study forward. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies. Version No 1

Knowledge and Understanding

You will need to know and understand:

1. a range of appropriate methodologies to take the study forward, with their financial implications
2. relevant trends and precedents in the area of study
3. your organization’s objectives, research intellectual property policy and strategy
4. ethical issues and relevant codes
5. available sources of funding, criteria for selection and relevance to research topic
6. practical and financial constraints affecting the proposed research
7. regulatory requirements affecting the proposed research and associated costs
8. factors affecting the ability of funding sources to provide funding, grants and sponsorship and the likelihood of success
9. your organisation’s processes for negotiating contracts relating to research funding
10. sources of expert advice on research funding, how to access them and when to use them
11. implications of collaborative research projects

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

1. confirm the availability and reliability of relevant sources of funding
2. identify criteria and issues affecting funding sources at a level of detail sufficient to aid decision making
3. set out clear procedures for dealing with contingencies and constraints to gaining funding support
4. access relevant expert advice regarding sources of funding
5. target sources of funding appropriately
6. identify accurately the requirements for applications for funding including level of detail, timescales, and deadlines
7. report and recommend action to secure a sufficient level of funding for the proposed research activity

Additional Information

This National Occupational Standard was developed by Skills for Health. This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004): Dimension: IK2 Information collection and analysis This standard has replaced HCS_H2 and PH09.03.