Frequently Asked Questions
- Eligibility
- Funding & Budget
- Preparing an application
- Assessment and Communications
- Getting started
- Contacts
Q. Who should apply?
A. The applicant (Principal Investigator-PI for the study) must hold a research position (full-time, not a PhD student) at the host institution for the duration of the project. Only one person can act as PI.
Investigator Initiated Grants (IIGs) are open to any PI from anywhere in the world except from the Americas (North America including Canada, Central America including the Caribbean and South America). Regional Seed Grants (RSGs) are open to any PI based in one of our network countries excluding the USA (ie: UK, France, the Netherlands, Hong Kong).
Q. Is my institution eligible?
A. Eligible institutions include universities, medical schools, NHS Trusts, research institutes and other academic centres anywhere in the world. Research for commercial organisations is not eligible.
Q. Can a PhD student be the PI?
No, a PhD student cannot be the PI. However she/he can be included on a research grant project, providing that she/he is a full-time student, spending 100% of their time on the project. The host institution is responsible for the progress and training of the PhD student and must ensure adequate supervision and assessment of the student’s progress and research training.
Q. Can researchers from the Americas apply for funding to WCRF International or do they have to apply directly to AICR?
A. Researchers from the Americas (North America including Canada, Central America including the Caribbean and South America) cannot apply to WCRF international for the Investigator Initiated grants or Regional Seed grants and should apply directly to AICR.
For more information about AICR’s grant programme and research priorities, see www.aicr.org/grants.
Q. Is there a limit to the number of applications:
1) the PI can submit?
A. One application per PI per grant cycle. However, where a fundable grant from the previous cycle is re-submitted, an exception can be made. A maximum of two applications can be submitted per grant cycle.
Please note: An applicant can be PI for one application and co-applicant in one or more other applications.
2) a research organisation can submit?
A. No, there is no limit per research organisation.
Q. Do you fund grants jointly with other charities?
A. WCRF International may enter into collaboration with other grant funding bodies, to fund applications jointly, which meet the objectives of both organisation, with the agreement of the applicant.
We are currently inviting applications for breast cancer projects to be considered for joint funding by both WCRF International and Breast Cancer Campaign. Researchers from the UK and Ireland interested in submitting an application should directly apply to WCRF International.
2. Funding & BudgetQ. How much funding is available under this call?
A. IIGs are awarded for a maximum of £250,000 (up to 4 years; limit of £75,000 for any 1 year), and RSGs for a maximum of £60,000 (up to 2 years).
Q. How many awards do you intend to make?
A. We award over £1.0 million in grants per year.
Q. What will the budget cover?
A. Grants will generally cover costs of: salaries for staff, research equipment & expendable supplies. Equipment costing more than £700 must be itemised and justified. A maximum of £500 can be claimed for PhD fees.
Budgets may include a maximum of 10% for overheads. The overheads are to cover – or offset - the institution’s administrative costs, and should be included within the total grant amount. The total grant must not exceed the maximum allowable funding available.
Q. Is the PI’s salary covered by the grant?
No. It is expected/ assumed that the institution will cover the PI’s salary. However, the grant may partially cover the salary/ stipend of other staff, including statisticians, other co-investigators, PhD students or other junior investigators involved in the project.
Q. Is there a travel allowance for the PI and other staff working on the project?
A. Yes, there is. We encourage grant holders and associated staff to attend conferences and will provide funds towards the cost of travel, registration and accommodation. The maximum allowance for travel is £1,200 for RSGs and £2,400 for IIGs.
Q. I plan to request funds for two PhD students, but they haven’t yet been identified. How do I approach this in my application?
A. The applicant should include a letter indicating that the institution will look favourably on such a request to recruit two PhD students to work on the research grant project.
Q. What costs are not covered by the grant?
A. Funding is not provided for indirect costs (not relating to the research grant) such as: purchase of literature or furniture; membership fees to professional societies; recruitment/ relocation expenses; buildings construction or maintenance; non-medical or personal services to patients; per diem charges for hospital beds.
Q. Where do I include the budget proposal?
A. For Outline Applications, budget details (salary, consumables, travel, other) are included in the form. For Full Applications, a budget sheet with detailed budgetary information will need to be submitted.
Q. What currency should the budget proposal be submitted in?
A. Budgets should be submitted in pounds sterling only.
Q. What currency will funds be paid in?
A. Grants are awarded in the currency of the national member awarding the grant:
Grants awarded by WCRF NL or WCRF FR/FMRC will be paid in Euros. The amount to be paid is determined on the day of Board approval.
Grants awarded by WCRF UK will be paid in pounds sterling (£).
Please note: if the host institution uses a currency other than pounds sterling (£), the monthly payment will be subject to fluctuations in the exchange rate.
Q. Where will payment be made?
A. All grant payments are made solely to the PI’s institution.
Q. How will payment be made?
Payments will be made monthly in arrears by electronic transfer to the host institution’s bank account. If this is not possible payments will be made by cheque.
Q. What makes a strong application?
A. Proposed projects should have an original and sound hypothesis, a clear study design, and be relevant to WCRF International’s general and specific priorities. They should also be achievable within the timescale and budget, and include power calculations and relevant statistics.
Q. Do you fund studies using cell lines or animal models?
A. WCRF International will consider applications for relevant studies using cell lines or animal models that explore mechanistic pathways of the cancer process. Experimental studies that exclusively explore changes in the cancer outcome (e.g., incidence, tumour size) will be considered only if the applicant demonstrates that these changes are relevant to human cancer. Preference will be given to applications that have direct relevance to human cancer. Projects that are outside the human in vivo setting that are not justified in terms of their relevance to humans will be unlikely to be given priority.
Q. Are there any options for funding researchers who work on anti cancer drugs?
A. We do not fund research on anti cancer drugs. Our grant programme focuses on the role of food, nutrition, physical activity and weight management on cancer risk.
Q. I am interested in applying for a grant, how do I go about this?
A. All applicants (for new & revised applications) must initially complete the Outline Application form. If successful at the Outline Application stage, applicants are invited to submit a Full Application form.
Q. My grant is due to end early next year, and I’d like to renew it. Do I need to fill in an Outline Application?
A. No, it is not necessary to complete an Outline Application form - renewal proposals can be submitted at the Full Application stage. However, the PI should contact WCRF International to register intent to apply for a renewal grant at the Outline Application stage (6 Jul-5 Oct 09). Please note: Renewal applications will compete equally in the grant review process with new applications in that cycle.
Q. What extra information do I need to include in my renewal application?
A. Renewals must include all relevant progress reports, one copy of the original funded application, and all publications resulting from the previous funding by the WCRF global network.
Q. Can I submit an application, which has previously been submitted to the WCRF International Grant Panel?
A. If an application is not deemed fundable at the Full Application stage, the PI may submit a new Outline Application in the next grant cycle. This revised application will include an additional section, where all issues previously raised by the Grant Panel and peer reviewers should be addressed; it will also compete equally with all other submitted applications in that cycle.
Q. If my application was judged to be of scientific merit in the last cycle, but due to limited funds, it could not be funded, would I need to fill in an Outline Application?
A. No, applicants of unfunded successful grants from the previous cycle would be exempt from completing an Outline Application, and will be invited to submit a Full Application in the next grant cycle.
Q. Our outline proposal has been accepted, however the PI for the project will be moving to another institution. In this case, would we need the signatures of the original persons or the ones of the new employer?
A. Grants may be transferred from one institution to another. However the PI would need to submit a letter as soon as possible to WCRF International requesting transfer of the grant, giving the PI’s new address, and the address and contact details of, and signatures from, the relevant head of department and the head of the new institution.
Q. Do tables or references affect the word count?
A. Tables and references are not included in the total word count.
Q. Do I need full ethics permission and regulatory approvals for any human studies in the grant proposal?
A. Certification for protection of human participants must be completed for all applications. Certifications can fall under one of three categories: approved, pending or not applicable. Please consider any potential costs associated with gaining certification and include these in your budget.
Q. How do I submit my application?
Applicants should submit an online Outline Application form by Monday 11th October 2010 (5pm UK). Successful applicants at the outline stage will be invited to submit a Full Application. The online Full Application should be submitted by Monday 14th February 2011 (5pm UK).
Q. What happens if my application is received after the deadline?
A. Any proposals received after the deadline will not be considered. Please note that missing or additional materials sent by the applicant after the deadline are not accepted unless they have been requested by WCRF International.
Q. How will my grant application be assessed?
A. Outline Applications are reviewed by WCRF International’s Grant Panel. Successful applicants are invited to proceed to the Full Application stage. Full Applications are peer reviewed externally (at least 2 reviewers per application) and by the Grant Panel. The Grant Panel make recommendations to the Board. The Board approves successful applications.
Q. When can I expect to receive feedback on whether my application has been successful?
A. The PI will be notified by e-mail of the outcome of the Outline Application in November 2010. No specific feedback can be given.
For Full Applications, the PI may be asked to respond to Panel and peer reviewers’ comments before a final decision is made.
Q. If unsuccessful at the Full Application stage, will applicants receive feedback?
A. Yes. Comments from the peer reviewers and Grant Panel are provided in unattributed form to the applicants at the end of the process.
Q. When will the awards be announced?
A. Awards will be announced in early October 2011.
Q. When can the project start?
A. Research grants must start between 1 November 2011 & 31 March 2012.
Q. Is there any documentation that needs to be completed prior to the start of the project?
A. The PI should complete and sign both the terms and condition form and the payment form. The latter should be returned by the designated institution official and the PI at least one calendar month prior to the grant start date (any time between November 2011 and 31 March 2012).
Q. What are WCRF International terms and conditions that the PI should comply with?
A. Please refer to page 15 of the Grant Application Package for more information about the terms and conditions.
Q. If my query is not answered by the FAQ’s, and I have a scientific query regarding my application, who should I contact?
A. Please email your query to the Science and Research Coordinator at research@wcrf.org.
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