Research Grants

What we fund

The BDA GET can award grants to any research so long as the outcome ‘advances the science and practice of dietetics’ and meets the other criteria in the terms and guidance.

Funding is therefore available for a wide range of dietetic research and can be used to fund:

• Running costs
• Project costs
• Help with salaries

There is no set limit to the amount GET fund, grants have typically been awarded for research projects in the range of £5,000 to £40,000.

The Trust cannot give grants for every project put forward, even though the projects may meet its criteria.

The types of applications which have been successful in recent years include funding for a study trip to the USA to evaluate diabetes management; a research project to evaluate the impact of clinical placements on professional training; ‘start up’ funding for a post to monitor developments in clinical effectiveness for dietitians.

What we do not fund

We are particularly keen on supporting new researchers and dietitians looking to conduct research to support their clinical practice. As a result, we do not fund the following:

• Academic fees for PhDs and other post-graduate qualifications
• Supporting dietetic students in training
• Conferences attendance, unless you are presenting a poster, attending a lecture, running a workshop etc (read about conference funding)
• The purchase of computer equipment, such as laptops and projectors, or computer software

How to apply

Hints and tips

1. Show that the aims and objectives of your project are clear and that they clearly fit with the aims of the Trust. Demonstrate that these aims and objectives fit within current developments in dietetic science and can be used to advance this knowledge base.
2. Demonstrate clearly the question that your research looks to address and how your project has been planned to address this question within the given timescale. Outcomes should be clearly aligned with the aims and objectives. For example, if it is a feasibility project Trustees will be interested in outcomes that consider the process of the research as well as any clinical outcomes
3. Consider any likely ethical issues and address them if relevant. Applicants can find guidance on this on the NHS Health and Research Authority website. The HRA website also includes a tool to establish if ethical approval is needed, available here.
4. Trustees require that the outcomes of all funded projects are disseminated in a way that benefits the practice of dietetics as widely as possible. It may be that the project results are relevant to non-dietitians; dissemination to all relevant audiences should be considered.
5. Applicants are required to agree with the full terms and conditions of GET grants.
6. Appendices can be included to provide relevant supporting information, such as flow diagrams, Gantt charts, survey questions or job descriptions.
7. All submissions should include the CV of the main applicant, along with either a CV or a link to the professional profile of all collaborators.   

Process

Applications are assessed by the Trustees quarterly. Applications should be submitted six weeks or more prior to a meeting to be considered as part of that agenda. The Trustees will seek the views of two professional reviewers on each grant application, to get a view from experts about the suitability and relevance of the proposal. The reviewers’ views are confidential, as is the whole process. The decision on whether to support an application will be a decision for the Trustees alone.

Please find below the deadlines for the coming Trustees meetings:

You will be notified of the outcome of your application as soon as possible following the Trustees meeting. The Trustees’ discussions concerning applications are confidential. However, the Trustees will try to provide written reasons for their decisions wherever possible. The Trustees may request further information before they make a final decision, the responses to which will be considered at a future meeting.

In some cases, only partial support may be offered, or grants may be made subject to conditions which must be met.

Conditions of grants

Recipients of grants are expected to inform the Trustees of any change in the aims of their research project. While it is not uncommon for research projects to evolve, we would expect the project to continue to meet the aims of the Trust.

Similarly, recipients should inform the Trustees of changes in timescale. Again, while the Trustees reserve the right to withdraw an award, reasonable extensions with a clear justification will be accepted.

If a grant-funded project generates income the Trust Fund may require income to be shared accordingly.

Reporting back

• Every 6 months the Trustees require updates from every grant holder via the report form.
• At the end of every grant, a comprehensive final report form must be completed.
• An example of a typical six-month reporting form can be found here.

Full Terms and Conditions and Administrative Guidelines can be found here.