Reasons for Unsuccessful Grant
Limitations in funding
♦ The major reason that more projects were not successful is that there was insufficient funding to meet the demand. The number of applications is rising much faster than the growth in funds. This year, success was less than 10%, meaning that many worthwhile projects missed out. Australian Rotary Health will be trying to raise additional funds in the future through Hat Day. The aim of Hat Day is to raise more funding for mental illness research. Researchers can help by supporting Hay Day 2011, which is to be held on 20th May.
Issues identified by the Research Committee
♦ Some grant applications were in areas that are outside the scope of mental illness, so were not assessed in detail. These included applications on neurological disorders or where the mental health/illness aims were of secondary importance in the project.
♦ Australian Rotary Health favours projects that offer the prospects of shorter-term benefits to people with mental illness, to their families or to the mental health of the community as a whole.
♦ Several grants have good ideas but lack detail in the methodology section. A very detailed description of the sample to be studied, the method of recruitment, the methods of assessment, and relevant statistical analysis is essential to achieve funding.
♦ When comparing across groups to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention, randomisation to groups greatly strengthens a proposal.
♦ Feasibility of recruiting the number of participants was important and was a particular issue in studies aiming to recruit patient samples.
♦ If an intervention is being evaluated, the project is more likely to be funded in the intervention has already been developed and feasibility can be demonstrated.
♦ Pilot data can greatly strengthen a grant proposal.
♦ Adequate statistical power must be demonstrated.
♦ Scientific excellence is a key criterion. Achieving excellence requires a clear definition of hypotheses and methodology including design, sample, assessments, power calculation and analysis, as appropriate. Many unsuccessful grants miss out or fail to detail one or more of these.
General advice given by the Research Committee
♦ Applicants must clearly identify the study sample.
♦ Approaches used to track samples over time and to ensure subjects are not lost to follow-up, should be clearly stated.
♦ If applicants are using new measures, particularly measures which have been designed by the investigators, they must provide information about the reliability and validity of these measures.
♦ Approaches used to recruit samples to studies must be clearly stated. It is important to assure the committee that recruitment of participants to studies is feasible.
♦ Where there are partnerships with outside agencies, it is helpful to have a letter of support from these agencies confirming their participation.
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