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The Road Home Grant Round 2019

Guide to Applicants

Round closes: August 21st, 2019

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Table of Contents

1. About The Road Home ................................................................................................................ 3

2. About The Road Home 2019 Grant Round .................................................................................. 3

3. Eligibility requirements ................................................................................................................. 3

Affiliation requirements ......................................................................................................... 3

Eligibility requirements .......................................................................................................... 3

Administering Institutions (AIs) ............................................................................................. 4

4. Terms and Conditions .................................................................................................................. 4

5. Selection process ........................................................................................................................ 4

Initial assessment ................................................................................................................. 4

Final decision ....................................................................................................................... 8

6. How to apply ................................................................................................................................ 8

7. Round timetable .......................................................................................................................... 8

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1. About The Road Home

The Road Home (formerly Foundation Daw Park at the Repatriation General Hospital in South

Australia) raises awareness and funds to support health and wellbeing research and programs into

conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress for Australia’s veterans, emergency service personnel and

their families. The Road Home is a charity of The Hospital Research Foundation Group.

Since 2015 The Road Home has provided over $2 million in funding for research and programs that

deliver optimal models of care and health outcomes on a national scale. It is a key supporter and

coordinator of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Post-Traumatic Stress (ACEPTS) – the first of

its type in Australia. The Centre gives researchers seeking to better understand Post-traumatic stress

and those working on models of carer and interventional therapies an opportunity to work

collaboratively with each other and closely with patients and staff at the Jamie Larcombe Centre at

Glenside, South Australia.

2. About The Road Home 2019 Grant Round

Expressions of interest are now open for the 2019 grant round. Grants are available for research

projects into the health and wellbeing of veterans, emergency service personnel and their families.

The theme for this year is ‘Families’. This can include areas as broad as (but not limited to):

“Research projects focusing on Military and First Responder Families

“The concept of Post-traumatic Growth and its impact on family welfare”

“The impact on families of Gender differences in PTSD or Female Veterans and First responders”

“Family and domestic violence in an Australia Defence Force context”

“Rates of anxiety in defence children and how they compare to the general population”

Applications for the four following grants are available to researchers across Australia:

The Colonel Susan Neuhaus CSC (Ret’d) Fellowship - $50,000 per annum over two years

The Air-Vice Marshal Brent Espeland Memorial Fellowship - $50,000 per annum over

three years

The Road Home Project Grant - $50,000 for one year

The Prabha Seshadri Grant - $60,000 for one year: This grant is only available for research

to be conducted in affiliation with a Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) site

(such as the Jamie Larcombe Centre, Flinders Medical Centre and the Repat Reactivation

site).

3. Eligibility requirements

Affiliation requirements

Only the The Prabha Seshadri Grant has an affiliation requirement: the research must be conducted

in affiliation with a Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) site, such as the Jamie

Larcombe Centre, Flinders Medical Centre and the Repat Reactivation site.

For the three other grants, there is no affiliation requirement: researchers across Australia are welcome to apply.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must have employment rights via:

o Australian citizenship, or

o Permanent residency in Australia, or

o Have a valid visa for the entirety of the Fellowship so that they can commence their

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research no later than March 2020

Hold a PhD or equivalent research doctorate. An English Language copy of the letter saying the

applicant qualifies academically for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (“award letter”) with a date

is required when submitting the application

If the applicant is eligible but there may be a possible conflict with another fellowship that the

applicant currently holds, The Road Home will make a case-by-case evaluation. The applicants

are invited to disclose this possible conflict to The Road Home at the time of their application by

sending an email to savelives@hospitalresearch.com.au

Please note that preference is given to collaborative projects.

Track record will be evaluated relative to career disruptions. Career disruptions include major illness

and/or carer responsibilities including parental leave.

Career disruption is not:

Employment outside the research sector, including time spent working in industry

Clinical, administrative or teaching workload

Relocation of laboratory or clinical practice setting

Other similar circumstances that impact upon research productivity.

Administering Institutions (AIs)

THRF will enter into a funding agreement with the administering institution (AI).

There can be only one AI.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to facilitate and ensure that the chosen AI can administer the grant.

4. Terms and Conditions

Chief Investigators can only apply for one project per grant

Progress reports against agreed milestones will be expected

The funding is available based on annual performance

Impact and follow-up reports will be expected after completion of the project

TRH standard Intellectual Property Agreement Clause will apply

TRH funding is not to be used to support Intellectual Property and Patent costs.

Chief Investigators must also agree to:

o Sign an undertaking to acknowledge The Road Home funding support in all

presentations and papers etc.

o Provide updates upon request about research progress to The Road Home

Communications and Marketing Team

o Participate in media opportunities coordinated by The Road Home where

necessary, including local radio and local and national media announcements.

Relevant media advice and preparation will be available via The Road Home’s

Communications team

o Ensure The Road Home is consulted regarding any media opportunities led by

the recipient’s University, SA Health or other organisation

5. Selection process

Initial assessment

Applicants will receive a confirmation of receipt by email following submission.

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The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) personnel will initially screen applications to ensure that

eligibility criteria have been met.

An independent review panel of three assessors will grade all eligible submissions.

Selection will be based on the ranking of applications. The ranking of applications will be determined

by the specific selection criteria weighting (see table below).

In addition, each panel member will make a recommendation about whether each project should be

funded or not.

Each panel member will declare any perceived or actual conflicts of interest and withdraw from

considering applications where such conflict does or may exist.

Each panel member will pledge to preserve the confidentiality of any information supplied and will not

make copies of or disclose information unless explicitly authorised by The Hospital Research

Foundation or required to do so by law.

The Road Home may enter into direct negotiations with applicants to seek further information or

detail in relation to specific applications.

In the event that The Road Home deems any research applications to be similar or complementary to

other applications received, The Road Home may request that the applicants consider some or

greater cooperation between the researchers (where appropriate). There is no obligation imposed on

applicants under this condition. Any cooperation that might arise from such a suggestion by The

Road Home would be voluntary.

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Selection criteria:

Criteria Weight Indicators

Significance/innovation, potential translational impact and outcome

40% 7 = The planned work addresses an issue of utmost importance to human health and will address gaps in

knowledge and translate into fundamental outcomes in the science and practice of clinical medicine or

public health. It will be published in journals of the highest impact factor for the field and could be the

subject of invited plenary presentations at international meetings, often with relevance across several fields.

The work is highly innovative and introduces advances in concept.

6 = The planned work addresses an issue of major importance to human health. It will be published in

journals of the highest impact factor for the field and could be the subject of invited plenary presentations at

international and national meetings. The work is innovative with respect to the question being addressed

and the approach to it.

5 = The planned work addresses an issue of considerable importance to human health. It will be published

in the top two or three journals for the field and could be the subject of invited plenary presentations at

national specialty meetings. The work contains at least one innovative idea.

4 = The planned work addresses an issue of some importance to human health. It will be published in the

middle-ranking to major journals for the field. The work may have some novel aspects, while others

underpin or extend existing knowledge. There are minor concerns about successful completion.

3 = It is anticipated that approximately 50% of applications will fall into categories 1, 2 or 3. This category

includes all applications which, budgetary restrictions aside, are fundable, based on a satisfactory research

approach and design. The GRP will be confident that the applicants will be able to undertake the research.

However, on balance the application is one that is not competitive in the Hospital Research Foundation

round this year.

2 = These applications display a number of good features but are not competitive.

1 = Unfundable grants (reasons must be clearly articulated to applicants).

Scientific excellence 30% 7 = The proposal is lucid in its objectives, exemplary in design and certain to be accomplished.

6 = The proposal has clarity of purpose and a near-flawless design. There is a high probability of successful

accomplishment.

5 = The proposal has clarity of design, and any reservations are minor and unlikely to prevent successful

outcome.

4 = The proposal is sound, but has several areas of minor concern in experimental design or feasibility.

3 = It is anticipated that approximately 50% of applications will fall into categories 1, 2 or 3. This category

includes all applications which, budgetary restrictions aside, are fundable, based on a satisfactory research

approach and design. The GRP will be confident that the applicants will be able to undertake the research.

However, on balance the application is one that is not competitive in the Hospital Research Foundation

round this year.

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2 = These applications display a number of good features but are not competitive.

1 = Unfundable grants (reasons must be clearly articulated to applicants).

Track record relative to opportunity

30%

7 = Applications in this category are generally from the most outstanding researchers. They are well on the

way to developing a national or international reputation. They are in the top 10% of their peers.

6 = The applicants have a record of achievement, relative to opportunity, that places them in the top 10-

20% of peers.

5 = The applicants have a record of achievement, relative to opportunity, that places them well above

average for their peers.

4 = the applicant has a record of achievement from their previous work, albeit in a niche area.

3 = It is anticipated that approximately 50% of applications will fall into categories 1, 2 or 3. This category

includes all applications which, budgetary restrictions aside, are fundable, based on a satisfactory research

approach and design. The GRP will be confident that the applicants will be able to undertake the research.

However, on balance the application is one that is not competitive for this round.

2 = previous research experience is not sufficient to be competitive

1 = Unfundable grants (reasons must be clearly articulated to applicants).

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Final decision

Final weighted scores will range between 1 and 7. Applications that score below an average

weighted score of 5 points will not be considered for funding.

Only the highest ranking applications for each separate network will be considered. The Road

Home’s aim is to only fund research applications that score in the Outstanding and Excellent range.

If no application submitted for a grant reaches the minimum required points, The Road Home

reserves the right to choose not to fund any applicant.

6. How to apply

Researchers should complete and submit the electronic application form through THRF’s online application portal SmartyGrants. Only electronic submission of applications through the SmartyGrants system will be accepted. All queries should be directed to The Hospital Research Foundation’s Research Office, at

savelives@hospitalresearch.com.au

SmartyGrants link: https://hospitalresearch.smartygrants.com.au/2019-TRH-PJ

Round closes on Friday, 21st August at 4 PM (ACST)

All queries should be directed to savelives@hospitalresearch.com.au

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered

7. Round timetable

Round opens Monday, 8th July 2019 at 4 PM (ACST)

Round closes Wednesday, 21st August at 4 PM (ACST)

Funding available 4th quarter 2019

Project to start By March 2020 latest