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Family Medical Care, Education and Research Grants – Information for Applicants

Applications for 2010 are open from 15 March - 14 May

Introduction

The Family Medical Care Education and Research (FMCER) grants have been offered by the RACGP since 1980. The aim of the grant is to encourage and support general practitioners in the early stages of their research career to conduct research into an aspect of primary health care. The objective of the grant is to advance education in, and research into, medical knowledge and science.

Award Details

The Family Medical Care Education and Research (FMCER) grants are available for a 12 month period to provide new and emerging GP researchers with an opportunity to conduct research. Funding of up to $10,000 is available for research that benefits primary health care. Funding will not be provided for researcher salary.

The FMCERs are awarded by the RACGP National Research Awards Committee.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the FMCER grants, the chief investigator must be a GP or GP registrar who is a member of the RACGP and must have a project that relates clearly to general practice. New and emerging researchers are particularly encouraged to apply.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be judged on

• training potential for applicants
• relevance to general practice
• quality
• value for money

In reviewing grant applications, the National Research Awards Committee will place a higher weighting on training potential versus other criteria.

How to Apply

Applications for 2010 are open from 15 March - 14 May

Please email research@racgp.org.au to join the grants mailing list and be informed of all updates to the website.

Conditions

1. Unless otherwise indicated, the Grant must be used in the year for which it is awarded.
2. The Grant will be paid only to incorporated bodies that have an ABN and ACN and not to individuals.
3. By applying for the Grant each applicant will be taken to have consented to permit the RACGP to publicise their name, institution, and title of their research project.
4. Personal information provided to the RACGP by Grant applicants will be used for the purposes of administering the Grant. The RACGP Privacy Statement explains how the RACGP usually collects and uses personal information provided to the RACGP and how it can be accessed.
5. If required, successful applicants must obtain an ethical clearance from an ethics committee constituted under NHMRC guidelines.
6. Any unused funds are to be returned with the final report or 15 months from the date of project commencement, whichever occurs first.
7. Unless the purpose and conditions of the Grant can be fulfilled, the Grant must be forfeited and all payments refunded within 1 month of notification of forfeit.
8. A Grant may be revoked at any time upon three months’ notice given by the RACGP.

Selection Process

9. The RACGP National Research Awards Committee (NRAC) is responsible for the independent, objective evaluation and review of Grant applications. All decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
10. NRAC has the right to send the application to two external independent referees to review.
11. Applicants eliminated after independent referee review will be advised by letter.
12. Successful Grant applicants may receive an outline of de-identified referee’s comments, which may require a satisfactory written response before the final award can be made.
13. All Grant applicants (successful and unsuccessful) will be notified by September 2010.
14. Successful Grant applicants are expected to receive their award at the RACGP Conference for General Practice GP10, 6-9 October 2010.

Reporting Requirements

15. Successful applicants must provide a 1-2 paragraph biography, a 1-2 paragraph layman’s summary of the project and an electronic photograph for use on the RACGP website and in either of the RACGP publications, Australian Family Physician or GP Review.
16. Proof of ethics approval must be provided no later than 12 months from the date on which the Grant recipient is notified of the outcome of their application. If proof of ethics approval is not received within this timeframe, the offer of funding may be withdrawn.
17. A progress report must be provided 6 months from the date of ethics approval or from the date on which the recipient is notified of the outcome of their application, whichever is later.
18. Notification of project completion is due 12 months from the date of ethics approval or from the date on which the recipient is notified of the outcome of their application, whichever is later.
19. A final report and statement of expenditure, due 3 months from the date of project completion (ie 15 months from the date of ethics approval or from the date on which the recipient is notified of the outcome of their application, whichever is later).
20. Successful Grant applicants will be expected to present their research findings or progress to date at a scientific meeting, preferably the RACGP Annual Scientific Convention, any time within 2 years of the commencement of the project.
21. All RACGP research funding is given with the expectation that a paper will be submitted for publication in an appropriate peer-reviewed medical journal. A copy of all published papers must be forwarded to the RACGP Research and Grants Program Administrator at grantholders@racgp.org.au.
22. The RACGP Research Foundation and the Family Medical Care, Education and Research Grant must be acknowledged in all publications arising from the research funded by the Grant.
23. If the project is delayed in any way or if any of the deadlines are unable to be met, the researcher must request an extension of this timeline. A REQUEST FOR EXTENSION form can be obtained by emailing grantholders@racgp.org.au. If any of the reporting requirements are not met without an extension being granted, funding may be withdrawn.

Payment of Awards

24. Grants will not exceed $10,000.
25. Grants will be paid according to the following schedule:

• 20% of total budget upon receipt of a tax invoice and publicity materials (see 15 above);
• 60% of total budget upon receipt of a tax invoice and proof of ethics approval (see 16 above);
• 20% of total budget upon receipt of a tax invoice and a final report and statement of expenditure (see 19 above).

Any variation to this payment schedule must be agreed upon by both parties.

Publication Date: 12 March 2010
Authorised By: RACGP Research Foundation