Research Grant Notes
1. Eligibility
- Applications for one of the four SRF Research Grants are open to full members with over five years continuous Full membership to the SRF. The four research grants available are: (1) Academic Research Fund, (2) Return to Research Scholarship, (3) Mid-Career Research Scheme, (4) Collaborative Research Scheme.
- All proposed projects must be within the field of Reproduction and Fertility.
- All Research grants follow the same application process and rubric.
- Projects must be completed within one year, with an additional three months allowed for the report. Funding will not be awarded to complete an unfinished project that has previously been supported by SRF, although new work that follows on from a previous project and that requires proof of concept or pilot data to make a new advance may be considered.
- Funding will be forfeit if the awarded project is delayed for more than nine months unless agreed otherwise with SRF. If the project is subsequently proposed to resume, a new application for funding will be required.
2. Costs
- Total project costs should not generally exceed £10k. Applications in excess of this amount may be considered only in exceptional circumstances.
- Project budgets must be realistic. Justification must be given for each cost requested.
- Information on eligible costs appear in the Terms and Conditions.
- Travel costs will only be considered for travel directly associated with the project as described in the application. Costs for travel for research visits/meetings/talk tours are ineligible.
3. Use of Animals in Clinical and Experimental Research
- In line with the SRF’s ‘Policy on use of animals in research’, any research which is conducted on live animals as a result of this funding will: be performed in accordance with local institutional ethical approval, be performed in accordance with national regulatory guidance (e.g. UK Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1996; European Directive 2010/63 on the Protection of Animals in Scientific Experimentation), adhere to the Replacement, Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) ARRIVE guidelines (download at https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/arrive-guidelines).
- Home Office licence must be in place for the whole duration of the proposed project or a licence application must be in process. Where an award has been recommended, no funds will be paid until a licence is in place for any work proposed for the duration of the project.
- Clinical trials of novel medicines, including those licenced for use in other countries, generally require an Animal Test Certificate (ATC) issued by Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Full details can be found in the Veterinary Medicines Guidance Notes 6 (VMGN6) and related guidance on the VMD website at http://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk. Advice on specific cases is available from the VMD Licensing team on 01932 338439 or 336911
- Work involving experimental procedures on animals performed outside the UK will not be funded.
4. Evaluation of Applications
- Total project costs should not generally exceed £10k. Applications in excess of this amount may be considered only in exceptional circumstances.
- Project budgets must be realistic. Justification must be given for each cost requested.
- Information on eligible costs appear in the Terms and Conditions.
- Travel costs will only be considered for travel directly associated with the project as described in the application. Costs for travel for research visits/meetings/talk tours are ineligible.
