Getting approval

At least two weeks should be allowed to obtain all signatures necessary to support an application.

During the holiday season, check that all the individuals needed to sign the application will be available.

Why signatures are needed

Grant applications may be your own work but they are submitted on behalf of the University or Health Board and they place certain responsibilities on organisations.

Salaries, Superannuation and National Insurance

Where these responsibilities relate to salaries, superannuation and National Insurance, this is particularly important.

Calculating salary increments and other components is a specialist job. Do not try and do this yourself.

Shortfalls of salary between grant and what you would normally expect to be paid are especially difficult to deal with and may leave you out of pocket.

Sponsorship or Indemnity responsibilities

Clinical studies may place sponsorship or indemnity responsibilities on organisations.

While there is usually no problem with the provision of this cover, these organisations do need to know the detail and ensure that this properly registered.

Commercial involvement

Commercial involvement in studies is a special case and the University or NHS may need to broker an agreement which protects your and their intellectual property and rights.

Heads of Department or Centres need to ensure that there are appropriate resources to support the project, that there is a strategic fit and that the application is of benefit to the organisation.

All applications

All University applications need to be accompanied by the Implication of Research Grant (IRG) form which should state that the application has the approval of the University Research Centre.

Applications from University staff also need to be signed off by the Head of Department or Centre through which the application is being submitted.

Applications requiring signatures

Applications that include all of the necessary ethics permissions, licences, collaborative agreements are more likely to be funded than those where these elements are pending.

NHS patients or facilities: All applications involving patients or using NHS facilities need to be signed off by the NHS Lothian Research and Development committee.

Commercial partnership: Studies involving commercial partnership need to be discussed with the commercial manager of NHS Lothian Research and Development committee. If University staff are involved then Edinburgh Research and Innovation should be contacted and the proposal discussed with them.

Animal work: Studies involving animal work need to be costed by the Biological Resources Unit.

University staff or facilities: Studies involving University staff or University facilities need to be costed by the appropriate University Centre. Costings have to be signed off by the finance office.