Grant and Sponsorship Support

All health and social care research should have a sponsor. This includes all research that involve NHS patients, their tissue or information. The UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research and the UK clinical trial regulations specify what the responsibilities of the sponsor are and outline some of the activities they should perform. In summary the sponsor is responsible for “securing the arrangements to initiate, manage and at times finance a study”.

R&I sponsors studies where the Chief Investigator is substantively employed by LTHT.

For information and support with grant applications please see for funding opportunities (FUNDING OPS LINK)

Please note, sponsorship of Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPs) is managed by the University of Leeds/ LTHT joint sponsor QA office, please contact: [email protected]

For University of Leeds sponsorship please contact [email protected]

For more information on starting a research study or to request LTHT NHS sponsorship for a study, please contact R&I.

Grant Funding Development Manager

The Grant Funding Development Manager can support with:

Finding research funding opportunities [add link] for your project
Reviewing applications
Requesting finance support [add finance link]
Completing and reviewing Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Templates (SoECATs)
Letters of support for grant applications
Signposting
Sponsor sign-off for SoECATs if LTHT is the sponsor of the study

Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Template (SoECAT)

For the sponsor to show other sites involved in your project the research activities that need to take place for the study
To inform the CRN that the sponsor is aware of the application and is happy to support the study
To indicate where costs are recovered from for NHS research activities – this is called attributing
The SoECAT is NOT used as a costing tool – you should be calculating your research finances separately to the SoECAT
To highlight Service Support Costs and Excess Treatment Costs

NIHR grant/fellowship applications
NIHR non-commercial partner grant/fellowship applications
NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio adoption application
May need one for [link to IRAS/HRA page IRAS/HRA] if study is multi-site
If your planned project includes the recruitment of patient participants

If LTHT is lead NHS site, please notify the Grant Funding Development Manager of the SoECAT and they can help complete/review it
It can take 10-working days (or more!) for the CRN to authorise a SoECAT
Visit Online SoECAT Guidance page
Complete Online SoECAT Guidance Module
Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) ID number for the study
Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS) log-in details (this is the same as your NIHR Learn log-in if you have one)

Attributions and Research costs

Research studies comprise several activities which have costs associated to them. To agreeing funding arrangements these must be attributed to one of three broad cost categories: research costs, treatment costs and service support costs.

Research Costs

The costs of the R&D itself that end when the research ends. They relate to activities that are being undertaken to answer the research questions. If the funder is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), costs may be attributed as either Research Cost Part A or Research Cost Part B.

Research Cost Part A – should be funded in full by all grant funders.
Research Cost Part B – if the activity is undertaken by existing staff employed by the NHS, NIHR Clinical Research Network or other organisations funded by the NHS to provide patient care services. Under these circumstances, the cost of the activities in Part B will be met by the Department of Health.

NHS Treatment Costs

The patient care costs, which would continue to be incurred if the patient care service in question continued to be provided after the R&D study had stopped.

NHS Service Support Costs

The additional patient care costs associated with the research, which would end once the R&D study in question had stopped, even if the patient care involved continued to be provided.

Further information on attributions and examples can be accessed on the AcoRD website here.

You will need sponsor approval for the CRN to authorise your SoECAT. If LTHT is the sponsor, please contact the Grant Funding Development Manager.