IICT Grant Partnering

Idea

First, think about the project idea and discuss the concept with colleagues. Also check your eligibility for the grant as well as relevant databases to see that the study is not already being performed (e.g. ClinicalTrials.gov).

Next, request a consultation with the DCR. Once you have a study idea or a summary ready, contact the DCR. We recommend reaching out in January or February to make the most of its partnering services. To be in the best position, also consider enrolling in the DCR Grant Writing Program for Clinicians.

To do so, please complete the project enquiry form. This must be done well in advance, including submitting an expression of interest ahead of time. Last minute requests cannot be assisted. 

Letter of intent

The grant may require a Letter of Intent. Make sure to read the instructions carefully and note the key dates. 

A support letter from DCR will only be provided following a consultation and provided DCR has capacity. 

A curriculum vitae must be prepared using the dedicated template of the Swiss National Science Foundation. More information can be found on the CV website. If you have not used the format so far, plan for enough time to enter all the information on the website (no Word template or similar). 

PPI

Active involvement of patients, members of their family, carers, the public, or the relevant patient organizations is an essential part of clinical research and for many grants, is mandatory across the entire lifecycle of the project (development, set-up, conduct, and completion). Refer to our PPI information page on the DCR website to learn more or take part in our PPI course to gain more insights.

It is also important to remember the importance of PPI activities in your proposal. 

PPI Preparatory Grant 

To allow for appropriate planning of these activities, Swiss National Science Foundation provides a preparatory grant of up to CHF 5,000.  

• The grant covers Patient and Public Involvement activities for developing the full proposal and includes the plan for activities to run over the course of the project.  
• The preparatory grant proposal takes the form of a patient engagement plan and must include a budget. The budget can cover compensation of PPI representatives for the time spent on providing input, as well as reimbursement of travel costs and expenses for accommodation and meals. In addition, the costs associated with the organization of meetings for PPI activities can be charged to this grant. 
• The Patient Engagement Plan is not sent out for peer reviewer but is evaluated by the Swiss National Science Foundation internally to ensure that formal requirements are met. 
• Other granting bodies may have explicit PPI policies. If not available, it is worth asking if there are specific requirements and funding for PPI preparatory activities. 

The SNSF IICT call requires the submission of LOI and PPI preparatory grant proposals. 

Make sure you are familiar with whichever portal or means your submission is to be received and do not leave this to the last minute.

Developing a full grant proposal is labor intensive. It not only requires dozens of working hours but also time for repeated discussions and networking activities.

Through our grant partnering the DCR can support you through the whole process but it is essential to plan enough time and start early.

Writing of the full proposal

Aside from meeting to discuss the required project budget and input on study design, DCR support also includes:

• specific Grant Writing for Clinicians courses
• templates for specific sections that can be customised by you

An important aspect of developing a full proposal is considering Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). In many research plans, applicants must document their efforts and plans to actively involve patients, members of their family, carers, the public, or the relevant patient organizations across the entire lifecycle of the project (from the design of the study to its management and conduct, data analysis, dissemination of results and final evaluation). During the development of the full proposal, activities focus on two main areas:

• Getting input to the clinical study itself
• Developing a Patient and Public Involvement activities plan for the project

Learn more about PPI and DCR's PPI services and courses.

Sample size calculation and statistical study design

Sample size is often critical for the feasibility and success of a clinical trial and DCR can provide you with the appropriate calculation. This is an iterative process where we provide several scenarios and where changes to the design (can) happen. The amount of work varies, from a few to dozens of hours. Please take this into account.

Contacting potential trial sites and collection of a Letter of Commitment

Reach out to potential trial sites like DCR very early to ensure they can partner with you on your project. If grant partnering is agreed, DCR will need to provide a letter of commitment and it must contain evidence for the site-specific enrolment potential. This evidence can come from pilot studies, previous trials (of similar population and interventions) or extracts from the data warehouse of the hospital/institution (preferably multiple sources). Simple statements about enrolment potential are not sufficient!

Logistics and collecting offers

Especially for trials with medicinal products (medical devices), explore different options for the supply. The grant can cover these costs. Placebo production can be expensive, so different suppliers should be approached. You will need formal offers for the submission. DCR can help identifying suppliers and support you in the discussions with them.

Budget

DCR has expertise in preparing budgets for grant applications and can discuss this with you in the initial consultation. 

Be familiar with the level of detail that the grant requires for its budget, as it varies significantly. Also read carefully which costs can / can’t be applied for.

The budget for the SNSF IICT Call has much more detail than many other project funding budgets, so plan enough time for entering your project into mySNF, and check the specific requirements as they can vary from year to year. Don’t also assume previously prepared budgets can automatically be re-used.

Submission

Make sure you are registered and familiar with the grant portal. For SNSF, submission of the full proposal is via mySNF.  

Many grants have a rebuttal process. For the SNSF IICT call, all proposals that meet formal requirements (checked by Swiss National Science Foundation internally) are sent out for international peer review. You will typically receive at least four written peer reviews one of which is from a biostatistician.

The reviews will be forwarded to you by the Swiss National Science Foundation at the beginning of March and you are required to provide a rebuttal letter within two weeks. This rebuttal should be a point-by-point discussion of the elements raised by the peer reviewers. No changes to the proposal are possible at this stage, and the rebuttal can only clarify misunderstandings or provide further explanations and justifications for certain design choices.

We suggest at least two meetings are prescheduled with DCR (at the time of submission) to discuss the rebuttal:

1. The first at the beginning of the two-week rebuttal period to go through the comments, discuss possible responses, and distribute responsibilities for drafting the response to the different points.
2. The second at the end of the two-week rebuttal period to finalize the rebuttal letter

The rebuttal letter must be submitted via mySNF (not the SNSF Portal).

Decision

The full proposals with the accompanying peer reviews and the rebuttal are discussed by a dedicated, international panel of clinical research experts (clinical researchers, biostatisticians, (clinical) epidemiologists,…). The panel provides recommendations to the Research Council which makes the funding decisions.

The decision will be communicated in writing during the second half of June. At this stage, DCR meets with the partnered researchers to discuss proceeding with the study, resubmitting the proposal or discussing next steps.

Project start guideline

Be conscious of timelines for project commencement and other milestones once your grant is successful!

If your project is funded by SNSF, the official start of the funding period must be between July of the decision year and June of the following year. Be aware that activities (e.g., drafting the trial protocol or other documents) can be started even before the official start of the funding period if you have sufficient resources.