Terms and Conditions

Abbeyfield Research Foundation

1. Funding Arrangements

   1. Grants are available as specified in the offer letter.
   2. Projects must commence within 6 months of the date of the offer. Written approval from the Foundation must be sought for extension beyond this period.
   3. Proposals for the grants programme are sought from UK-based applicants only.
   4. Projects must be concluded within the period specified on Award Letter and according to the agreed budget. When a project is terminated prior to completion unspent funds must be repaid to the Foundation forthwith.
   5. The specified budget defines a maximum level of support to cover the actual expenditure incurred in carrying out the work directed by the original project proposal. Monies remaining in the budget at completion cannot be made available for other purposes and must be returned to the Foundation.
   6. Research expenditure incurred outside of the agreed period or above the specified budget cannot be considered, unless prior approval has been sought and obtained in writing from the Foundation.
   7. The Principal Applicant may not be in receipt of any funding or financial assistance from another source in respect of the same work, unless prior approval has been sought and obtained in writing from the Foundation.
   8. The Foundation periodically identifies and develops areas of common research interest with other independent funding organisations and charities. Where a short-listed grant application reflects an existing or developing common interest, an approach to the relevant organisation for co-funding may be proposed and implemented with the agreement of the applicant, subject to the same confidentiality and related terms and conditions as those of the Foundation.
   9. In exceptional circumstances grants may be put into abeyance for a limited period subject to prior written approval from the Foundation.
   10. Grants for salaries and recurrent expenses will normally be fixed at an annual rate. It is important that applicants state the salary scales which are current at the time the application is made and include any proposed or estimated future pay awards. Grants are fixed and no increases will be allowed except in exceptional circumstances and at the sole discretion of the Foundation.
   11. Funding is guaranteed in the first instance for the first year, and, subject to satisfactory progress reports and compliance with the Conditions of Grant, this guarantee will be extended on an annual basis thereafter.
   12. The grant recipient must obtain prior written approval from the Foundation prior to implementation of any changes to the original research proposal. Where funds have not been utilised as proposed by the researchers grant payments will be suspended.
   13. Where the research project involves more than one research institution, the grant will be paid to the lead research institution, which will then be responsible for allocation of funds to the remaining institutions in accordance with the budget laid out in the research proposal.

2. Submission of Invoices

   1. Expenditure must be incurred in the period specified in the application, quoting the grant reference number and name of The Principal Applicant.
   2. Claims should be made on a quarterly basis in arrears and must include all costs incurred in that period. Invoices should be submitted by 31st January, 30th April, 31st July and 31st October each year and payment will be made on 28th February, 31st May, 31st August and 30th November. Claims for reimbursement more than 6 months after the expense was incurred will only be considered in exceptional circumstances at the sole discretion of the Foundation.
   3. A detailed and meaningful expenditure list must be provided to substantiate all research claims. This must be set out under the headings detailed in the application (salaries, research costs, materials and consumables, miscellaneous, and equipment, as applicable). A copy invoice must be provided with the claim for any non-salary item costing £100 or more.
   4. Claims for salaries must give separate details of charges for basic salary, national insurance, superannuation, and London allowance (if applicable). The name of the individual must also be stated.
   5. The Foundation will not consider payment of indirect costs (unless specifically requested in the grant application and approved), examples of which include, but are not limited to;
      • Institutional overheads
      • Financial services
      • Personnel services
      • Recruitment cost
      • Public relations
      • Institutional libraries
      • Departmental services (administration, secretarial, printing, photography)
      • Telephone charges
      • Postage and courier services
   6. Funds requested under the specified expenditure headings must be used for those purposes only. Virement between expenditure headings is only permissible with the prior written approval of the Foundation.

3. Management of the Award

   1. The Principal Applicant accepts overall responsibility for the grant and must be actively engaged in the direction of the project. The salary of the Principal Applicant must be guaranteed during the term of the grant.
   2. Named co-applicants must be actively involved in the running of the project.
   3. Salary and expenses must be administered through the relevant financial departments of the host institution and paid in accordance with all relevant UK law.

4. Stipends

   1. Stipends are determined by the Principal Applicant at the time of application.
   2. The salary of the Principal Applicant (Supervisor) must be guaranteed during the term of the grant.
   3. Stipends must be administered through the relevant financial departments of the host institution and paid in accordance with all relevant UK law.
   4. Studentships will only be awarded on the condition that the student receives an upper second or first class degree or equivalent
   5. The Foundation must be notified immediately if the named student terminates their studentship. The continuation of the award will be at the discretion of the Foundation.

5. Staff

   1. The Foundation must be informed of every member of staff employed on the grant. Any changes to these details or changes in staff during the period of the award can only be made with the prior written approval of the Foundation.
   2. All full-time members of staff employed on the grant are expected to devote a minimum of 80% of their time to the research.
   3. Staff must not be appointed to a level of salary higher than was awarded without the prior approval of the Foundation (unless the salary increase is caused by a change in applicable law). All salary increases, including those caused by a change in applicable law, must be met by the employing institution, except when specifically included in the grant application.
   4. Grading and salaries must have the approval of the administrative office of the Institution where staff are to be employed.
   5. Staff whose salaries are supported by a Foundation grant are employed by the Institution where they work and not by the Foundation. All liability under employment or health and safety law, other applicable legislation, or vicarious liability for negligence, therefore lies with the host institution.
   6. Staff should be employed at the level stated in the proposal. The Foundation must be notified if a suitable candidate is found at a lower salary level and the difference will be retained by/must be repaid to the Foundation (as applicable).

6. Equipment

   1. Responsibility for equipment lies with the host institution, which must accept its accommodation, operating and servicing costs, and any insurance that may be necessary.
   2. Equipment should carry a prominent label or plaque showing that the Foundation funded it.
   3. Equipment must not be removed from the Principal Applicant’s institution without the prior written approval of the Foundation. Should the Principal Applicant move to another Institution during the tenure of the award, the Foundation reserves the right to require that the equipment be transferred with him/her. Any costs incurred during the transfer of equipment must be met by the new Institution.
   4. Equipment must not be disposed of within the duration of the grant without the prior written approval of the Foundation. Net proceeds from disposal of equipment must be repaid to the Foundation.

7. Human Volunteers

   1. Where human volunteers are to be involved in the study, the Principal Applicant must obtain the approval of the ethical committee of their Institution and of the relevant Social Care and/or NHS ethical committee. Voluntary, informed consent must be obtained in writing with respect to every human participant. Proxy consent may be considered only in highly specific and clearly delineated circumstances.
   2. Data must be held in accordance to the Data Protection Act 1998 and all other applicable legislation and any additional protocols adopted by the Foundation

8. Progress Reports

   1. Regular informal contact with the Foundation Team to discuss grant progress is welcomed.
   2. Whatever the period of the grant, yearly continuation will depend upon receipt of satisfactory annual interim reports. A copy of this interim report, submitted by email within one month of the end of each year, is required for continuation of the grant. For one year grants, continuation will depend upon receipt of a satisfactory report after 6 months, which should be submitted by email within 7 months of the start of the grant. In the extreme case of contemporary research developments negating the meaningful continuation of the research as outlined in the grant proposal, the Foundation reserves the right to request re-orientation of the research or discontinue the grant if this cannot be satisfactorily resolved.
   3. A detailed final report and lay summary must be submitted to the Foundation within 3 months from the scheduled end of the grant period.
   4. Where volunteers are involved in research, Principal Applicants are required, within the bounds of relevant ethical framework, to provide feedback to their patients or their carers at appropriate stages during their work.

9. Final Invoices

   1. Final invoices must be received within 6 months from the scheduled end of the grant period. No payment will be made in respect of invoices received after this date.
   2. Final invoices will not be paid until the final report and lay summary have been received by the Foundation.
   3. Grants are closed by the Foundation 6 months after the scheduled end of the grant period.

10. Publication

    1. It is the Foundation’s policy to publicise as widely as possible its grants and the scientific progress achieved through them. It is therefore a condition of accepting funding that The Principal Applicants agree to co-operate in such publicity efforts.
    2. Principal Applicants are expected to seek publication of findings in peer reviewed journals as soon as possible during and after conclusion of the project even where results prove negative. At least one reprint of each published paper should be submitted to the Foundation.
    3. The support of the Foundation must be acknowledged in all publications, presentations and posters arising from work on the grant. A reprint of such materials must be sent to the Foundation’s research officer.
    4. The Foundation and Principal Applicant jointly undertake to notify each other before published reference is made to the findings of the project. Where research findings are of special importance to patients (e.g. clinical trials) the Principal Applicant is required to notify the Foundation, in confidence and/or under embargo if appropriate, of expected journal publication to enable preparation to be made to anticipate and manage enquiries from patients and the public and to enable the Foundation to gain appropriate media coverage of the findings.

11. Communication

    1. It is a condition of the grant that Principal Applicants are willing to talk at the Foundation’s meetings and conferences. Principal Applicants agree, where appropriate, to co-operate with the Foundation’s Fundraising Department to seek further funds for our research programme.

12. Site Visits

    1. The officers of the Foundation welcome invitations to visit the Principal Applicant’s research facility to discuss progress at least once during the period of the project, but also reserve the right to make such a visit in any event.

13. Termination of Awards

    1. The Foundation reserves the right to terminate the grant at any time. In such a case notice and reasons will be given in writing. Any expenditure properly and necessarily incurred under the award up to the termination date will be reimbursed.
    2. In the event of the work being discontinued by the host Institution, written notification must be given immediately to the Foundation setting out reasons for the termination. The final claim must be submitted within 3 months of notice of discontinuation.

14. Media

    1. Principal Applicants are required to contact the Foundation before either contacting the media or making comment to the media on any work carried out under a grant from the Foundation. The recipient should inform the Foundation if the media contact him/her or the research groups directly. Recipients are asked to support any relevant press activity generated by the Foundation following peer-reviewed publications unless otherwise asked. The recipients are expected to attend Foundation events and contribute to Foundation publications on mutual agreement.

15. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

    1. The Foundation funded researchers and the host institution agree to seek diligently to protect (by registration or otherwise) and to exploit IPR (including all inventions, technologies, products, data and know-how) arising from work funded by the Foundation.
    2. The Foundation funded researchers and host institution agree that all IPR arising from the work of Foundation funded employees will vest in the host institution. The host institution will use all reasonable endeavours to exploit this IPR.
    3. The host institution and Foundation funded researchers agree they will not in any way exploit IPR created or acquired in connection with any Foundation funded activity without the prior written consent of the Foundation, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld. Exploitation includes use for any commercial purpose or any license, sale, assignment, materials transfer or other transfer rights. The host institution and the Foundation funded researchers agree that the Foundation shall receive a reasonable share of any commercial return commensurate with its relative contribution to the research.
    4. The host institution agrees to:
       • ensure that all persons in receipt of a Foundation grant or working on Foundation funded activity (including employees, students, visiting fellows and subcontractors) are employed or retained on terms that vest in the institution all IPR which are created or acquired in connection with any Foundation funded activity;
       • promptly notify the Foundation when IPR are created, promptly apply to register them and prosecute such applications to grant and not publicly disclose such IPR prior to registration (whilst at the same time ensuring that potential delays to publication are minimised) and
       • advise the Foundation of the nature of any proposed exploitation, identifying partners and proposed sharing of royalties.

16. Audit

    1. The Foundation reserves the right to audit the finances of a grant at any time. Grant recipients are required to have in place formal purchasing procedures that ensure only valid grant expenditure is charged. The grant may be cancelled if such procedures are found not to be in place.

17. Scientific Integrity

    1. It is a condition of funding, that the employing authority can produce evidence of a procedure for dealing with scientific fraud. In the rare event of scientific fraud or other scientific irregularity occurring, it is the responsibility of the employing authority to investigate it.
    2. If a case of scientific fraud is suspected in the course of the research then the Foundation must be notified immediately and kept informed of further developments. If adequate steps are not taken to proceed with the investigation the Foundation reserves the right to suspend the grant. If fraud or any other irregularity is proven, the Foundation will terminate the grant immediately and grant monies already paid will become repayable immediately.
    3. A viable mechanism for dealing with accusations of scientific fraud and other irregularities must contain the following elements: a guidance document or code of practice on standards of professional behaviour; provisions for induction and training of staff; monitoring; regulations and procedures for handling allegations; fair procedures and appropriate protection for both the accused and the ‘whistleblower’.
    4. The host institution agrees that at the request of the Foundation it will promptly and actively investigate any allegation of scientific fraud.

18. Acceptance of Conditions

    1. Acceptance by the Principal Applicant and the Institution of the Foundation’s award confirms agreement to the Conditions of Grant and compliance with all prevailing laws and regulations applicable to the work.

19. Changes to Conditions

    1. The Foundation reserves the right to change the Conditions of Grant from time to time. If for any reason during the life of a grant an amendment is made to the conditions, the Foundation reserves the right to apply the revised Conditions of Grant in place of those which were applied at the time of the original award.