The PSP Association

Financial support

Salaries

The PSP Association will pay salaries based on the scales in operation at the Institution in which the research will take place.  Applicants should consult the appropriate administrative authority at their Institution to determine the salaries to be requested.  Stipends for PhD Studentships will be on the scale as offered by the Medical Research Council.  Known salary increments may be included on the application form but National Pay Awards may not. 

Research costs

All requests for costs should be fully identified and justified in the application.  The PSP Association expects grants to be held in well equipped laboratories and as such will not consider requests for the following forms of support:

• Research work not specified at the time of application
• Retrospective funding for work already completed
• ‘Top-up' funds for current research projects
• Overspending on grants made
• Publication costs and public relations costs
• Advertising
• Stationery
• Secretarial work
• Travel (see note (i) below)
• Attendance at conferences (see note (ii) below)
• Indirect costs, as specified by the Research Councils
• Overheads of any description
• Maintenance costs or access charges (e.g. building maintenance)
• Staff development (e.g. training of staff)
• Staff facilities
• Financial services (e.g. accounting, auditing)
• Routine care for patients
• Databases (unless specifically required for the research project).

Inflation may not be included on research costs.

(i) If travel is an integral part of the research project, financial provision should be sought in the initial application, otherwise support will not be provided.

(ii) The PSP Association may award costs for conference attendance where the individual concerned is presenting a paper on work and findings resulting directly from the research grant and where no alternative source of funding can be found.  Any such award is subject to the availability of funds at The PSP Association.

Applications to other funding bodies

Applicants may not apply for funding for the same research proposal from other funding bodies concurrently with applications to The PSP Association. 

Where funding is being sought for similar work the applicant should inform The PSP Association that this is the case and provide a copy of the application concerned.

The PSP Association's ethos is to work collaboratively with other research funders and actively encourages applicants to seek co-funding for PSP research projects.

Where applicants are applying to two or more funders to co-fund the project, in their application form they should clearly identify the total cost of the research, the costs and aspects of the research to be funded by each of the respective funders, and the date by which they expect to learn whether or not their application has been successful.  Failure to do so will result in the application not being considered for funding by The PSP Association. 

Applicants are advised to seek advice from The PSP Association and any potential co-funding organisations at the earliest stage of the grant application process.  This will enable the respective funding bodies to liaise with each other over the suitability of the project for co-funding and in processing the application.

Eligibility

Grants may be held in any ‘not for profit' organisation within the United Kingdom.  Applicants who are unsure of their eligibility are advised to contact The PSP Association.

Deadlines

Outline Applications:  There is no deadline for receipt of Outline Applications which may be submitted throughout the year.

Full Applications:  There are two annual deadlines for receipt of Full Applications - 1 March and 1 September.

Applications must be with the office by 12 noon on the day of the deadline. Late applications will not be considered.

Extensions

The PSP Association will consider requests for a no extra cost, time-only extension for a period of up to one year. This would extend the duration of the grant and set back the grant end date. Requests must be submitted in writing at least six weeks before the official end date. Requests after this date will not be considered.

All requests should be accompanied by a scientific justification. This should include progress of the work to date, details of the work to be undertaken in the period of the no-cost extension and confirmation of the revised end date.

Researchers should note that a request for further funding in respect of work relating to that currently funded by a grant from The PSP Association will be considered as a new grant. Accordingly, applicants should apply for grant funding in the normal way.