The Cancer Research Trust is proud to fund grants across the full spectrum of cancer research, including prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and improvements in palliative care. Applications are welcome across the spectrum of disciplines, including (but not limited to) biomedical, clinical, public health and kaupapa Māori research. To evaluate the funding proposals submitted, the Trustees of Cancer Research Trust New Zealand maintain a committee of experts, known as the Cancer Research Trust Assessment Committee. Profiles of Assessment Committee members are available on our website
grant round process.The Assessment Committee operates as a single committee, without delegating work to subcommittees. To balance the need to manage workload and provide a diversity of perspectives, the Assessment Committee operates with around ten to twelve committee members. The committee membership maintains a balance of biomedical, clinical and public health research on the committee to enable assessment of the best quality science with the highest potential for impact. =Application CapIn order to provide the broadest possible support to the cancer research sector, the Trust caps the number of applications any individual investigator can submit. Each applicant can only submit _one_ proposal as Principal Investigator. They may also be named as Associate Investigator on one other application. In addition to this they can be a mentor on a Fellowship or Scholarship application. This caps applications at a maximum of three per researcher. Where a proposal has been declined, applicants can resubmit their proposal in a subsequent grant round. However, only one resubmission of a project grant application will be accepted. A researcher who has been unsuccessful twice with a particular application is welcome to submit further proposals in their chosen field of research, but these proposals will need to be based on new or substantially revised hypotheses. Resubmissions are included in the application cap.The Cancer Research Trust aims to fund research proposals of the highest quality, support the best people, and have a positive impact on cancer management in NZ and/or globally. The Cancer Research Trust Assessing Committee is comprised of around 10-12 experts across the cancer research spectrum. This committee reviews all the proposals and makes funding recommendations to the Trust Board. A number of guiding principles support the Assessment Committee process and help frame the committee discussion, scoring and ranking of applications. These principles are intended to help the committee score applications in a way that is fair, transparent, and consistent.
* Research Project Grants, Fellowships & Scholarships: The project must be primarily focused on research that aims to enhance cancer outcomes.
* Professional Development and Cancer Education Awards: Abstracts must demonstrate relevance to cancer, and the event must help advance their cancer-focused career._The proposal must support the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi._The Cancer Research Trust has adopted the Health Research Council's four domains of Māori Health Advancement and applies this to every application in every category. Failure to adequately respond to te Tiriti will result in the proposal being declined. Further guidance on expectations is outlined under Māori Health Advancement.* All applicants: Must consider what relevance their research or cancer care project has to Māori and in reducing cancer inequalities.
* All applicants: Must comment on their level of knowledge of tikanga Māori (Māori customs and cultural involvement) and the relationships (partnerships) they have had or currently have with Māori researchers, academics, Māori advisors (including kaumatua/elders). Where possible applicants should provide evidence of this (e.g. letters of support) to enhance their application.Every Cancer Research Trust funding round is oversubscribed, and in recent years this has meant up to eight-fold more applications than can be funded. Our assessment process is focused on identifying the best applications to fund. The following dimensions are considered during the discussion of each proposal:
* Is the proposal of the highest quality?* Will the proposal enhance outcomes for patients, whānau or cancer research/cancer care professionals?
* Is the proposal innovative?* Does the proposal promote sustainability?
To assess these dimensions, the Trust relies on the expertise of peer-reviewers combined with the diverse skills of the Assessment Committee. These dimensions are not scored individually. They are considered during the Assessment Committee discussion to help the Committee members form their final, individual view of the merits of the proposal. Committee members then score each proposal individually, and the average score of each proposal then determines its place in the final rankings.
===Is the proposal of the highest quality?
The Cancer Research Trust Assessment Committee is charged with rigorous review of all applications. The focus is on identifying the best people and the best projects that will have a positive impact on the management of cancer in New Zealand and globally.
* Peer review is the primary tool by which scientific excellence is assessed. However, the Assessment Committee recognizes that from time to time, applications that are of relevance to New Zealand can be misunderstood by international reviewers. For example, reviewers may expect the clinical standard of care in New Zealand to match their jurisdiction and might consequently score a proposal poorly, but in fact the proposal may be highly relevant to the NZ setting. In such situations with agreement of the full Assessment Committee, the application can be elevated to full assessment.* The Assessment Committee will carefully review the proposed design, methodology and analysis of the research to reach a view on how well it will deliver on the proposed objectives. This includes assessment of whether the research team matches the scope of the project and has the necessary skills and experience to successfully carry out the research. It also includes consideration of elements specific to each proposal, such as whether the sample size is sufficient based on the proposed method of analysis.
* The collective expertise of the Assessment Committee is deliberately broad, to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach when reviewing proposals. Applicants should bear in mind that their proposal will be reviewed by both experts in the field and by this multi-disciplinary committee and it is to their benefit to ensure the proposal can be readily understood by an expert unfamiliar with their field of research. ===Will the proposal enhance outcomes for patients, whānau or cancer research/cancer care professionals?The Trust funds research and professional development across the cancer care spectrum, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, as well as end of life palliative and supportive care. Applicants in all categories of funding should describe how their proposal will contribute to better cancer outcomes – and examples of questions to consider are:* Is the proposal patient-centric, whānau-centric, or workforce-centric?
* Does the proposal support the appointment of Māori or Pasifika researchers or cancer care staff?===Is the proposal innovative?The Trust prides itself on supporting innovative new projects that allow researchers to carry out robust, trustworthy research. The Trust funds projects that enable new ways to incubate ideas, explore novel research hypotheses, or refine innovative methods for prevention, detection, cure and care.
* For some projects, innovation means investigating new concepts and developing initial data that supports the investigator to secure further funding. For such projects consider if positive findings or results from the study would be likely to trigger larger-scale follow-on funding from another source?* For research that is more translational in nature, consider if the proposed research delivers positive results or findings, would this project offer a step-change in cancer care?
* For projects in some fields, the most appropriate next research step could be replication of existing work to provide validation in a New Zealand context. For example risk score algorithms developed overseas may not be relevant to Māori and Pacific populations in New Zealand. ===Does the proposal enhance equity?The Trust is increasingly seeking to ensure that it considers all aspects of equity in reviewing each proposal.
* In judging the quality of an application, the applicant’s curriculum vitae will be considered against stage of career, relative to opportunity.The following considerations are particularly important in the Trust’s Professional Development Awards:
* Generally applicants who are seeking support for a first international conference will be prioritised ahead those who have already had a chance to attend such a conference.* For Professional Development Awards: Has the applicant identified other sources of potential funding for their proposed itinerary? Lack of other financial support is viewed supportively.
* Multiple applications to attend the same conference/course. Only the most meritorious (if any) will be funded.===Does the proposal promote sustainability?The Trust aims to support sustainability throughout its research investments and places great importance on its role supporting a sustainable, skilled cancer research and cancer care workforce. The following considerations are particularly relevant for Professional Development Awards:
* For all applicants: The immense value of face-to-face networking with collaborators and international experts needs to be balanced against the need to minimise our collective environmental footprint. The Trust supports both face-to-face and online connections, and Applicants should justify their chosen medium.* For international travel: If personal circumstances allow, then including opportunities to increase the benefits of travel by combining a conference with laboratory or collaborator visits.
* For all applications: does the proposal contribute to health or research workforce sustainability, such as helping to keep talent in New Zealand or supporting the upskilling of committed talent?* For all applications: Showing willingness and outlining plans to disseminate new skills/advances to others is encouraged.
=Māori Health Advancement
Cancer Research Trust is committed to transforming cancer outcomes in Aotearoa New Zealand. By upholding its responsibilities under te Tiriti o Waitangi the Trust is helping to achieve equitable cancer outcomes for Māori. The Trust urges all cancer researchers to actively consider how their efforts can contribute to this goal.
The Cancer Research Trust Assessing Committee takes a firm view on the need to engage with Māori when developing research project concepts. While it can be challenging for researchers to connect in a meaningful way with Māori, the Committee nevertheless requires researchers to demonstrate a commitment to Māori Health Advancement. This may take many different forms, depending on the type and stage of the research project.
Every application in every funding category is assessed for Māori Health Advancement. To promote consistency, the Cancer Research Trust has adopted the Health Research Council’s Māori Health Advancement criteria. The HRC model explores Māori Health Advancement across four domains: Relationships, Significance, Research Team and Research Characteristics. Applicants should refer to guidance provided by the Health Research Council: [url,https://gateway.hrc.govt.nz/funding/downloads/HRC_Maori_Health_Advancement_Guidelines.pdf]
The Trust acknowledges that Māori Health Advancement expectations will vary across the different funding categories. Some examples of this variation are given below. Over time, the Trust will provide additional guidance to support applicants in the journey to deeper and more meaningful partnerships with Māori. In considering responsiveness to Māori, researchers are encouraged to consider the following questions about their proposed research:
===What research relationships with Māori are established?
Researchers are expected to consider where their project can benefit from Māori involvement, input, advice or engagement. Researchers should work with their host institution to build relationships with Māori researchers or individuals with expertise in te reo Māori and tikanga, including community research. Engagement should allow Māori adequate time to participate and respond fully. Researchers should look for opportunities where they can engage with Māori, seek Māori participation in part/all of the project, identify ways that their research can contribute to Māori advancement and identify any other potential benefits.CRTNZ understands that quality, enduring relationships take time to build and provides specific funding support through the Cancer Education Development Fund.
===Does the research involve or affect Māori?* Could Māori people, data, information or narratives be involved in the research design or undertaking?
* Is the research theme or domain important to Māori?* Does the project include Māori staff or researchers?
* Is the research expected to contribute to Māori (iwi/hapū/whānau/community) aspirations and outcomes?*Could the project include comparative measures involving or affecting Māori or Māori information?
* Could the project use or affect taonga - things considered to be treasured by Maori, iwi, hapū or data rendered from these treasures?_Example_ For a proposal had a conversation with a Māori colleague recently who suggested that engaging with Māori health providers, who had the right networks in place was more effective than trying to engage with communities. I’m not sure how widespread that view is._Example_ For a proposal focused on laboratory-based development of a potential new treatment/test for cancer: There is a clear opportunity to consider consulting with Māori and bringing Māori advisors into the research planning at the outset. That way, if a treatment/test is eventually developed there will already be a high degree of trust in the process and the involvement of Māori throughout, and hence in the treatment being offered.===Is the research specifically relevant to Māori?
* Is the research expected to contribute in a direct way to Māori aspirations and outcomes?* Does the project use comparative measures involving or effecting Māori or Māori information?
* Does the research draw on mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) in its design and undertaking?* Specific relevance is often self-evident, but could include research that draws strongly on mātauranga Māori in the design and undertaking.
===Does the research centre Māori?* Is the research Māori-led?
* Does the research draw on mātauranga Māori in a major way (for example, in the method, models, frameworks, tools, data analysis, dissemination outputs or delivery)?* Does the research consult or collaborate with Māori, usually collectively (e.g. iwi) but can also be individually (e.g. Māori researchers)?
* Does the research contribute to Māori aspirations and outcomes?* Does the project use or affect taonga - things considered to be treasured by Maori, iwi, hapū or data rendered from these treasures?
===Are Māori participants involved in the research?For all clinical projects and any research potentially involving Māori participants, the applicant is expected to formulate a cultural safety plan. This should be done in consultation with Māori colleagues or partners and at a minimum must describe mechanisms for protecting Māori participants and their data, and a plan for training members of the research team in cultural safety.
===What if research is of low or limited relevance to Māori?If none of these categories apply to your research, you may want to consider that research can be made more relevant to Māori in most instances. There are actions that every researcher can take, even where the research is not specifically relevant to Māori, as outlined in the following examples.
_Example_ For a Professional Development Award proposal to attend an international conference the applicant might consider ways to include te reo in an oral presentation, such as an opening mihi to spark a conversation about indigenous populations’ involvement in the field.
_Example_ All researchers have a responsibility to consider their own personal journey in learning about tikanga and incorporating this into their research. This could be reflected in diverse ways, such as how the research is conceived and planned, how the Principal Investigator creates a welcoming research environment, how principles of tikanga can be applied to teaching and graduate student supervision. The applicant should show how they have, or are establishing, relationships with Māori academics or community research people.
----_In putting together these guidelines, the Cancer Research Trust NZ has drawn on the work of other organisations. In particular, the Trust acknowledges the University of Otago for their internal grant process documents, the Royal Society for Vision Mātauranga guidelines and the Health Research Council for their work on the four domains of Māori health advancement. _
----
| EMAIL ADDRESS | [mailto:grants@cancerresearchtrustnz.org.nz,grants@cancerresearchtrustnz.org.nz] |
| POSTAL ADDRESS | Cancer Research Trust NZ PO Box 110022 Auckland 0610 |
| TELEPHONE | 027 434 0926 |