Decision-making practices used by UK and international health related funding organisations

Meadmore, Katie, Fackrell, Kathryn, Recio Saucedo, Alejandra, Bull, Abigail, Fraser, Simon and Blatch-Jones, Amanda (2019) Decision-making practices used by UK and international health related funding organisations. International Clinical Trials and Methodology Conference, , Brighton, United Kingdom. 13 - 17 Oct 2019.

Abstract

Introduction: The allocation of grant funding often involves numerous review processes and points of decision-making. However, due to a lack of empirical evidence, funders’ understanding around what type of approaches to decision-making for grant fund allocation work (or not) is limited. To contribute to the evidence gap, the aim of this study was to identify and explore decision-making practices used by UK and international health related funding organisations.

Method: An online survey (active March- April 2019) collected information about decision-making approaches for grant fund allocation. The survey targeted UK and international health and health-related funding organisations. Survey questions covered assessment criteria, potential benefits and drawbacks of decision-making approaches, and considerations for improvements or future approaches.

Results: Data was quality checked before analysis; 2 responses were excluded. Data were analysed from 32 responses, which represented government funded organisations (including research councils) and charities in the health sector from the UK, Europe and wider. Funders reported using a range of approaches to decision-making for grant allocation. Most reported using external peer review (97%), triage (83%), and face-to-face committee meetings (83%). There was some uptake of proportionate external peer review, flexible committee boards, virtual committee meetings and sandpits. None reported use of randomness in the decision. There were benefits and drawbacks to all approaches, often more than one approach was used, and approaches were used in combination.

Discussion: Early findings indicate that funders are considering decision-making processes and are keen to exploit approaches that make funding more streamlined and efficient to reduce bias, time and monetary cost whilst maintaining transparency, fairness and quality. The findings from this study will be important for determining which approaches may be most applicable and generalisable within funding organisations. The results will be used to directly inform the wider programme of research conducted by NIHR Research on Research.

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Contributors

Author: Katie Meadmore

Author: Alejandra Recio Saucedo

Author: Simon Fraser

Author: Amanda Blatch-Jones

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