The post-award effort of managing and reporting on funded research: a scoping review
The post-award effort of managing and reporting on funded research: a scoping review
Introduction: Reporting is a mechanism for funding organisations to monitor and manage the progress, outputs, outcomes, and impacts of the research they fund. Inconsistent approaches to reporting and post-award management, and a growing demand for research information, can lead to perception of unnecessary administrative effort that impacts on decision-making and research activity. Identifying this effort, and what stakeholders see as unmet need for improvement, is crucial if funders and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are to streamline their practices and provide better support with reporting activities. In this review, we summarise the processes in post-award management, compare current practices, and explore the purpose of collecting information on funded research. We also identify areas where unnecessary effort is perceived and improvement is needed, using previously reported solutions to inform recommendations for funders and HEIs. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the relevant research and grey literature. Electronic searches of databases, and manual searches of journals and funder websites, resulted in inclusion of 52 records and 11 websites. Information on HEI and funder post-award management processes was extracted, catalogued, and summarised to inform discussion. Results: Post-award management is a complex process that serves many purposes but requires considerable effort, particularly in the set up and reporting of research. Perceptions of unnecessary effort stem from inefficiencies in compliance, data management and reporting approaches, and there is evidence of needed improvement in mechanisms of administrative support, research impact assessment, monitoring, and evaluation. Solutions should focus on integrating digital systems to reduce duplication, streamlining reporting methods, and improving administrative resources in HEIs. Conclusions: Funders and HEIs should work together to support a more efficient post-award management process. The value of research information, and how it is collected and used, can be improved by aligning practices and addressing the specific issues highlighted in this review.
Post-award management, assurance, compliance, grant management, monitoring and reporting, research bureaucracy, research funding, research impact assessment
Crane, Ksenia
11d25414-e10d-413a-aaf3-fb6b6c2cf890
Blatch-Jones, Amanda Jane
6bb7aa9c-776b-4bdd-be4e-cf67abd05652
Fackrell, Kathryn
47992aeb-c6a0-44a2-b59c-8b53d7a70520
2023
Crane, Ksenia
11d25414-e10d-413a-aaf3-fb6b6c2cf890
Blatch-Jones, Amanda Jane
6bb7aa9c-776b-4bdd-be4e-cf67abd05652
Fackrell, Kathryn
47992aeb-c6a0-44a2-b59c-8b53d7a70520
Crane, Ksenia, Blatch-Jones, Amanda Jane and Fackrell, Kathryn
(2023)
The post-award effort of managing and reporting on funded research: a scoping review.
F1000 Research, 12, [863].
(doi:10.12688/f1000research.133263.2).
Abstract
Introduction: Reporting is a mechanism for funding organisations to monitor and manage the progress, outputs, outcomes, and impacts of the research they fund. Inconsistent approaches to reporting and post-award management, and a growing demand for research information, can lead to perception of unnecessary administrative effort that impacts on decision-making and research activity. Identifying this effort, and what stakeholders see as unmet need for improvement, is crucial if funders and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are to streamline their practices and provide better support with reporting activities. In this review, we summarise the processes in post-award management, compare current practices, and explore the purpose of collecting information on funded research. We also identify areas where unnecessary effort is perceived and improvement is needed, using previously reported solutions to inform recommendations for funders and HEIs. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the relevant research and grey literature. Electronic searches of databases, and manual searches of journals and funder websites, resulted in inclusion of 52 records and 11 websites. Information on HEI and funder post-award management processes was extracted, catalogued, and summarised to inform discussion. Results: Post-award management is a complex process that serves many purposes but requires considerable effort, particularly in the set up and reporting of research. Perceptions of unnecessary effort stem from inefficiencies in compliance, data management and reporting approaches, and there is evidence of needed improvement in mechanisms of administrative support, research impact assessment, monitoring, and evaluation. Solutions should focus on integrating digital systems to reduce duplication, streamlining reporting methods, and improving administrative resources in HEIs. Conclusions: Funders and HEIs should work together to support a more efficient post-award management process. The value of research information, and how it is collected and used, can be improved by aligning practices and addressing the specific issues highlighted in this review.
Text
2428476e-e51f-458b-8d76-fd36c4fab860_133263_-_ksenia_crane
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
e-pub ahead of print date: 28 September 2023
Published date: 2023
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
This research was internally funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and delivered through its Coordinating Centre at the School of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, University of Southampton. The views and opinions expressed in the discussion are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Health and Social Care in England.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright: © 2023 Crane K et al.
Keywords:
Post-award management, assurance, compliance, grant management, monitoring and reporting, research bureaucracy, research funding, research impact assessment
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 484114
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/484114
ISSN: 2046-1402
PURE UUID: 2d092866-06a7-4c5c-95c3-c21d0928ce35
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Date deposited: 10 Nov 2023 17:52
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:40
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