Application instructions

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Research Support

Application Guidelines

Application Instructions

How To Fill In The Form.

An objective evaluation of an application is only possible if precise and complete information is provided in the grant proposals. We request that you fill in the Grant Application form in English and as thoroughly as possible. Please limit the number of pages to the absolute minimum required and carefully follow the instructions below.

1. Category of The Research Grant Application
Please check the appropriate box.

2. Project
2.1 If the application is a continuation of a prior application, please indicate the number.
2.2 The title should provide a short, but specific characterization of the planned Research project.

3. Applicant
Please indicate the full address of the applicant.

4. Co-applicant
If other applicants are involved, please list the full address of only the 1st applicant and just provide the names of any remaining co-applicants.

5. Summary of The Research Proposal
The summary should characterize the application; it should contain a short description of the broader set of problems to which the project belongs, and should also attempt to arrange the queries of the application within this framework. At the end of the summary, the Research project should be characterized by a maximum of eight key words. Maximum length is one page.

6. Biographical Sketch
Use the format on the «Biographical Sketch Form Page» to prepare this section for all grant applications. This section must contain the biographical sketches of all KEY personnel including consultants.
NOTE: The Biographical Sketch for each person may not exceed two pages.

Complete the educational block at the top of the format page, and complete sections A, B, and C.

A. Positions and Honors
List any previous positions in chronological order, concluding with your present position. List any honors.

B. Selected peer-reviewed publications or manuscripts in press (in chronological order). Do not include manuscripts submitted or in preparation.

C. Research Support
List both ongoing and completed (during the last three years) Research projects (federal or non-federal support). Begin with the projects that are most relevant to the Research project proposed in this application. Briefly indicate the overall goals of the projects and responsibilities of the key person identified on the Biographical Sketch. Include the percentage of effort and costs of each grant. Other support information is required for all applications that are to receive grants. This information should indicate whether and to what extent other sources, university credits, etc., can be procured for covering the Research costs. In addition, applications for specific job appointments which have been, or will be, submitted to other financial backers should be mentioned. If possible, the chances for the success of these applications should be estimated. This information will be used by the reviewers in the assessment of each individual’s qualifications for a specific role in the proposed project, as well as to evaluate the overall qualifications of the research team.

7. Research plan
There is no Form Page for the Research plan. The Research plan should include sufficient information needed for evaluation of the project, independent of any other document. Be specific and informative, and avoid redundancies. Organize items a-d of the

Research Plan to answer these questions:
1. What do you intend to do?
2. Why is the work important?
3. What has already been done?
4. How are you going to do the work?

Page Limitations
Do not exceed 10 pages for SGA and 20 pages for RCL and RPP for items a-d. All tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, charts and references must be included within the 10 respectively 20 pages limit. Applicants are encouraged to be succinct and are reminded that there is no necessity to use all 10 or 20 pages allotted to items a-d of the Research Plan.

a. Specific Aims
List the broad, long-term objectives and what the specific research proposed in this application is intended to accomplish, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, or develop new technology. One page is recommended.

b. Background and Significance
Briefly sketch the background leading to the present application, critically evaluate existing knowledge, and specifically identify the gaps that the project is intended to fill. State concisely the importance and health relevance of the Research described in this application by relating the specific aims to the broad, long-term objectives. Two pages are recommended.

c. Preliminary Studies/Progress Report
Preliminary Studies
For new applications, use this section to provide an account of the principal investigator’s preliminary studies pertinent to the application. Include information that will also help to establish the experience and competence of the investigator to pursue the proposed project. One to two pages are recommended.

Progress Report for Continuing Projects
A progress report must be provided for Continuing Project applications. Provide the beginning and ending dates for the period covered. Summarize the previous application’s specific aims and the importance of the findings. Discuss any changes in the specific aims. Include the complete references to appropriate publications and manuscripts accepted for publication.

If the Continuing Project application involves clinical research, you must report on the enrollment of Research subjects and their distribution by ethnicity/race and sex/gender. Provide a succinct account of published and unpublished results, indicating progress toward their achievement.

List the titles and complete references to all publications, manuscripts accepted for publication, patents, and other printed materials that have resulted from the project. Six pages maximum are recommended for the narrative portion of the Progress Report.

d. Research Design and Methods.
Describe the Research design and the procedures to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted as well as the data sharing plan as appropriate. Describe any new methodology and its advantage over existing methodologies. Discuss the potential difficulties and limitations of the proposed procedures and alternative approaches to achieve the aims. Point out any procedures, situation, or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and the precautions to be exercised.
Although no specific number of pages is recommended for the Research Design and Methods section, the total for items a-d may not exceed 20 pages, including all tables, figures and references. Applicants are encouraged to be as succinct as possible and reminded that there is no requirement that all 10 or 20 pages allotted for this section be used.

Timetable
As far as an entire project running over several years can be overseen, an approximate timetable should be indicated. It is especially important that one can see from this basic plan how the work is planned, time-wise, within the credit period.

8. Budget
There are specific guidelines and regulations to which the Foundation must legally adhere when allocating research funds. All monies provided by the ITI Foundation can, and must, only be allocated purely for research purposes. If Research funds are requested that include support for administration, these will, in keeping with the official regulations of the Foundation, be excluded from any grant support provided. For other costs see below.

Budget for Initial Period
Personnel / Name
Starting with the principal investigator, list the names of all applicant organization employees who are involved on the project during the initial budget period, regardless of whether a salary is requested. Include all collaborating investigators, individuals in training, and support staff.

Role on Project
Identify the role of each individual listed on the project. Describe their specific functions under Justification on «Budget – Entire Period» Form. Provide budget narrative for all personnel by position, role, and level of effort. This includes consultants and any «to be appointed» positions.

Type of Appointment/Months
List the number of months per year reflected in an individual’s contractual appointment to the applicant organization. ITI staff assume that appointments at the applicant organization are full time for each individual. If an appointment is less than full time, e.g., 50 percent time, identify with an asterisk (*) and provide a full explanation under Justification on «Budget – Entire Period Form». Individuals may have a split appointment, for example for an academic period and a summer period. For each appointment, identify and enter the number of months on separate lines. In cases where no contractual appointment exists with the applicant organization and salary is requested, enter the number of months for that period.

Percent of Effort on Project.
For each individual at the applicant organization, list the percentage of each appointment
to be spent on this project.

Salary Requested
Enter the amounts for each position for which funds are requested. The salary requested is calculated by multiplying the individual’s institutional base salary by the percent of effort on this project. Explain under Justification on «Budget – Entire Period» Form if a smaller amount is requested (e.g., endowed position or institutional sources.) Salaries for faculty members should not exeed 10% of the total applied amount.

Fringe Benefits
Fringe benefits may be requested, in accordance with institutional guidelines for each position, provided the costs are treated consistently by the applicant organization as a direct cost to all sponsors.

Totals
Calculate the totals for each position and enter the subtotals in each column where indicated.

Consultant Costs
Whether or not costs are involved, provide the names and organizational affiliations of all consultants, other than those involved in consortium/contractual arrangements. Include consultant physicians in connection with patient care and persons who serve on external monitoring boards or advisory committees to the project. Describe the services to be performed on «Budget – Entire Period» Form, under «Justification». Include the numbers of days of anticipated consultation, the expected rate of compensation, travel, per diem, and other related costs.

Equipment
List each item of equipment separately and justify each purchase on «Budget – Entire Period» Form.

Supplies
Itemize supplies in separate categories, such as glassware, chemicals, radioisotopes, etc. Categories in amounts less than CHF 1,000 do not have to be itemized. If animals are to be purchased, state the species and the number to be used.

Travel
Itemize travel requests and justify on «Budget – Entire Period» Form. Provide the purpose and destination of each trip and the number of individuals for whom funds are requested. Normally, only one trip is supported.

Patient Care Costs
If inpatient and/or outpatient costs are requested, provide the names of any hospitals and/or clinics and the amounts.

Other Expenses
Itemize any other expenses by category and unit cost. Funds for indirect costs are generally discouraged, however, no costs above 20% of direct costs will be accepted. These might also include animal maintenance (unit care costs and number of care days), patient travel, donor fees, publication costs, computer charges, rentals and leases, equipment maintenance, service contracts, and tuition remission in lieu of salary. Justify costs on «Budget – Entire Period» Form.

Consortium/Contractual Costs
Each participating consortium/contractual organization must submit a separate detailed budget for both the initial budget period and the entire proposed project period. Consortium arrangements may involve personnel costs, supplies, and other allowable costs, including Facilities and Adminitrative (indirect) costs. Contractual costs for support services, such as the laboratory testing of biological materials, clinical services, or data processing, are occasionally sufficiently high to warrant a similar categorical breakdown of costs.

Budget for Entire Period
Enter the totals under each budget category for all additional years of support requested. Identify with an asterisk (*), and justify any significant increases or decreases from the initial year budget. Also, justify budgets with more than a standard escalation from the initial to the future year(s) of support.

9. Items of lasting value
Listed here is equipment and instruments that can be used independently and should be procured ready for service; if available, quotations should be attached. Any ITI implants or instruments included in the Research project have to be specified and a quotation from the local Straumann representative of from Straumann, Switzerland (www.straumann.com) has to be enclosed. This category should also be used to list equipment and instruments that are to be assembled from components, as well as the listing of equipment and instruments which are to be installed in existing equipment. From the arrangement, it should be seen clearly which devices are to be constructed. Therefore, the components are to be grouped according to equipment.

10. Previous ITI Support
Please provide a description of previous ITI Foundation support and the outcome of that support. List each support separately and publications from that support, if applicable.

11. Statement
Before you sign, please carefully read the articles concerning financial aspects, intellectual property rights, e.g. Patents, and their exploitation.

12. Delivery of the completed grant application / Deadlines
Please note that the application deadline is binding. We prefer that applications be submitted electronically, however, please note that we do need a copy of the first (category, description, main applicant) and last (signatures) pages by mail. These documents can also be faxed (electronic signatures are not acceptable).

The deadlines for grant applications are as follows: All types of grants (SGA, RCL, RPP) can be submitted on February 27 and on August 31.

13. Final Remark
Submitted research proposals that do not adhere to the specific guidelines and instructions (missing information or data, too many pages, lacking signatures, etc.) may be returned for revision. Should this action result in the deadline being missed, the proposal (in its completed form) will be deferred to the next application deadline (February 27 and August 31, respectively).

Further information concerning conditions can be obtained from the following address:

ITI International Team for Implantology
ITI Center
Peter Merian-Weg 10, Postfach, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0) 61 270 83 83, Fax: +41 (0) 61 270 83 84
E-mail: iticenter@iticenter.ch

Download General Guidlines (PDF)