Victorian Cancer Agency Grants

Overview

The Palliative Care Cancer Research Grant is designed to support research with a focus on the study and investigation of the best practices, approaches, and interventions for the care of people with cancer who have advanced or life-limiting illness. Each application will be required to provide a hypothesis that addresses a specific research question in palliative cancer care research. This funding is intended to support research projects that will improve the palliative care experience and outcomes for Victorians with cancer. Research projects focused primarily on laboratory-based work, screening, prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancers with curable intent are beyond the scope of this scheme.

Applications may focus on areas of palliative cancer care within clinical research such as designing and testing interventions to:

• Improve models of care or achieve equitable access to palliative care services (e.g., initiatives to support early referral to palliative care services (including specialist, primary care, and/or community based services))
• Increase utilisation of palliative radiotherapy to alleviate symptoms of advanced cancer such as pain from bone metastases or neurologic compromise from brain or spinal metastases
• Integrate palliative care services with cancer services (including systemic anti-cancer therapies, radiotherapy, and/or supportive care services) to facilitate seamless and person-centred care for people diagnosed with advanced cancer
• Increase uptake of advance care planning and advanced care directives
• Increase the number and proportion of patients with a cancer diagnosis referred to specialist palliative care within 12 months prior to death and receiving services within 6 months prior to death
• Reduce proportion of patients receiving aggressive interventions within 30 days prior to death (while remaining considerate of individual choice)
• Improve support for family and carers of people undergoing palliative care, including practical and emotional support.

The grant is worth up to AUD $200,000 per annum, for a maximum of three years.

Allowed expenditure

Funds may be requested for the following:

• Salary costs (e.g. Research Fellow, Research Assistant, Project Manager, PhD stipends) - salary costs for Lead Applicant/Co-Investigators cannot be funded by this grant
• Direct research costs

Funds may not be requested for the following:

• overhead costs levied by the Administering Institution
• costs for which an Applicant has been offered funding from another organisation
• research administration costs
• capital works
• general maintenance costs
• telephones/communication systems
• basic office equipment such as desks and chairs
• rent
• utilities

Consumer Engagement - Mandatory

The VCA requires researchers to actively involve consumers and the community in their proposed research. A “consumer” is any person who is or has been affected by cancer and could be a cancer patient or a carer/family member. Applicants must describe the extent of consumer involvement throughout the proposed project including the design, conduct, review, implementation and communication stages of the research.

Please note that all VCA documentation relating to this scheme can be found via the VCA Grants page. The application is submitted via an online grant application form through SmartyGrants system. If you need more help using this form, download the Help Guide for Applicants or check out Applicant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

How to apply

Steps to be completed by Chief Investigator A (CIA):

1. Review the funding documents & Submit an Expression of Interest to RIC

   The CIA should read VCA Guidelines and Funding Rules for the PCCRG scheme. Contact RIC (ric-medapps@unimelb.edu.au) to express your interest in applying.

2. Complete draft application & email to RIC for review

   Register for an account and complete the draft application in SmartyGrants.  Select "Download PDF" within your application and email a complete draft application that is review ready (including supporting documents) to RIC for review by 10am Tue 26th July 2023.

3. Complete the application after feedback

   After taking feedback from RIC into consideration, complete the application in SmartyGrants. Upload all documents and pay special attention to formatting requirements and file naming conventions. It is suggested you seek advice from colleagues, Faculty Mentors, etc. before finalising the application.

4. Obtain email consent from Co- & Associate-Investigators

   Associate/Co-investigator consent is required prior to final signing by RIC. Below is suggested wording for Co- and Associate-investigator's consent to be named in the application, please feel free to modify it as you see fit:

   I certify that:

   1. I agree to be named as an [Associate Investigator/Co-Investigator] on this [insert application type] (insert application number), to participate in the manner described, and

   2. I agree with the final application being certified on my behalf by the applicant

5. Obtain Certification by Administering Organisation

   Submit your final application and the following PDF supporting documents to RIC by 10am Thu 10th August 2023. Please ensure these documents adhere to VCA preferred naming convention, examples for are provided below:

   1. Completed Research Proposal Template (e.g. "PCCRG23001 Smith Research Proposal"),
   2. Completed Consumer Evaluation Panel Form (e.g. "PCCRG23001 Smith Consumer Evaluation Panel Form"),
   3. Lead Applicant Research Output (e.g. "PCCRG23001 Lead Applicant Smith Research Output")
   4. Co-Investigator Research Outputs as one combined PDF (e.g. "PCCRG23001 CIBiosketches")
   5. Completed Administering Organisation Certification Form (e.g. "PCCRG23001 Cert AO"),
   6. Completed Research Organisation Certification Form (if different than Administering Organisation) (e.g. "PCCRG23001 Cert RO"),
   7. HoD approval for application, and
   8. Email consent from all co-investigators and associate-investigators

   RIC will conduct a compliance check before arranging for sign-off on the Administering Organisation Certification Form. The signed form will be returned to you, please upload it to your SmartyGrants application.

6. Submit the application in SmartyGrants

   CIA will need to submit the application in SmartyGrants and will receive a submission confirmation email from SmartyGrants with the final application attached. Please forward this to RIC (ric-medapps@unimelb.edu.au).

Supporting documents

Organisational Details:

Organisation: The University of Melbourne
Organisation’s ABN: 84 002 705 224
Department: Research, Innovation and Commercialisation
Postal Address: 161 Barry Street, Carlton, VIC 3053
Web address: http://research.unimelb.edu.au
Grant Officer: Dr Wade Moore
Phone: (03) 9035 7945
Email: ric-medresearch@unimelb.edu.au
Authorised Signatory: Mr Frank Anastasopoulos
Position: Director, Research Grants, Contracts and Finance

VCA Documents:

• Victorian Cancer Agency 2023 Funding Round Frequently Asked Questions (Word)
• Victorian Cancer Agency 2023 Funding Rules (Word)
• Victorian Cancer Agency Grants 2023 Guidelines (Word)
• Victorian Cancer Agency Grants 2023 Application Form - Example (PDF)

Contacts