OVERHEAD AND IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION
Can funds from the trust be used for overhead?
No. As we state in the call ”funding from the trust may not be used for overhead and/or other expenses not directly related to the project”. We require that the host institutions provide “considerable in kind contribution” and that the funding for the projects only are used for expenses directly related to the project.
The intention is to avoid that the Kavli Trust funds cover costs that are unavoidably associated with daily operation of the institution. Goods or services (like office personnel, offices, and maintenance of office appliances) and time commitment can be examples of such costs. Of course, there are instances where it is justifiable to consider such costs as “directly related to the project”.
It is not until the final round (full proposal) that this will reviewed in detail and then it will be up to our Scientific Review Committee to decide how to interpret this criterion and the project budget.
What is in-kind contribution?
The Kavli Trust requires that “The host institution must provide considerable in-kind contribution” and that “In the full proposal a commitment letter, describing the nature and level of its contribution to the project must be attached”.
This is directly related to the eligibility criteria stating that “Funding from the Kavli Trust can not be used for overhead and/or other expenses not directly related to the project”.
Conversely to cash contributions, in-kind contributions represent the provision of goods or services (like offices, administration, maintenance of office appliances, time commitment). In the project budget the contribution is assigned a financial value for the sake of accounting purposes.
Since the Kavli Trust funds can not be used for overhead, the overhead (if it is covered by the host institution) will in some cases fulfil this criterion.
You expect “considerable in-kind contribution”. Is there a certain amount that is expected to be reached?
No, since it is possible to apply for anything from NOK 3 M to 10 M we do not expect a certain amount. However, the share (relative to the amount applied for) should be considerable. We have not set a limit, but as a rule of thumb it should be at least 20 % of the application amount. On average the level of in-kind contribution in our applications is above 30 %.
Since the Kavli Trust funds can not be used for overhead, the overhead (if it is covered by the host institution) will in some cases fulfil this criterion.
OTHER QUESTIONS
What do you mean by “collaborative research project”?
By using “collaborative research project” we want to promote projects that are anchored in more than one research unit. We do not require that the collaboration is between units in different countries or even between different institutions.
When the projects are reviewed, it will be the quality of the project and not the degree or kind of collaboration that will determine the outcome of the review.
Are you expecting just empirical studies?
The research questions in the call are based on evidence gaps already identified in systematic reviews, and we are looking for trials/studies that could be included in updates of the same systematic reviews.
Please refer to the document describing the basis for the included evidence gaps for more information on the systematic reviews (linked in the call for proposals).
Read the systematic review(s) upon which the evidence gap is based carefully for more information on the research needs and consider whether your planned study/studies will be eligible for inclusion in an updated version of the systematic review.