Applying For Grants
Translational & Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Programme Grant
(A) Aim
The TCR Flagship Programme Grant hopes to bring together the best complementary research strengths in hospitals and national disease centres, universities and A*STAR Research Institutes to focus on disease or research themes of strategic importance. It aims to integrate, coordinate and leverage on the full spectrum of research capabilities in Singapore from basic science to clinical research in an “all-the-way” fashion. The programme should seek to facilitate the discovery and application of basic science ideas relevant to the advancement of health, and provide productive platforms for collaboration with top overseas research institutions and industry. Collaboration across institutions is encouraged.
(B) Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Institutions
Public sector hospitals and national disease centres, as well as universities are eligible to apply for this programme. A*STAR Principal Investigators (PIs) are encouraged to participate as co- investigators for their research component to be eligible for coverage by the programme budget.
Eligible Individuals to be the Principal Investigator
Well-qualified Clinician-Scientists (CS) are eligible to apply for the grant as a Lead Principal Investigator (Lead PI)[1], whose role is to spearhead his/her proposed programme.
The CS should at the point of application fulfil the following requirements:
a) Clinically qualified (i.e. with MD/MBBS/BDS) and preferably with post-graduate clinical training and experience. For proposals involving patients, the clinical PI or co-PI should be SMC registered; or the PI or co-PI should be able to demonstrate ability to access patients through SMC registered collaborators.
b) Hold a primary appointment in a local public hospital/public health institutions/national specialty centre/public universities/Academic Medical Centers and salaried by the institution.
c) Be an independent PI with a demonstrated track record of research as evidenced by the award of nationally competitive funding (international funding to be considered on a case by case basis) and substantial publication record in the past 3 years.
d) Have a laboratory or clinical research program that carries out research in Singapore.
e) Hold a minimum of 9 months employment with a local Singapore institution(s).Upon award, the PI must agree to fulfil at least 6 months of residency in Singapore for each calendar year over the duration of the grant award.
f) No outstanding reports from previous BMRC, NMRC grants, and other national grants.
Eligible Theme Principal Investigators
The theme PI should, at the point of application, fulfil the following requirements:
a) Hold a primary appointment in a local publicly funded institution.
b) Be an independent PI with a demonstrated track record of research as evidenced by the award of nationally competitive funding (international funding to be considered on a case by case basis) and substantial publication record in the past 3 years.
c) Have a laboratory or clinical research program that carries out research in Singapore
d) Hold a minimum of 9 months employment (per calendar year) with local Singapore institution(s). Upon award, the PI must agree to fulfill at least 6 months of residency in Singapore for each calendar year over the duration of the grant award.
e) No outstanding reports from previous BMRC, NMRC grants, and other national grants.
(C) Funding Quantum and Duration
There are two types of TCR Flagship Programme grant, both funded over 5 years.
For a programme that requires less than S$9M funding, please apply for the Tier 1 Flagship, which is capped at a quantum of S$9M, inclusive of indirect costs.
If the programme requires more than S$9M funding, please apply for the Tier 2 Flagship, which would be capped at a quantum of S$25M, inclusive of indirect costs.
The final amount of funding allocated to the application will be determined by the scale, nature and quality of the research activity to be conducted by the proposed programme. Indirect costs will be capped at 20% of the eligible funding amount/direct costs. Please refer to the NMRC’s ‘Policy Document on Financial Regulations’ for the list of non-fundable items and items that can be funded under direct and indirect costs.
*S$170million has been allocated for 3 grant calls in RIE 2015. The number of awards given out per grant call is expected to be as follows:
- Grant Call 1 (FY2011) - max. TWO Tier 1 and max. TWO Tier 2
- Grant Call 2 (FY2012) - max. TWO Tier 1 and max. TWO Tier 2
- Grant Call 3 (FY2013) - min. ONE Tier 1 and min. ONE Tier 2