Funding Result

What Happens During This Stage?

So, you have applied for research funding (maybe by submitting an application to a funding call or perhaps through negotiations with a company) and now, you’ve found out whether your request for funding was successful or not. During this “Funding Result” stage we’ll explain what happens now and highlight the resources that are available to assist you now you know the result.

How you will find out your result

Notification of results are predominantly received via email. Typically, Funders email either the Principal Investigator (the researcher) or the Research Office (Research Support). They sometimes email both. In a small number of cases, they notify the President’s Office. Your Research Support Officer will be able to confirm with you how you should expect to hear the results of your application for funding.
If you are a partner or collaborator in a consortium, then your Coordinator (lead Principal Investigator) will be notified of the result and will be responsible for letting you know of the outcome.
If you have been negotiating with a company, you may be notified verbally that you have been successful. Verbal notifications should always be followed with a written notification.
Most Funders provide an indicative timeline for when you should expect to find out the result of your application. The Research Office often receives updates on the timeline and be able to provide you with an estimate of when the result will be known.

What to do if your request for funding is successful

When you find out the result of your funding request, the first thing you should do to do is contact Research Support. Your Research Support Officer will guide you through the process of accepting the award and getting your project set up on the DCU systems. They will also assist with contract negotiation and collaboration agreements if they are required.
Note that, until there is a signed agreement in place, the award is not legally binding and the Funder can withdraw the funding. Therefore, you should not notify others of your award, other than immediate family and colleagues, until the funding agreement has been signed. The Research Office will let you know when this has been completed. Also, Funders often put a press embargo in place until they have announced the results of their funding call. In these cases, even if the funding agreement has been signed, you cannot let anyone know about the award until the Funder makes their announcement.

What to do if your request for funding is unsuccessful

If your request for funding is unsuccessful, you should notify Research Support of the outcome and contact the Research Development Officer (RDO) for your Faculty. Your RDO can assist you with planning for a resubmission to the same call, repurposing your application for a different call, or identifying a new funding opportunity.
Many Funders provide feedback in relation to applications. If this is not automatically provided, you can request it from the Funder. You can share the feedback with your RDO, and they will assist you with reviewing and interpreting it and determining which elements to use to assist with future applications.
Further guidance on how to identify potential new opportunities and apply for funding can be found in Stage 1 “Plan Project and Find Funding”.
If you requested funding from a company, outside of a funding call, and were unsuccessful, DCU Invent will assist you with exploring your options, either with this same Funder or with another.

What Happens Next?

If you were successful, Stage 4: “Project Setup and Initiation” will guide you through the steps of getting your project setup.

If you were unsuccessful, Stage 1: “Plan Project and Find Funding” will provide you with guidance and highlight the resources available to assist you with finding alternative funding.