Funding for nursing

research Nizabeth A Rimm, RN

Editor’s note: This is the final article in the series examining the basics of nursing re- search. The AORN Journal appreciates the contributions of the people at the Nursing Re- search Service, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, who made th i s series possible.

A s the nursing profession realizes the importance of accountability for practice, nurses are being

urged to use the research process to in- vestigate the impact of nursing on pa- tient care. As the demand for nursing research and the number of nurses pre- pared to conduct research increases, so will the competition for funding.

The amount of funding awarded for nursing research has been considerably less than that awarded for other areas of research. Nurses need to become knowledgeable about funding sources and skilled in the art of obtaining fund- ing. This is a basic outline of the steps involved in obtaining funding for a re- search project.

Drafting the proposal. Because com- petition for research funding is great, the researcher must plan a project care- fully before attempting an application for funding. Unless the researcher can demonstrate a thorough knowledge and understanding of the problem area and a sound approach to it, the chances of receiving funding are nonexistent. The research proposal gives reviewers an opportunity to evaluate the design and determine the degree to which the re- searcher has planned the study’s de- tails. The methodology will show whether the investigator has en- visioned all the dimensions of the task, considered problems involved in data collection, and planned for the analysis and evaluation of findings.’

A thorough review of the literature is necessary before drafting the research proposal. The literature review fa- miliarizes the researcher with past and current work in the area, helps to narrow the focus to a manageable as- pect, suggests possible approaches to the problem, and assists the researcher in developing a scientific approach.

With a thorough knowledge of the problem area, the investigator can for- mulate specific objectives, questions, or

56 AORN Journal, July 1981, Vol34 , No 1

hypotheses to pursue. The objectives should be evaluated carefully to deter- mine if they are logical, reasonable, and, most of all, attainable within a single study. Many funding requests have been disapproved because of overly complex or unrealistic objec- tives.2

With clear and precise objectives in mind, a research methodology is deter- mined. The investigator must specifi- cally delineate the method, design, and techniques that will be used, including their justification within the scientific method. He must state clearly the sub- jects that will be used in the sample; the sampling technique and controls; the data collection method and its validity and reliability; what form the data will take and how they will be statistically analyzed; and ethical considerations of protection of human rights, informed consent, and privacy. Other resources that must be identified include col- laborators, consultants, reviewers, and other personnel; required equipment; research sites; and the estimated amount of time required to complete the project. The need for stating the pro- posed methods for achieving the re- search goal clearly and specifically can- not be overemphasized. Studies on why funding applications have been disap- proved show that nearly three-fourths of all disapproved studies had in- adequate or inappropriate methodolog- ical appro ache^.^

Once the researcher has identified the objectives, methodology, and neces- sary resources, he can develop a budget. Budget development should be a thor- ough and logical process, and the budget must be realistic. Underestimating the budget could prevent completing the project, and overestimating may cause serious doubts in a potential grantor’s mind about the researcher’s ability. Asking for the appropriate amount of money increases the chance of getting a

grant. Knowing the amount of money you will require to complete the project is also necessary when searching for the appropriate grantor. With a sound pro- posal and a realistic budget, the inves- tigator is ready to begin looking for fi- nancial resources.

Intramural funding. The researcher should determine what funds are avail- able through his own hospital, agency, or university budget before seeking funding from other sources. Funds may be targeted for nursing research, or it may be possible to transfer funds from the institutional research budget or the total nursing allotment. Funds may also be allotted to the institution by pri- vate or public agencies for research in specific areas of interest.

The researcher may not be able to acquire sufficient funds intramurally. But even if the funding is insufficient for the entire project, the use of limited intramural funds has several advan- tages. These funds can enable the inves- tigator to conduct a pilot study, which can provide an opportunity to detect problem areas, strengthen study de- sign, pretest instruments, evaluate data collection procedures, and gener- ally support the premise that the pro- posed study is feasible. A pilot study

Elizabeth A Rimm, RN, MSN, is a captain in the Army Nurse Corps. She is a nurse re- searcher at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC. S h e received h e r BSN from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va, and an MSN from The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.

The author would like to express her ap- preciation to Daniel O’Neal of the Division of Nursing, Health Resources Administration, for his assistance in the preparation of this article.

The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the author and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or De- partment of Defense.

AORN Journal, July 1981, Vol34, No 1 57

equesting the appropriate R funding increases your chance of getting a grant.

gives the researcher the advantage of having hard data to back his proposal and increases the chance of a favorable review by other funding agen~ ies .~

Extramural funding. Once the inves- tigator determines that intramural funding will not be available or suffi- cient, the next step will be to seek sources of extramural funding. Many hospitals and universities have grant management offices that provide in- formation on funding sources. Person- nel in these offices can help the inves- tigator determine possible sources of support. When a grant office is not available, the investigator will have to search for funding on his own. This process will take time, commitment, and in-depth research.

Some basic information must be ob- tained when searching for an appropri- ate funding source. Review the type of grants awarded by different organiza- tions, agencies, or programs to deter- mine which have purposes and objec- tives consistent with the proposed proj- ect. Many programs award grants for professional education, community ser- vices, or construction but do not support research. If the purpose and objectives do not indicate an interest related to the project, the program can be eliminated from the search.

Eligibility requirements must also be obtained. Some grants are available only to members of minority groups or special interest groups or require a spe-

cial educational background such as a doctorate. Many programs will not provide monies to individual re- searchers. In addition, many funding programs are €or projects to be con- ducted in a particular geographic area. A program may seem to fit the project needs perfectly, but the investigator can waste much time and effort applying for their grant unless the project is to be conducted within their area.

The range of grant support is another area t o be explored. Some grants provide large sums of money over a three- to five-year period, while others provide only small amounts over a shorter period. The investigator must match the amount of money and time he will need with that established by the granting agency.

Many grantors also restrict the use of funds. For example, the program may stipulate that funds are not to be used to pay consultants, for purchase of special equipment, or for travel expenses. All such restrictions and limitations should be carefully considered to determine if a grant from a particular program will actually meet the financial needs of the project.

The investigator will find it helpful to determine agencies’ granting patterns by referring to listings of projects they have funded. The investigator may get clues about the chances of receiving a grant by reviewing the objectives ofpast projects, the credentials of inves-

58 AORN Journal, July 1981, Vol34, No 1

tigators, and the amount of funding awarded. Statistics on the number of applications made and the number of grants actually awarded will give some indication of the probability of being funded.

Sources of public funding. In the search for funds, the researcher will find two basic types of funding groups, public and private. One source of public funding is the federal government.

Federal monies for nursing research are generally disbursed through the Nursing Research Grants Program. This program is part of the Division of Nursing of the US Public Health Ser- vice. President Reagan’s budget pro- posal for 1982 would eliminate the cur- rent $6 million appropriated for nursing research grants and fellowships. This is not, however, the exclusive source of federal nursing research funds.

Other agencies of the Public Health Service such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administra- tion have programs that will accept ap- plication for grants from nurse re- searchers. Other governmental de- partments, such as Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and Agriculture have also provided monies for nursing r e~ea rch .~

Funds may also be available through state agencies. Such monies may have been provided by the federal govern- ment, the state legislature, or private foundations, and they may be desig- nated to provide grants to local organi- zations, schools or universities, or other special areas of interest.6

References forpublic funds. Anumber of sources can help researchers locate information on federal agencies that will fund nursing research. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is the basic federal funding source book. It contains the most comprehensive list- ing and description of federal programs

that provide funding to the public. In- cluded is information on program objec- tives; related programs; eligibility re- quirements; restrictions on the use of funds; range of financial assistance; and information contacts at the national, regional, and local offices. This direc- tory is published annually, with periodic updates by the Office of Man- agement and Budget, and is available through the Superintendent of Docu- ments, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

Information specific to NIH programs is available in the Research Grants In- dex. Prepared by the NIH Division of Research Grants, this directory gives details of health science investigations, including titles of the research projects, names of principal investigators, bib- liographies, and grant numbers. The index will help the researcher deter- mine which branch of the Public Health Service is funding research in a particu- lar field. It is available through the Government Printing Office and in many public libraries.

Other directories and sources of in- formation may be found in Government Printing Office bibliographies, in public libraries, and in regional and local of- fices of the Department of Health and Human Services. The main disadvan- tage of these directories is that their information becomes outdated. Pro- gram objectives change, some programs are eliminated, and new programs are added. The delay between program changes and publication means that these directories can be used only as guides to indicate which agencies to ap- proach for more detailed information on programs tha t might be funding sources. The most current information on new programs, application proce- dures and deadlines, publications, and newsletters can be obtained by writing directly to the specific program direc- tors.

AORN Journal, July 1981, VoE 34, No 1 59

etermine an agency’s D granting pattern from projects it has funded.

Sources of private funding. Because of the continued pressure to reduce federal spending, future research funding may be available only for projects conducted by large organizations or experienced researchers. One alternative is private funding available through private foundations, professional associations, national health associations, and pri- vate business firms.

Private foundations are nonprofit or- ganizations with funds managed by their own directors and trustees that maintain or aid various social, educa- tional, or charitable activities, primar- ily through grants. There are approxi- mately 26,000 private foundations in the United state^.^

Private foundations can be divided into five categories: national, special interest, corporate, family, and com- munity. National foundations will pro- vide grant support to projects nation- wide but often will fund only projects that have national implications. Special interest foundations limit their grant giving to projects within a specific field of interest, such as health, mental re- tardation, or child welfare. Corporate foundations are more receptive to pro- posals that are involved with their business interests or to community projects that will directly benefit their employees. Family foundations make up the largest number of foundations in the US. The majority limit their grants to the city in which the family resides

and often have fluctuating areas of interest. Community foundations, which are frequently named for the community they serve, by law may only award grants within a strict geographic limit, usually a city. The areas of inter- est of community foundations are quite broad.s

Numerous national health associ- ations, such as the American Heart As- sociation, distribute research grants on both the national and local levels. The amount of funding support is usually small, but these organizations are ex- cellent sources for less experienced in- vestigators. Professional associations such as the American Nurses’ Founda- tion and Sigma Theta Tau, the national honor society for nurses, give small re- search grants and are also good funding sources for the beginning investigator.

Business firms sometimes have grant monies available for research. Hospital product firms and drug companies have also supported nursing research proj- ects. Some firms are interested in sup- porting projects directly related to their own products, and others have sup- ported projects in which their products are used but are not the primary focus. Make contact with local representatives and development directors of these firms to identify their interest in fund- ing research. A listing of manufacturers and products can be found in the Ameri- can Hospital Association Guide to the Health Care Field.

60 AORN Journal, July 1981, Vol34 , No 1

Reference for private funding. The Foundation Center in New York City is the best resource for an investigator seeking foundation funding. Its princi- ple purpose is to gather information on philanthropic foundations and distrib- ute this information through library service programs and publications. The Foundation Center has two main li- braries, one at 888 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019, and one at 1001 Connecticut Ave, Washington, DC 20036. These li- braries contain collections of books and documents on the foundation field and current files of the granting patterns of the foundations in the US. The center has also established regional reference libraries in 66 cities. A listing of these regional libraries can be obtained by writing to the Foundation Center in New York City. Foundation Center publications as well as information on foundations in the state or region, can be obtained at these centers. The publi- cations can also be found in many public libraries and institutional grant offices.

The most well known publication prepared by the center is The Founda- tion Directory. It is an excellent source of information on the size, assets, fields of interest, principal officers, and grant ranges of the largest foundations. The Znformation Quarterly is a supplement to the Foundation Directory. The quar- terly updates information such as changes in address, activities, purpose, or officers and lists current financial in- formation, including the number and size of grants awarded. This publication also announces recent reports or publi- cations received and new services available at the Foundation Center.

The Foundation News is a bimonthly journal published by the Council of Foundations, Inc. Major articles usually deal with information of interest to foundation administrators, but other articles are relevant to potential appli- cants. The Foundation News contains a

removable section, the “Foundation Grants Index,” which lists current re- ported grants of $5,000 or more. This index provides a good indication of cur- rent foundation interests and suggests possible funding sources for projects similar to those already funded.

Another reference, which supplies in- formation on both public and private funding, is theAnnua1 Register of Grant Support. It can be found in public lib- raries and in institutional grant offices. This volume includes details of grant support programs of government agen- cies, foundations, corporations, educa- tional and professional associations, and national health associations. Each program description contains the type and purpose of the grant; the range of support available for each award and for the entire program; eligibility require- ments; personnel of the funding organi- zation, with addresses and phone num- bers; data concerning the organization’s areas of interest; and availability of consulting services. Another feature is a listing of the number of applicants for each award actually made.

Nurses may also get ideas of organi- zations to contact for research funding in professional journals. Sections in the American Journal of Nursing, Nursing Research, the Western Journal ofNurs- ing Research, and others contain infor- mation about available grants, dead- lines, and other funding information.

Once the investigator has identified several potential grantors, the next step is to send a letter of introduction to each. The letter should state the research interest and request information on the availability of funds, the number of ap- plicants competing for the funds, regu- lations on preparation and submission of proposals, deadlines for submission, and dates for review and disbursement of funds. The Foundation Directory has an appendix on how to prepare letters of inquiry to funding agencies. Review all

AORN Journal, July 1981, Vol34, No 1 61

materials and information received carefully for changes and new informa- tion that will affect the proposal and its prospects for funding. The investigator must determine which program best fits his needs and offers the greatest prob- ability of funding.

When preparing the application, sol- icit as much information as possible from the prospective grantor. Many grantors have consultants in regional offices who can offer advice on prepar- ing a proposal for a particular program. They will often critique rough drafts be- fore the final application is made. These consultants may also provide examples of proposals that have been funded by the program in the past. The novice re- searcher writing his first proposal may find this helpful for learning the format and the degree of detail r e q ~ i r e d . ~

Ifthe grant is disapproved, do not give up. Try to determine the reason for re- jection, correct the problem and resub- mit the proposal in the next granting cycle. If the grant is approved and you begin to implement the study, keep the grantor informed of your progress. Submit a final report when the project is complete. I t is important always to maintain good relations with the grantor, as you may want to apply for other grants in the future.

Obtaining grant monies for nursing research takes time, effort, and com- mitment. The keys to successful fund- ing are thorough planning of the re- search project, determining the proper organization to request funding from, and writing a clear, precise proposal. This basic outline should help you de- velop your proposal and find the appro- priate funding agency. 0 Notes

1. Eleanor W Treece, James W Treece, Elements of Research in Nursing, 2nd ed (St Louis: C V Mosby, 1977).

2. Susan R Gortner, ”Research grant applica- tions: What they are not and should be,” Nursing

Research 20 (July-August 1971) 292-295. 3. Gortner, “Research grant applications”; Er-

nest M Allen, “Why are research applications disap- proved?” Science 132 (Nov 25, 1960) 1532-1 534.

4. Treece, Treece. Elements of Research. 5. Rosemary Gates Campos, Federal Monies for

Health Science Research (Boulder, Colo: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, 1975).

6. Rosemary Gates Campos, “Securing informa- tion on funding sources for nursing research,” The Journ& of Nursing Administration 6 (October 1976)

7. M 0 Lewis, ed. The Foundation Directory, 6th

8. Ibid.

16-1 8.

ed (New York: Foundation Center, Inc, 1977).

Suggested reading Kaiser, Leland R. “Grantsmanship in continuing

education.” The Journal of Nursing Education (January 1973) 12-20.

Krueger, Janelle C; Nelson, Allen H; Wolanin, Mary Opal. Nursing Research: Development, Collab- oration and Utilization. Germantown, Md: Aspen Systems Corporation, 1978.

Pamphlet offers facts on ovarian cancer The American Cancer Society has released a new pamphlet, “Facts on Ovarian Cancer.” The publication notes the increase in recent years of this form of cancer of the female reproductive system. Reasons for the climb are not clear, but it is estimated that one of every 70 newborn girls will develop ovarian cancer during her lifetime.

According to the pamphlet, cancer of the ovary often gives no warnings and shows no obvious signs or symptoms until late in its growth. Most patients are not diagnosed until the disease is advanced, when the possibility of effective treatment is less likely.

The eight-page pamphlet also describes factors that increase a woman’s risk of developing this cancer, current methods of diagnosing it, and the three forms of treatment-surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. “Facts on Ovarian Cancer” is available at no charge from local American Cancer Society units.

62 AORN Journal, July 1981, Vol34, No 1