Navigating the funding landscape for research in Low-to-middle-income countries and marginalised groups#
Malvika Sharan, Irene Ramos, Herve Aniglo, Kate Hertweck, Abigail Mesrenyame Dogbe, Andrés Olivera “oliver”, Laura Acion, Ashley Pace, Eunice Mercado-Lara, David Chapuis, Yanina Bellini Saibene, Nicolas Palopoli
Challenge#
Systemic inequities in research funding, exacerbated by institutional hierarchies, language barriers, and unequal collaborations, hinder underrepresented researchers, particularly those from marginalised groups and low-resource settings. A lack of clear pathways to understand available funding opportunities, effective approaches to accessing funding, and established networks where experienced members share skills and resources, diminish the chances of securing appropriate funding for most research initiatives. This results in wasted resources, limited impact, and the further exclusion of valuable perspectives. Targeted support, including guided support for funding, mentorship, and training, is crucial to unlocking the full potential of our diverse, international research community.
What can we do?#
Curate resources, recommendations and practices, and share openly to support organisations and groups working with researchers in LMIC and Marginalised groups.
Connection with a project from a previous DISC#
During last year’s DISC conference, a project under “Hidden Curriculum” was developed, which will be used in starting the discussion.
GitHub repo: open-life-science/knowhow
Users#
Researchers from LMIC and Marginalised groups (but maybe all researchers)
Outputs#
Outputs from this work will be supported by the OLS team to be edited and shared under CC-By 4.0 - with clear and appropriate authorship and credits. Outputs from this will inform the development of a curriculum draft as part of a newly funded project to help promote skills under the same theme.
The long-term goal of this project is to provide advanced training and mentoring through the involvement of Open Science practitioners and community leaders (with all materials shared openly for anyone to use).
Resources#
Three proposed objectives#
Understand the personas of experts (those who have learned how to navigate the system): skills, opportunities, tendencies or patterns that shape how they engage and interact with the system (potential mentors and trainers)
Map the engagement pathways for learners with the system: What kinds of engagement process this programme should build so we develop and deliver this curriculum with engagement with the right actors in the system - Case studies of learning from personas above - unique vs replicable (sustainability)
Identifying leverage points: Positive feedback loop for the system (most likely tomorrow)
Personas and pathways of experts#
The discussion built on our shared experience working within the research funding ecosystem and explores potential solutions through shared resources, mentorship, training, and a deeper understanding of the funding landscape.
Identify the personas of those who have “made it!” - those who we will engage with to build the curriculum, and who are also potential trainers and coaches.
What pathway they have taken to get to where they are
Can their journey be taught - how can we reduce the time it takes to navigate those skills?
Bringing Systems thinking
Systems thinking allows us to understand the complexity of the ecosystems we are working in, make informed decisions, and create strategies that promote resilience, innovation, and long-term sustainability
Personal reference: Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System. (2012, April 05). https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system
Shifting Focus: From Grant Writing to Grant Readiness#
Starting with a hypothesis#
There is a lot of learning happens directly and as a result of working in research/with research communities way before an opportunity for funding an idea someone has is presented Starting with ‘how’ and ‘why’: How do we build the capacity to even apply for grants, and why is that capacity important? Before even thinking about writing a grant proposal, what skills, experiences, and networks do you think have been essential for you to build a successful career? What are some hidden factors in the systems we learned to build relationships, personal leadership, communication, skills, expertise etc?
Summary of Unconference Session#
A significant point of discussion was the need to step back from solely focusing on grant writing and address the foundational skills and confidence required to even apply for funding. Participants highlighted that “One of the gaps we want to fill in is the step back from grant writing: how do researchers gain the skills and confidence to first apply to grants and funding? What does that look like NOW in the current landscape?”
Building capacity#
Understanding funding requirements: Learning to interpret the “specific fit and requirement for funding opportunities”.
Building a compelling narrative: Developing “storytelling skills for a funding call” and understanding how to interpret “tacit expectations to make proposals attractive to funders”.
Communication with funders: Developing skills for “communicating with funding agencies outside of the application process to understand their goals better”.
Critical reading of successful proposals: Learning to “read good proposals so they are exposed to good proposals that they generally do not have opportunities to apply for”.
Building relationships and networks: Interacting with people behind funding programmes, including through “cold calls”, and understanding the importance of “meetings and networking”.
Leveraging Systems Thinking and Identifying Leverage Points#
Discussion incorporated a systems thinking approach to understand the complexities of the research funding ecosystem and identify “leverage points” – places to intervene for significant impact – cautioning against solely focusing on a “lack of skills” narrative, as this might overlook “systemic barriers”.
Examples of leverage points discussed include:
Successful interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations.
Strong community engagement and social capital.
Capacity to pivot and adapt.
Affiliation and institutional support.
Grant offices and dedicated support roles (noting the disparity between the US and LatAm in this regard - IreneR).
The “Dating” Analogy: Finding Common Ground with Funders#
The analogy of funding being like “dating” was introduced to emphasise the importance of “finding overlap in interests, rather than them pushing their agenda”. This involves:
Understanding the funders’ goals and values.
Being authentic and demonstrating the mutual benefit of the project: “Be authentic, show them how beneficial your project is for them.”
Having a “roadmap, vision/mission/goals” ready.
Understanding what funders have supported in the past to identify potential alignment.
Capacity Building as Infrastructure and the Importance of Practice#
The session explored the concept of capacity building as infrastructure, recognising that the human and financial infrastructure needed for successful grant writing is often lacking and difficult to transfer through traditional teaching. IreneR raised the question of “how can we create spaces for practice on smaller scales? What kind of learning spaces are needed to develop skills and how can we think about capacity building as infrastructure itself?”
Ideas for fostering practice included grant reviewing exercises:
Creating safe spaces to practice writing grant proposals
Peer review of drafts
Shadowing experienced grant writers
Addressing the Elephant in the Room#
Participants acknowledged the current international political environment and the need to navigate discussions around equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in funding proposals without necessarily using those specific terms.
We agreed to put the spotlight on the benefits that naturally align with EDI principles, such as “Improving team potential,” “Enhancing innovation and creativity,” “Expanding perspectives,” and “Reducing bias in data and tech.” The importance of providing “data and evidence” for these benefits was also highlighted.
Understanding Expert Journeys Through Personas and Case Studies#
A key strategy for building the curriculum involves understanding the journeys of those who have successfully navigated the funding landscape.
The Day 2 session dedicated time to developing initial personas of individuals and organisations with diverse backgrounds and experiences:
Eunice Mercado-Lara: Experienced in grant-making and research across sectors.
Researcher (anonymous): Navigated transitions from academia to capacity building.
LABI (Latin American Bioimaging - Oliver): A government-funded organisation building research infrastructure in LatAm.
Ashley from Plotly: An open-core, for-profit company leveraging government funding for R&D.
These personas will be further developed through case studies, including examples of successful and unsuccessful grant applications, to identify unique versus replicable aspects of their journeys and the skills required.
The case studies will be fleshed out and embedded in the curriculum, allowing learners to build understanding by making things seem more immediate, and aiding in internalising the learning.
Key Skills and Considerations#
Throughout the discussion, several key skills and considerations for navigating funding emerged - which are the “leverage points” in the funding ecosystem:
Clear vision and direction we take
Networking and relationships we build along the way
Timing matters - but because we have worked to build expertise and evidence that makes us “ready” to take advantage of the opportunity
Experience allows building a strategic mindset - that further helps sharpen our vision and goals
Articulating our goals and impact effectively is important - we need to learn how to curate our story (which parts of our experience to highlight)
We should not be afraid to engage with funders and potential collaborators
BUT, the right mentors are needed to support and push in the right direction (if you are not in the right place, find these good people outside)
Adaptability and pivoting allow the capability to adjust to funder priorities without compromising mission
Understanding power dynamics allows navigating organisational hierarchy and support, as well as the grantee-funder relationship effectively
Resilience and perseverance matters – recognising that applying for grants is often challenging
Leadership and mentorship skills allow people to then support others in the funding process - if doors are open for you, bring others in
Recognising and leveraging non-monetary assets, such as research experience, collaborations, and data, can help build strong cases
Next Steps and Outstanding Questions#
The session concluded with a discussion of the next steps, including further developing the personas and case studies, and identifying outstanding questions for future consideration:
What other personas do we need to build case studies? * What other questions are relevant for designing these personas?
How to acknowledge the diversity within target groups and avoid creating rigid profiles?
How do we enrich these case studies by highlighting the right leverage points and examples of successful and unsuccessful proposals?
What patterns and behaviours are most easily shareable given that individual circumstances cannot be replicated?
How would we integrate these in the curriculum for a general audience, and how will the training be complemented by individual support and coaching (for example in contexts that are too regional-specific)?
How can the training reach grant writing offices and relevant institutional stakeholders beyond researchers?
What other skills beyond grant writing are crucial for sustainability and impact (for example, budgeting, leadership, mentoring)? How to teach skills like asking for help professionally in a way that fosters genuine relationships?
Connect with us#
You can contribute to this work! Please reach out to the session lead Malvika Sharan (malvika@we-are-ols.org) and Irene Ramos (irene@we-are-ols.org).