The impact of a streamlined funding application process on application time: two cross-sectional surveys of Australian researchers.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine if streamlining a medical research funding application process saved time for applicants.

Design

Cross-sectional surveys before and after the streamlining.

Setting

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia.

Participants

Researchers who submitted one or more NHMRC Project Grant applications in 2012 or 2014.

Main outcome measures

Average researcher time spent preparing an application and the total time for all applications in working days.

Results

The average time per application increased from 34 working days before streamlining (95% CI 33 to 35) to 38 working days after streamlining (95% CI 37 to 39; mean difference 4 days, bootstrap p value <0.001). The estimated total time spent by all researchers

SUBMITTER: Barnett AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4298094 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature