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Applying, accepting and managing grants

We have established a strong culture of research through our collaboration with a variety of funding sources which benefits our patients and saves lives. 

The following information outlines our processes and responsibilities for accessing and managing funding received by a researcher to be administered by Gold Coast Health.

Grants and funding

Funding sources

A variety of funding sources are available to researchers including:

  • Internal Gold Coast Health Grants
  • Other Government Grants 
  • Not-for-profit Partners 
  • Academic Partners
  • Commercial Sponsors

Each funding source will have its own criteria regarding processes, requirements, and limitations on how to apply for, and obtain, a grant.

Receiving funding

The first step after being awarded a grant, or during contract negotiations, is to contact the Office for Research Governance and Development via the contact support centre and notify us of a grant award. 

Researchers will be guided through the process specific to them and the type of funding awarded (such as grant agreements or clinical trial funding agreements) and advised what documentation needs to be provided to the Office for Research Governance and Development. 

 

Research IONs

Each research project will have an individual account created, referred to as a Research Internal Order Number (ION). An ION will be established to receive and hold the grant funds. Grant funds are accounted for individually and will not be mixed with other sources of funds or other projects’ funds.

Once an ION is established, the Research Finance Team will raise an invoice to the funding body. The funding may be obtained in one transaction, or split into smaller portions and made available once certain milestones are met. This will be dictated by the Funding Agreement.

Research balances within an ION roll over year-on-year, with no risk of unspent funds not being fully available to researchers. Agreements or contracts with funders, however, may stipulate time limitations for the funds to be expended, which must be adhered to.
 

Financial Management of Research Funding

Agreements and expectations

The official awardee of research funding in most cases is the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service (GCHHS) and not the individual researcher. As such, agreements and contracts are signed between the sponsor / funding body and the GCHHS. The Office for Research Governance and Development (ORGD) will hold the financial delegation over research funds and the researcher will have authority to instruct the Research Finance Team as to how they are to be spent. 

Researchers are expected to be proactive when managing research funding, with ultimate responsibility resting with them. The end-to-end financial management of research funding, however, may involve several members; being Principal Investigators (PIs), other staff on the research project team, and the ORGD.

Governance

All aspects of financial management detailed below is, therefore, a joint effort:

  • Planning 
  • Day-to-day management
  • Compliance and governance
  • Accounting 
  • Reporting 
Research Finance Support

To ensure financial transactions are captured in an auditable manner with appropriate supporting documentation, the Research Finance Team will support researchers by: 

  • Ensuring that Research Internal Order Numbers (IONs) for all funded studies are created in a timely manner.
  • Liaising with Divisional Finance in relation to funds awarded and variations to ensure correct balances are maintained in finance systems (S4Hana and DSS).
  • Reviewing and maintaining research study budgets.
  • Regular ION monitoring to support the research team in executing their responsibility to monitor expenditure and ensure costs incurred are within funding amounts awarded.
  • Providing budget advice in relation to practical operational expenses, e.g., cost and quoting requirement for purchasing items. 
  • Providing financial assistance to the research team to modify budgets based on available surplus funds. 
  • Accounting for research and related activities in accordance with accounting standards and the policies of Gold Coast Health.
  • Ensuring availability of accurate and up-to-date financial information to research teams for monitoring expenditure, for both labour and non-labour expenses.
  • Assisting research teams by providing training in financial matters and understanding financial information. 
     

Last updated 22 Aug 2023