Grant Conditions
Before making an application we advise that you read the grant conditions below. A printable copy is available to download below, please contact us if you would like to be sent a hard copy in the post.
Download: MDR Terms and Conditions
The below guidelines and conditions are outlined on the remained of this page. To go straight to the area you wish, please click on the links below:
Introduction
The PetSavers Masters degree by research (recognised degree at Masters level) will fund a postgraduate student to work full time on a specific research project, with or without attendance at some short courses (e.g. statistics, thesis presentation) depending on the nature of the project.
A project will be considered by PetSavers to constitute 'companion animal clinical research' if it largely meets each of the following criteria in the reasonable opinion of a majority of the Committee:
• The study involves only naturally occurring disease in small animals; there must be no experimental or artificial induction of disease;
• The anticipated results of the study will result in a change in diagnosis or management of small animal disease;
• The study is supervised by people with veterinary clinical skills and knowledge;
• Any interventions on animals (including obtaining samples) would be considered part of normal veterinary practice; and
• The applicant must state how the results will directly benefit cats, dogs or other companion animals. If the benefit is not direct, they must suggest the number of further steps (and at what cost) they believe it will take before a benefit becomes apparent.
By definition, therefore, such research would not require a personal or project licence under the terms of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (“the Act”.) Petsavers does not fund research using experimental animals.
Application
1. Applications should be for funds to support research into the health and welfare of small animals, which are kept as pets, with the ultimate objective of the advancement of understanding of the cause and/or management of a clinical disorder.
2. The types of research preferred by PetSavers Grants Committee can be broadly categorized as follows:
a. Prospective investigations: usually quantitative studies with finite objectives, often utilizing modern science such as epidemiology or molecular biology as research tools
b. Multidisciplinary investigations: exploring biological mechanisms that underlie disease processes and the means by which these might be manipulated to improve diagnosis and management
c. Clinical trials: conducted to assess the efficacy of diagnostic techniques or therapeutic agents.
3. Applicants should be recognised experts in the field of the research project acting as academic supervisors who in turn would appoint a postgraduate student by open advertisement or personal recommendation to carry out the research project. At least one applicant on each proposal must be a qualified veterinary surgeon whether in practice or within a university in the UK or Ireland. Scholarships can only be undertaken either at a university or the Animal Health Trust.
4. Petsavers will fund, for a period of one year the following costs up to a maximum in aggregate of £35,000 (but subject to the individual limitations set out below.
a. Postgraduate student stipend (currently £15,000 - £18,000)
b. Payment of University fees
c. Equipment and consumables (up to £10,000 including VAT) depending on the nature of the project.
5. The application should be made on the relevant Application Form (available to download here).
The information required will include:
a) The title of the project.
b) The aims and objectives of the work.
c) The background of the project,
d) Precise details of the experimental design
e) Detailed analysis of capital or recurrent costs.
g) A list of 3 peer reviewers must be provided, from which one or more will be asked to provide an expert opinion on your application.
6. The curriculum vitae of the primary applicant together with the qualified veterinary surgeon (if different) must be supplied. This should extend to not more than two pages and references should be made only to the most significant publications of the applicant (and veterinary surgeon (if appropriate)).
7. The closing date for applications to be considered in August is the last working day of the preceding March.
8. Petsavers are to be given the opportunity of having a member of the Petsavers Grant Awarding Committee present at the interview for the appointment of the scholar.
9. No Experimental Animals
a) The use of experimental animals is not permitted in any work funded by Petsavers. This includes work on tissues derived from experimental animals.
b) Work carried out on tissues derived from pet animals during a normal post-mortem examination is allowed, provided that the owners’ written informed consent has first been obtained.
c) Petsavers reserve the right to request representations from an appointed ethics committee and/or a local Home Office inspector to satisfy the Petsavers Grants Awarding Committee that the work described falls within the Petsavers remit.
d) Petsavers reserves the right to legally review the application to ensure it does not fall under the Act.
e) The project must be legal under UK law.
10. Employment of Staff
a) Petsavers does not act as an employer and therefore will not be responsible for claims (however arising) whether under statute or at common law, nor will it indemnify any third party against any claim for compensation or against any other claims for which that party may be liable as an employer, or otherwise.
b) The recipient must accept full responsibility for the management, compliance, monitoring and control of all the research work funded as the result of this grant. This includes the requirements of all regulatory authorities governing the use of radioactive isotopes, pathogenic organisms, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and toxic and hazardous substances.
c) The recipient must ensure that the student receives appropriate levels of supervision and training to enable them to complete the project and required publications.
d) The recipient must ensure that all permanent and temporary staff, subcontractors and students involved in the research receive training appropriate to their duties, and in accordance with the local legislation and comply with all relevant working codes and recognised practice legislation within the local rules and legislations (including without limitation the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH), the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000, Approved Codes of Practice associated with any of the above, guidance from the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) or the Advisory Committee on Genetic Modification (ACGM), and any other legal or regulatory requirements that may apply from time to time.
11. Acceptance of the Grant
a) Grants awarded by Petsavers are subject to the Petsavers Terms & Conditions in force at the time that the grant is actually awarded. Any amendments subsequent to each relevant grant to the Terms & Conditions can be made only with the written agreement of both parties.
b) A signed copy of these Terms & Conditions must be returned to Petsavers. This must include the signature of the principal applicant and the veterinary surgeon (if different) and an authorised representative of the institute/practice. (Please see the appendix for a list of acceptable authorised representatives; no funds can be released until the signed terms and conditions are returned.
c) Where the postgraduate studentship is advertised after the grant is awarded it is accepted that there will be a delay before the project starts. However the grant must be drawn down within 14 months from the date of the confirmation letter issued by Petsavers, unless written permission has been granted from Petsavers for an additional delay.
d) Petsavers must be informed of the start date of the project
12. Divergence from the Original Award
a) Petsavers understands that in order to follow scientific developments which arise as a result of work done under this grant or following publication of results from other laboratories, recipients may need to modify the aims and directions of their projects. Any such modifications must be fully justified in the final report.
b) Petsavers must be consulted promptly prior to any proposed change to the original award conditions, and reserves the right to withhold further funding should it consider the divergence from the original project is too great.
13. Progress Reports
a) Petsavers require a written report to be submitted every 4 months during the studentship detailing progress with the research project. This should be 400-1000 words in length using the Masters Research Report Form (available to download here)
b) Failure to submit a report could result in a delay in payment of further funds or the reclaim of monies already paid.
14. Publications and Publicity
a) Petsavers reserves the right to publicise the awarding of grants as they see fit. When a scholar is appointed they will be asked to provide a photograph (slide or digital image) and short CV to enable BSAVA to publicise the award.
b) Recipients must ensure that a copy of all publications based wholly or partly upon the research funded by the grant will be forwarded in electronic format to Petsavers within 30 days of publication.
c) Recipients should ensure that Petsavers contribution to the funding of the research is suitably acknowledged in a form acceptable to Petsavers in all publications. A suggested form of words appears on the Petsavers website.
d) All publications directly arising from grant support by Petsavers are to be submitted to the Chairperson of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Small Animal Practice (“Editorial Board”) to determine if the publication is suitable for publication in that journal. If the Chairperson considers the publication would be suitable then it shall be submitted to the Editorial Board by the recipient for publication in that journal
d) If the Chairperson of the Editorial Board does not consider it is a suitable publication for that journal the recipient may offer the publication to the journal of the recipients choice
e) Petsavers recognises that publication of the results of research may need to be delayed for a reasonable period while seeking protection by way of formal registration of intellectual property arising from the research. If there are any periods of delay Petsavers must be kept regularly informed of the precise position and the reasons.
f) Recipients may be asked to supply materials for publicity and promotional purposes to aid Petsavers in fundraising activities. Any recipient attending BSAVA Annual Congress may be requested to spend a reasonable amount of time on the Petsavers stand to promote Petsavers work.
g) Scholars will be expected to speak or offer to speak at BSAVA Congress and / or BSAVA Regional meetings.
h) Recipients must complete an article for companion magazine and/or the Petsavers Bulletin during the period of their grant if requested by Petsavers.
i) If the project involves contact with members of the public, Petsavers should be promoted whenever appropriate.
15. Equipment
a) Any equipment provided by or purchased by Petsavers in relation to a project is loaned to the university department/practice to which the grant recipient is affiliated. This is solely for the benefit of the recipient’s veterinary research, diagnosis or treatment. The recipient shall have no personal claim, right or other form of interest in the equipment.
b) Any loss resulting whether directly or indirectly from payments made for equipment in advance of delivery will be entirely the responsibility of the recipient. The recipient is responsible for ensuring that any equipment providing by this grant has adequate insurance cover. If the equipment is damaged or destroyed during the period of the project the recipient will be required to repair or replace it.
c) Petsavers’ prior written approval must be obtained should any activity ancillary to the permitted use be carried out using equipment funded by the grant where any form of charge, either internal or external, is made or where equipment is used for the benefit of a commercial organisation. Petsavers agreement may be conditional and dependent upon it sharing in any financial benefits that result.
d) It is the responsibility of the recipient to maintain the equipment whilst in their care both during and for a period of 12 months after the completion of the project. The equipment may only be disposed of after written permission has been obtained by from Petsavers. Correct disposal is the responsibility of the recipient.
e) Petsavers reserves the right to recall the equipment when the designated project is completed.
f) All equipment is to be clearly marked as purchased by and the property of Petsavers.
16. Limitations of Petsavers Liability
Petsavers accepts no responsibility, financially or otherwise, for the expenditure (or liabilities arising out of such expenditure) or other liabilities arising out of the project. The control of expenditure to be funded under this grant must be governed by the normal standards and procedures of the recipient and must be covered by the formal audit arrangements that exist in the recipient’s institution.
17. Financial Arrangements
a) All claims for grant funding must be made in the form of an official invoice quoting full details of the Petsavers award. 90 % of funding will be available at the time the student takes up the award on receipt of an itemised invoice, with the final 10% being paid after the final report and details of expenditure are received.
b) A copy of these terms and conditions must be passed by the grant recipient to the finance department of their institution/practice.
c) Petsavers should be invoiced for the value of the grant awarded on the basis laid out in the appendix.
d) Grant recipients are required to account for all expenditure of Petsavers.
e) Should the principal recipient or co-recipient move to another institution during the tenure of the grant, the grant may not be transferred unless all parties concerned including Petsavers agree in writing to such a transfer. Petsavers will not be liable in respect of any additional costs as a result of such a move or transfer. In the event that Petsavers do not agree to such a transfer it shall not be liable to make further payments under the terms of the grant.
f) All invoices for funding must be sent for the attention of the Finance Department, Petsavers, BSAVA, Woodrow House, 1 Telford Way, Waterwells Business Park, Quedgeley, Gloucester GL2 2AB.
g) All invoices must have the reference number of the award; failure to comply with this will result in the invoice being rejected.
h) Travel costs not agreed in the original application will not be covered unless written agreement has been obtained in advance from Petsavers as part of a divergence from original award.
i) The amount of any grant does not include inflation or any local taxes (including VAT). The recipient is responsible for payment of all local taxes.
j) Petsavers does not pay University Full Economic Costings.
18. Intellectual Property and Commercial Activities
a) Petsavers is committed to advancing veterinary healthcare through its support for clinical research. As a charity, Petsavers is under an obligation to ensure that the useful results of research that it funds are applied for the public benefit. To meet these objectives, Petsavers, together with Petsavers-funded researchers and their institutions/practices, wish to play an active role in ensuring the protection and exploitation of the intellectual property arising out of the research that it funds. Accordingly, Petsavers requires the recipient to communicate a full report concerning all such matters related to the protection and exploitation of such intellectual property to Petsavers at regular intervals. Petsavers shall enjoy a perpetual, royalty free licence to exploit such intellectual property in such manner as it may, from time to time, determine. In exploiting such intellectual property it shall acknowledge the moral rights of the recipient to be acknowledged as the author of such work.
b) No intellectual property created or acquired in connection with Petsavers funded activity may be exploited in any way by the recipient without prior written consent of Petsavers; such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Exploitation includes use for any commercial purpose or any licence, sale, assignment, materials transfer or other transfer rights. As a condition of granting such consent, Petsavers may require the recipient to agree to terms of exploitation including the sharing of the benefits (such as revenues and equity) arising from the exploitation. Petsavers shall have the right to audit the recipient’s relevant accounts and records to confirm that there has been an appropriate benefit sharing made in relation to any such exploitation.
19. Termination of a Grant
a) When Petsavers makes a grant, it reserves the right, with 60 days prior written notice, to terminate the grant should it so wish. In this event, Petsavers will reimburse the recipient for expenditure properly and directly incurred under the project up to the termination date.
b) Upon termination of the grant, recipients are required to provide a breakdown of the expenditure of all monies previously provided.
c) Where a scholar does not complete the project it is expected that a full written report of the project to date will be provided by both the scholar and the supervisor.