CALL FOR PROPOSALS : THE 101-AXA BELGIUM ICU AWARDS

From February 19th to May 31st, 2021: CLOSED

Applications are considered. The applicants will be contacted by email.

Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemics hit Belgium very hard and put the Belgian healthcare system under tremendous pressure. In particular, intensive care units (ICUs) have been on the forefront of the fight to save lives. The COVID-19 pandemics has highlighted the need to foster systematic implementation of evidence-based care protocols and promote intensive care research. Despite some advances in the ICU management of these patients, there are still numerous questions to be answered by clinical research as well as basic science. In addition, the prolonged ICU length of stay of COVID-19 patients has revealed the importance of measures designed to facilitate recovery and rehabilitation, communication, as well as family information and visits.

To contribute to the improvement of ICU care in Belgium, the 101 Fund, with the support of its major partner AXA, is launching a call for proposals to support research projects and initiatives aiming to improve outcomes and the experience of ICU patients. Specifically, the call has for primary objectives to stimulate applications for the following unrestricted grants.

·      One 40,000 € grant to fund a quality improvement initiative

The goal of this grant is to fund an initiative that aims to improve ICU outcomes through education of caregivers and/or implementation of evidence-based care protocols or guidelines. Suitable applications include - but are not limited to – projects designed to improve the care of mechanically ventilated patients, management of sepsis, implementation of clinical protocols (weaning, sedation,…) or prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Specific attention will be given to projects including a multi-disciplinary approach as well as projects with specific plans to collect data to document persisting changes in patient outcomes. Whereas hospital-wide applications are acceptable, preference will be given to projects involving ICU teams and focused on improving ICU care and outcomes.

·      One 40,000 € grant to fund a clinical / basic science research project

This grant can cover research approaches ranging from basic or clinical research to outcome research. The overall goal of this award is to enrich knowledge that pertains to the care of the critically ill. Applications may thus include studies exploring the epidemiology, the pathophysiology, clinical aspects and therapeutic strategies of diseases encountered in the ICU. Research proposals may thus include clinical applications as well as basic and translational sciences. Although this award may be used for retrospective studies, clear preference will be given to prospective trials and investigations. Applications involving data sciences (AI, machine learning, …) are also welcome.

·      Three 20,000 € grants to fund initiatives to improve patients and/or families experiences in the ICU

The purpose of these grants is to fund projects and initiatives aiming to improve how patients and/or their families live through - and recover from the difficult experience of the ICU stay. Awards can thus be used to finance projects intended to improve the overall support of patients and their families both during or after hospitalization in the ICU.

More specifically, these grants can be used to fund projects aimed at improving the conditions of hospitalization and comfort in the intensive care unit, reception conditions for families, follow-up after intensive care, psychological care, organization of support groups, etc… Beyond financial support, our partner AXA wishes to contribute to improve patient experiences and has proposed to its Belgian employees to participate in this type of projects through its Hearts in Action international volunteer programme. Thus, any possibility to involve AXA employees in the project submitted for funding should be described in the project proposal and will be evaluated by the Jury. Initiatives uniquely directed toward improvement of working conditions for ICU professionals are not in the scope of these awards.

A.      General conditions applicable to the Awards programme

1.              Applications should include the following elements

-       Project summary

-       Project proposal

-       Detailed CV of the Principal Investigator

-       Support letter from the Head of the ICU

-       Budget spreadsheet

-       Proposed time-line following receipt of the grant

-       Up to 2 letters of recommandation

-       A 400-words summary for the lay public

2.              Projects should be described on a 5-page proposal containing the following sections:

-       Background

-       Objectives

-       Methods Info

-       Expected results

-       Perspectives

3.              A detailed budget estimate should be submitted concomitantly. The budget should clearly state other sources of funding requested and/or obtained for the project.

4.              Only projects designed and conducted in Belgium can be supported.

5.              Grants can be used for salary support, equipment, consumables or third-party services (i.e. eCRF development, statistical analyses…) clearly related to the research proposal. The proposed use of the funds has to be outlined in the budget spreadsheet submitted.

6.              As a general rule, all grants can be combined with other sources of funding (such as those provided by national funding agencies, scientific societies, or private foundations) in order to fund ambitious projects. However, awards are not intended to run concurrently with grants greater than €250,000, even when funded by Belgium national agencies or sponsors. The 101 – AXA grants cannot be used for courses, lectures, meetings, conferences, congresses, basic training, or for visiting institutions.

7.              It is the responsibility of the applicants to follow good clinical practices related to clinical trials or experimental science. More specifically, the investigators commit to respect the legislation in force in Belgium regarding the conduct of clinical trials involving patients and / or experimental studies on animals. The 101 Fund or AXA will accept no liability should investigators fail to respect any regulation that pertains to clinical or experimental research in Belgium.

8.              As a non-governmental organisation whose awards are not automatically endowed with any particular tax privileges, the 101 Fund does not cover any tax issue that may arise either in the home or host country and any applicable taxes must come out of the initial Award. It is the responsibility of the recipient of an award to pay any tax which may be requested by the appropriate national authority.

9.              Should the grant be used to support salary of an investigator, research technician or collaborator, neither the 101 Fund nor AXA will recognize recipients of its grants as agents or employees of the 101 Fund or AXA.  The 101 Fund or AXA will accept no liability in respect of any of their actions or activities or in respect to the health or safety of their persons. In addition, awardees are not insured by 101 Fund or by AXA against medical expenses for themselves or their families; neither are they insured for accidents during their travel to and from the host institution. Recipients of the awards that may perceive all or part of their salary through these grants are thus invited to make sure that they, their families and the institutions which receive them are fully covered by necessary insurances.

B.     Applicants

1.              Applicants must be actively engaged in intensive care or in intensive care research, with appropriate scientific or medical qualifications. The CV of the applicant should make clear that he/she possesses appropriate professional qualifications and experience to conduct the project for which the grant is submitted. Physicians, scientists, nurses or other healthcare professionals engaged in ICU care are thus eligible for the grants.

2.              Applicants should hold a position at the institution where the work described in the project proposal will take place. They should provide a letter from the ICU director that stipulates that he/she accepts that the project described in the application be carried out in his unit.

3.              There is no age limit to apply for any of the grants.

4.              Applicants are allowed to apply for up to two grants in the programme. Should both applications be successful, applicants can however receive only one grant and will be asked to identify the award they prefer to receive.

 C.      Applications

1.              Applicants can submit their proposals from February 22nd 2021 until May 31st 2021 at midnight. The link below to the application material will be available as of February 19th, 2021

From February 19th to May 31st, 2021: CLOSED

Applications are considered. The applicants will be contacted by email.

Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemics hit Belgium very hard and put the Belgian healthcare system under tremendous pressure. In particular, intensive care units (ICUs) have been on the forefront of the fight to save lives. The COVID-19 pandemics has highlighted the need to foster systematic implementation of evidence-based care protocols and promote intensive care research. Despite some advances in the ICU management of these patients, there are still numerous questions to be answered by clinical research as well as basic science. In addition, the prolonged ICU length of stay of COVID-19 patients has revealed the importance of measures designed to facilitate recovery and rehabilitation, communication, as well as family information and visits.

To contribute to the improvement of ICU care in Belgium, the 101 Fund, with the support of its major partner AXA, is launching a call for proposals to support research projects and initiatives aiming to improve outcomes and the experience of ICU patients. Specifically, the call has for primary objectives to stimulate applications for the following unrestricted grants.

·      One 40,000 € grant to fund a quality improvement initiative

The goal of this grant is to fund an initiative that aims to improve ICU outcomes through education of caregivers and/or implementation of evidence-based care protocols or guidelines. Suitable applications include - but are not limited to – projects designed to improve the care of mechanically ventilated patients, management of sepsis, implementation of clinical protocols (weaning, sedation,…) or prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Specific attention will be given to projects including a multi-disciplinary approach as well as projects with specific plans to collect data to document persisting changes in patient outcomes. Whereas hospital-wide applications are acceptable, preference will be given to projects involving ICU teams and focused on improving ICU care and outcomes.

·      One 40,000 € grant to fund a clinical / basic science research project

This grant can cover research approaches ranging from basic or clinical research to outcome research. The overall goal of this award is to enrich knowledge that pertains to the care of the critically ill. Applications may thus include studies exploring the epidemiology, the pathophysiology, clinical aspects and therapeutic strategies of diseases encountered in the ICU. Research proposals may thus include clinical applications as well as basic and translational sciences. Although this award may be used for retrospective studies, clear preference will be given to prospective trials and investigations. Applications involving data sciences (AI, machine learning, …) are also welcome.

·      Three 20,000 € grants to fund initiatives to improve patients and/or families experiences in the ICU

The purpose of these grants is to fund projects and initiatives aiming to improve how patients and/or their families live through - and recover from the difficult experience of the ICU stay. Awards can thus be used to finance projects intended to improve the overall support of patients and their families both during or after hospitalization in the ICU.

More specifically, these grants can be used to fund projects aimed at improving the conditions of hospitalization and comfort in the intensive care unit, reception conditions for families, follow-up after intensive care, psychological care, organization of support groups, etc… Beyond financial support, our partner AXA wishes to contribute to improve patient experiences and has proposed to its Belgian employees to participate in this type of projects through its Hearts in Action international volunteer programme. Thus, any possibility to involve AXA employees in the project submitted for funding should be described in the project proposal and will be evaluated by the Jury. Initiatives uniquely directed toward improvement of working conditions for ICU professionals are not in the scope of these awards.

A.      General conditions applicable to the Awards programme

1.              Applications should include the following elements

-       Project summary

-       Project proposal

-       Detailed CV of the Principal Investigator

-       Support letter from the Head of the ICU

-       Budget spreadsheet

-       Proposed time-line following receipt of the grant

-       Up to 2 letters of recommandation

-       A 400-words summary for the lay public

2.              Projects should be described on a 5-page proposal containing the following sections:

-       Background

-       Objectives

-       Methods Info

-       Expected results

-       Perspectives

3.              A detailed budget estimate should be submitted concomitantly. The budget should clearly state other sources of funding requested and/or obtained for the project.

4.              Only projects designed and conducted in Belgium can be supported.

5.              Grants can be used for salary support, equipment, consumables or third-party services (i.e. eCRF development, statistical analyses…) clearly related to the research proposal. The proposed use of the funds has to be outlined in the budget spreadsheet submitted.

6.              As a general rule, all grants can be combined with other sources of funding (such as those provided by national funding agencies, scientific societies, or private foundations) in order to fund ambitious projects. However, awards are not intended to run concurrently with grants greater than €250,000, even when funded by Belgium national agencies or sponsors. The 101 – AXA grants cannot be used for courses, lectures, meetings, conferences, congresses, basic training, or for visiting institutions.

7.              It is the responsibility of the applicants to follow good clinical practices related to clinical trials or experimental science. More specifically, the investigators commit to respect the legislation in force in Belgium regarding the conduct of clinical trials involving patients and / or experimental studies on animals. The 101 Fund or AXA will accept no liability should investigators fail to respect any regulation that pertains to clinical or experimental research in Belgium.

8.              As a non-governmental organisation whose awards are not automatically endowed with any particular tax privileges, the 101 Fund does not cover any tax issue that may arise either in the home or host country and any applicable taxes must come out of the initial Award. It is the responsibility of the recipient of an award to pay any tax which may be requested by the appropriate national authority.

9.              Should the grant be used to support salary of an investigator, research technician or collaborator, neither the 101 Fund nor AXA will recognize recipients of its grants as agents or employees of the 101 Fund or AXA.  The 101 Fund or AXA will accept no liability in respect of any of their actions or activities or in respect to the health or safety of their persons. In addition, awardees are not insured by 101 Fund or by AXA against medical expenses for themselves or their families; neither are they insured for accidents during their travel to and from the host institution. Recipients of the awards that may perceive all or part of their salary through these grants are thus invited to make sure that they, their families and the institutions which receive them are fully covered by necessary insurances.

B.     Applicants

1.              Applicants must be actively engaged in intensive care or in intensive care research, with appropriate scientific or medical qualifications. The CV of the applicant should make clear that he/she possesses appropriate professional qualifications and experience to conduct the project for which the grant is submitted. Physicians, scientists, nurses or other healthcare professionals engaged in ICU care are thus eligible for the grants.

2.              Applicants should hold a position at the institution where the work described in the project proposal will take place. They should provide a letter from the ICU director that stipulates that he/she accepts that the project described in the application be carried out in his unit.

3.              There is no age limit to apply for any of the grants.

4.              Applicants are allowed to apply for up to two grants in the programme. Should both applications be successful, applicants can however receive only one grant and will be asked to identify the award they prefer to receive.

 C.      Applications

1.              Applicants can submit their proposals from February 22nd 2021 until May 31st 2021 at midnight. The link below to the application material will be available as of February 19th, 2021

2.              All applications and supporting material should be written in English language.

3.              Applications should be submitted by e-mail at hello@one-o-one.eu

4.              Only complete applications will be submitted for review.

5.              Applications should normally specify only one institution as a hosting unit.

6.              Applications will undergo a review and selection process by an independent Jury. The decisions of the Jury are final and cannot be contested. Applications not approved for funding cannot be resubmitted in the following year(s) without further modification. Should the applicant wish to submit his proposal to another funding institution, he/she can request the review report at hello@one-o-one.eu to help improve the application before resubmission.

D.     Selection

1.              Selections will be made on the basis of scientific merit and expert evaluation of the proposed work as set out by the applicants in the project description. Members of the Jury and reviewers of the highest international standing in intensive care and related sciences will carry out this task.

2.              The review process will involve appreciation of the significance and the originality of the proposed work, the proposed approach, the investigators profile and the research environment in which the project will be conducted. A quantitative evaluation form will be used to help members of the Jury in the decision process.

3.              No distinction will be made between applicants on the basis of gender, ethnic origin, spoken language, religious and/or political beliefs.

4.              To guarantee a fair selection process and to avoid any potential conflicts of interest, applications involving a member (or the institution) of a Jury member will be discussed in the absence of this member.

5.              All evaluations are confidential and cannot be circulated, expect to the applicant upon his/her request.

6.              The decisions are final and appeals will not be considered.

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