In previous articles, we discussed the role of the grant application in securing funding. However, an equally important factor for success is the team that will carry out the research. If researchers are unable to collaborate effectively, fail to distribute responsibilities, or do not complement one another's competencies, there is a risk of the project being refused funding. How can this be avoided? How can you build a strong team for collaborative work?
Candidates' experience takes priority over reputation
A scholar's recognition within the academic community is not, in itself, a guarantee of a grant project's success. It is far more important that the candidate's experience aligns with the subject matter and methods of this particular study. It is worth reviewing not only the list of publications, but also whether the participant has worked with similar methodologies, whether they have published in journals of the relevant profile, and whether they have practical experience that can be applied to the new project.
It is also worth finding out separately how the candidate has behaved in previous grant projects: whether they saw the work through to completion, whether they met deadlines, and whether conflicts arose with funding organisations.
Check reputational risks
The public reputation of each participant is automatically transferred onto the team as a whole. A lack of reports for previous grants, accusations of improper citation, or data manipulation – all of this can damage a competitive application, even without a direct connection to the new project. For this reason, a basic check of a candidate's reputation is an obligatory stage of selection.
Distribute roles in advance
One of the advantages of working in a team is the opportunity for researchers to complement one another's competencies. For example, if one participant has strong skills in conducting experiments and working with equipment, it makes sense to assign the processing and analysis of the data obtained to another researcher. Likewise, it is worth determining in advance who will be responsible for preparing the text of the application, who will handle communication with the funding body, and who will manage the budget and reporting.
Clear distribution of roles at the initial stage helps to avoid situations in which several participants duplicate the same tasks while other areas of work are left without anyone responsible for them. Moreover, clearly defined areas of responsibility, established in advance, simplify the coordination of the team at all subsequent stages – from writing the application to carrying out the research.
Be sure to assess the candidate's availability
A candidate may have an excellent CV, but if they are simultaneously involved in several other projects, their actual contribution to your research will be minimal. Before including someone in the team, it is worth discussing directly their current workload and the realistic number of hours they will be able to dedicate to the project.
Take into account the candidate's ability to work in a team
A scholar's formal qualifications do not guarantee their ability to interact effectively with others. Research work requires constant exchange of data, discussion of interim results and, most importantly, a willingness to compromise. This quality is difficult to assess directly, but there are aspects that can help with this, in particular: whether the candidate has kept to agreements in previous projects, whether they shared interim results on time, and whether conflicts arose between them and other team members.
If you have the opportunity, it is worth focusing on people with whom you have already had a positive experience of collaboration. If the candidate is new to you, speak to their former colleagues or project supervisors. They will be able to tell you about the person's actual working style, rather than just their formal achievements listed in a CV.
The success of your grant project depends directly on the team you assemble. It is important to take into account not only a candidate's reputation, but also their experience, skills and ability to work in a team. Thus, a considered approach to selecting participants at the initial stage will help not only to increase the chances of securing funding, but also to ensure stable and productive work on the project over the long term.
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