Application process
It may be useful to explain what the application process is once you have submitted a Grant for Research and Development Application to a Regional Development Agency.
The author realises that sometimes it seems as if the application disappears and that the public perception is that it has been forgotten about, so as a service to my ex-colleagues I thought I would expand on what actually happens once an application has been received.
Once an RDA receives an application it:
1. Records the application on its project management system or database
2. Allocates the application to an appraisal officer
3. Usually the appraisal officer will read the application and ask any questions necessary to able to progress the application further, this can include asking for clarification of points, additional information or missing documentation. If the application stands no chance of success the RDA can reject it at this stage.
4. The application is then sent for expert technical advice including a patents search via the UK Intellectual Property Office, a financial appraisal of the business to establish financial need for the grant and that the business is solvent, and a range of technical experts. Note that not all of these will be relevant in every case and the RDA will choose which are required. It takes 2-3 weeks, sometimes longer, to get this advice back.
5. An appraisal visit may be carried out to the business or project location to discuss the project, not every case will be visited but it is common. This visit may happen whilst awaiting return of the expert advice or more usually afterwards to resolve any issues.
6. Once the technical advice is received the applicant may be allowed an opportunity to comment on it and address any issues, the results of the patent search are normally given to the applicant either way for information. The relevant parts to read on the patent search report are the assessment of level of innovation and the infringement position.
7. The appraisal officer then writes a case paper or minute summarising the project; the technical, financial and patent advice; and makes a recommendation to support or reject the case.
8. The case paper is then usually passed to the team manager for review (quality control) and endorsement before final decision is made.
9. The final decision whether to fund a project is usually made either by an RDA director or by a panel.
10. The applicant is informed.
If you have provided a fully complete application initially all of the above will have taken between 30 to 45 days depending on the RDA (each RDA will publish it’s performance target for appraisals), but do note that any time spent awaiting information from the client does not count towards the target which is why sometimes applications can take significantly longer.
So if you are looking for a fast decision make sure the Grant for Research and Development application is complete before submission.
