title: Supporting public involvement in research design and grant development: a case study of a public involvement award scheme managed by a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service (RDS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is good practice for the public to be involved in developing health research. Resources should be available for researchers to fund the involvement of the public in the development of their grants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe a funding award scheme to support public involvement in grant development, managed by an NIHR Research Design Service (RDS). Case examples of how the award contributed to successful grant applications and findings from a recent evaluation of the scheme are presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case study of resource provision to support public involvement activities in one region of England.
  
  
  METHODS
  University and NHS-based researchers, and members of the public.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2009 and 2012, the RDS approved 45 public involvement funding awards (totalling nearly £19,000). These awards contributed to 27 submitted applications at the time of writing, of which 11 were successful (totalling over £7.5 million). The evaluation revealed difficulties encountered by some researchers when involving the public in grant development, which led to suggestions about how the scheme could be improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This award scheme represents an efficient method of providing researchers with resources to involve the public in grant development and would appear to represent good value for money.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service Yorkshire and the Humber, Sheffield, England.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Boote
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service Yorkshire and the Humber, Sheffield, England.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Twiddy
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service Yorkshire and the Humber, Sheffield, England.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service Yorkshire and the Humber, Sheffield, England.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Birks
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service Yorkshire and the Humber, Sheffield, England.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service Yorkshire and the Humber, Sheffield, England.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beever
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005381:Financing, Organized; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012108:Research Personnel; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: grant development; public involvement; research design; support and resources