Terms and Conditions

• Getting Started
• Changes to the Grant
• Monitoring of Grants
• Dissemination
• Intellectual Property & Patents
• Patents

Getting Started

Notice
Successful applicants will be notified in writing by the WCRF International Science and Research Department in early October 2009 after grants are approved for funding. The initial letter includes the dates of the budget period and the amount of funds authorised during the period indicated.

Contract terms and conditions
Following notification of the grant award, WCRF International will provide a payment details form to be completed and returned by the designated institution official and the PI at least one calendar month prior to the grant start date. By completing and signing the payment details form, the PI agrees to accept the grant terms and conditions laid out in this document, known as the grant application package.

Grant start date
The research grant must start between November 2009 and the end of March 2010. In exceptional circumstances, the grant holder may contact WCRF International in writing explaining the circumstances and requesting a delayed start date. WCRF International will notify the PI of their decision in writing.

Payments
Grant holders will be informed which WCRF national member has awarded the grant. All grant payments are made solely to the PI’s institution.

Payments will be made in arrears on a monthly basis by electronic transfer to the host institution’s bank account. If electronic transfer is not possible payments will be made by cheque.

All grant application budgets are made in pounds sterling (£). Grants are awarded in the currency of the national member awarding the grant:

• Grants awarded by WCRF NL or WCRF FR/FMRC will be paid in Euros. The amount to be paid is determined on the day of Board approval.
• Grants awarded by WCRF UK will be paid in pounds sterling (£). Please note: if the host institution uses a currency other than pounds sterling (£) then the monthly payment will be subject to any fluctuations in the exchange rate when the payment is converted to that currency. These fluctuations will be at the grant holders’ expense or gain.

Any queries regarding payments can be sent to finance@wcrf.org.

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Changes to the Grant

Budget
Any changes from the approved application including the budget must receive prior approval from WCRF International. Any requests for unforeseen additional expenses will be considered on a case by case basis. WCRF International allows the PI justified transfers of funds between the following categories in the budget: personnel, equipment, supplies and travel. Any transfers must be within the approved total budget. All transfers must be approved by WCRF International in writing prior to expenditure.

Transfer
Grants may be transferred from one institution to another with prior written approval from WCRF International. The PI of the grant is responsible for submitting to WCRF International, in a timely manner, a letter requesting transfer of the grant, giving the PI’s new address, and the address and contact details of, and signatures from, the relevant head of department and the head of the new institution. This also applies to grants that are transferred before the grant start date.

WCRF International will notify the institution and the PI of approval in writing. WCRF International must receive a written acceptance of the grant by an authorised official of the new institution. Payments will only be initiated to the new institution upon receipt of a final financial accounting of all expenditure from the original institution and a letter acknowledging that the grant has been accepted by the transfer institution.

Grants may also be transferred from one PI to another with prior approval from WCRF International. When a transfer from one PI to another is sought, the original investigator must submit a request in writing, stating the reason for the requested change, with evidence that the proposed new investigator can complete the project. Also, include a completed biographical information section of WCRF International’s application form, and CV, for the proposed new PI. The new PI must also submit a letter of intent to WCRF International. WCRF International will then notify the PI in writing of its decision whether or not to transfer the grant.

Unfunded extension
The grant period may be extended for up to one year without additional funds after prior written approval from WCRF International. Requests for extensions should be submitted no less than two months prior to the expiration of the grant period. WCRF International will notify the PI in writing of its decision whether or not to grant the extension.

Cancellation
A grant may be cancelled by either party upon three months’ written notice. In the event of cancellation by WCRF International, the institution granted the award will be reimbursed for all costs incurred and all non-cancelled commitments that formed part of the original grant that was approved. In the event of cancellation by the institution granted the award, any unexpended funds that have been advanced should be refunded.

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Monitoring of Grants

Annual progress reports
At the end of each year, within two months of the annual anniversary start date of the grant, the PI must submit a progress report, including expenditure, with attached abstracts, publications of research supported in whole or in part by the WCRF global network.

The grant holder will be sent a progress report form to complete and return. The form should be no more than three typed pages, and should outline any progress made on the specific aims as outlined in the grant application, and other relevant information. A financial statement is also required. This must be signed by the PI and countersigned by a representative of the university finance department.

The progress reports will be reviewed by WCRF International and may be sent to WCRF International Grant Panel members for review.

At the discretion of WCRF International, funds for the second, third or fourth years of the grant may be withheld based on the progress reports or if progress reports and budget sheets are not submitted. Should WCRF International decide to withhold the grant for the second, third or fourth years, WCRF International shall pay the institution for any expenses incurred and non-cancelled commitments entered into by the institution for the relevant year in question, including such expenses incurred and noncancelled commitments up to the date of notification of the grant being withheld.

Regional Seed grants will need to submit a final report only – see below.

Liaison visits
In the second, third or fourth year of the grant period, WCRF International may arrange a liaison visit with the PI to discuss the progress of the research project.

Final report
Within three months of the completion of the grant period, WCRF International requires a final comprehensive report to show the project’s accomplishments. The PI will be sent the relevant forms to complete.

The final report must include:
• a final year progress report form – including a scientific summary, a plain language summary and a scientific report. The scientific report can be up to 3000 words (plus reference section) including how the outcomes and achievements relate to the initial proposal and a list of publications resulting from the project.
• a final financial statement - signed by the PI and a representative from the finance department. Electronic copies of all publications or manuscripts in press must be included with this report, which must be submitted within three months of the termination date of the grant.

Electronic copies of any publication published after the expiry of the grant should be forwarded to WCRF International as soon as reprints are available.

Failure to submit a final report will result in automatic disqualification from submitting a grant to WCRF International for three years.

Unexpended funds
A refund of any unexpended balance should be submitted with the final financial statement, within three months of termination of a grant. Unexpended funds from an existing grant may only be carried forward to a renewal or an extended grant term with prior permission of WCRF International. All unexpended funds must be repaid to WCRF by a cheque made payable to ‘World Cancer Research Fund’, marked for the attention of the Finance Department, within three months of the termination of a grant. WCRF International is not responsible for over expenditure of grant funds, for commitments against a grant not paid within 60 days after termination, or for expenditure incurred before the starting date of a grant. Any queries regarding payments can be sent to finance@wcrf.org.

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Dissemination

Publication
Publications resulting from research supported wholly or in part by the WCRF global network must contain an acknowledgement such as: ‘Supported by World Cancer Research Fund International and World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF UK)’, or ‘Wereld Kanker Onderzoek Fonds (WCRF NL) or any other WCRF national member.

The principal investigator must send a copy of all papers submitted to journals for publication and must notify WCRF International as soon as a scientific paper is accepted for publication by a journal. This will enable the appropriate WCRF International press office and Science Department, in consultation with the lead author, to decide whether the work should be the subject of a press release on publication.

Failure to notify WCRF of forthcoming publications will result in automatic disqualification from submitting a grant application to WCRF International for a three year period.

We encourage publication in Open Access Journals. To cover the fees for publishing in such journals, WCRF International will offer limited funds for this purpose, on a first come first served basis. This limited fund is separate to the funds available for grants and can only be applied for once a paper has been accepted (after September 2009). Please contact WCRF International at research@wcrf.org to apply for such funds.

Conferences
PIs and their collaborators are strongly encouraged to attend and present a poster or presentation on their funded research at appropriate conferences. Costs for such activities should be included as part of the budget available for travel and conferences, up to a maximum of £1,200 per annum.

Publicity
A standard release form is included in the full application form, and it is required that the PI sign and submit it as part of the full application. This form allows the WCRF global network to describe the project and identify the organisation and investigators in education and publicity materials.

Publicity is vital to charities raising funds from members of the public. It is therefore likely that from time to time, researchers funded by the WCRF global network will be called upon to help with press calls regarding the topic of their grant. It is part of your grant acceptance that you agree to help whenever reasonably possible, though it is not expected that this will be an onerous task. Any press calls directed to you will have been screened through our press office and we will have been discussed with you first. We ask that all WCRF International funded researchers support us in this vital part of our work.

Grant awards are announced in a press release for general distribution after grants have been approved.

Press releases will be written by WCRF International and cleared through the PI and/or the university press office as appropriate. The researcher will need to be available for any follow up interviews by the media.

It is also important that we explain, when appropriate, the advances our researchers have made. Copies of papers due for publication must be forwarded to the Science and Research Department at WCRF International when publication is confirmed. The appropriate WCRF national member’s press team will liaise with the PI and the journal about the suitability of this work for a press release, embargoed until publication date. This press release will be written by WCRF International’s press office in conjunction with the Science and Research Department, and cleared through the PI and university press office as appropriate.

All grant recipients must acknowledge their grant from the WCRF global network in their annual report and accounts and in any printed publicity materials, including advertisements for jobs as a result of their grant funding. Two copies of all such materials must be sent to WCRF International Science and Research Department.

From time to time grant holders may be asked to give a presentation on their WCRF funded research for events organised by WCRF International. A digital photograph of each member of the research group must be submitted within six months of the grant award. During the funding period grant recipients may be interviewed for a report to be featured in one of our national members’ Newsletters.

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Intellectual Property & Patents

By awarding a grant, WCRF International and its national members recognise that intellectual property (e.g. log books, slides) may belong to the host institution in accordance with its policies. Progress reports and scientific reports generated by the WCRF global network funded project may be photocopied for any national member if required.

Use of WCRF logos
It is compulsory that all grant holders must use the WCRF International and appropriate WCRF national member’s logo in any presentations regarding work that has been funded by the WCRF global network. All new grantholders will be sent electronic copies of the WCRF International and appropriate WCRF national member’s logo for use in presentations (oral/poster). If logos are updated, grantholders will be sent new versions which must be used. All such WCRF logos will remain the property of WCRF International or the appropriate WCRF national member, as the case may be.

Integrity and scientific fraud
In the event of fraud occurring it is the responsibility of the employing authority to investigate this. If a case of scientific fraud is suspected in the course of the research then WCRF International should be notified and kept informed of further developments. WCRF International reserves the right to terminate the grant and demand a refund in cases of scientific fraud.

In order to avoid being automatically disqualified from submitting a grant to WCRF International for a three-yearperiod, please ensure:
• WCRF International is notified of forthcoming publications.
• Copies of papers due for publication are forwarded to the Science and Research Department at WCRF International once publication is confirmed.
• Press releases are first drafted by WCRF International’s press office in conjunction with the Science and Research Department and then cleared through the PI and/or university press office as appropriate.

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Patents

WCRF International recognises that patentable inventions may be made in the course of research supported in whole or part by its national members’ funds (collectively, ‘WCRF International inventions’). ‘Made’ when used in relation to any invention means the conception or first actual reduction to practice of such invention. WCRF International believes that it is generally desirable that such ‘WCRF International inventions’ be administered to bring them into public use at the earliest possible time, and that the patent and licensing processes may frequently serve as the most reasonable means to accomplish this goal. Accordingly, WCRF International has adopted the following policy defined below.

Patent applications may be made after consultation with the WCRF International Science and Research Department. The PI must keep WCRF International informed of the progress of the patent application.

All WCRF International inventions shall be promptly notified to WCRF International in writing, as defined below. Investigators are reminded that to protect their interests and those of the institution, WCRF International and its national members, no public account of a patentable invention should be made until protection has been sought.

i. Policies
If the institution in receipt of funding from the WCRF global network has an established patent policy or procedure for administering inventions, WCRF International may agree to permit that policy to control on relevant issues (subject to clauses ii-ix) and only upon the written request of the institution, supported by such information and materials as WCRF International may reasonably request (normally to include a copy of the patent policy of the institution).

 ii. Title
Title to the ‘WCRF International inventions’ may be permitted to reside with the inventor or any other individual or institution with WCRF International’s prior written approval, upon advice of legal counsel.

iii. Disclosure
The institution shall disclose, in writing, each ‘WCRF International invention’ to WCRF International within two months after the inventor discloses it, in writing, to institution personnel responsible for patent matters. The disclosure to WCRF International shall be treated as confidential information and shall reasonably identify any publication, sale or public use of the invention. Following an initial disclosure, the institution shall have a continuing duty through the provision of regular reports to disclose any relevant updated information concerning publication, sale or public use of the invention to WCRF International.

iv. Time and other limits
The institution shall elect in writing to WCRF International whether or not to retain title to a ‘WCRF International invention’ within two years of disclosure of the invention to WCRF International.

The period for election may be shortened by WCRF International where WCRF International has been notified that publication, sale or public use has initiated the one year statutory period for filing a patent application in the United Kingdom. The institution shall file its initial patent application on a ‘WCRF International invention’ within one year after election to retain title or, if earlier, prior to the end of any statutory period discussed above. Request for extension of time for disclosure, election and filing may be granted.

The contractor shall convey to WCRF International, upon written request, title to any ‘WCRF International invention’ if the contractor fails to disclose or elect title to the invention within the times specified above, or elects not to retain title.

v. Reversion to WCRF International
If the institution decides not to file a patent application, it shall promptly notify WCRF International in writing, and WCRF International shall then have the right, subject to any third party rights, to file a patent application for the ‘WCRF International invention’ on its own behalf.

No patent or patent application shall be abandoned without first notifying WCRF International in writing and without providing WCRF International with the opportunity and all reasonable assistance necessary to take title to the ‘WCRF International invention’ and to continue the patent application or the prosecution thereof at WCRF International’s expense.

vi. Income
WCRF International and its national member shall share in the income derived from the invention to the extent determined by the mutual agreement of WCRF International and the institution, or in the absence of such agreement, in proportion to the WCRF International funding support for the invention.

vii. Assignment
The institution agrees that if it or its licensee has not taken reasonable steps within three years (or any reasonable length of time under the circumstances) after a patent has been issued on a ‘WCRF International invention’ left to its administration, to bring that invention to the point of practical application, and cannot show cause nor any valid reason why it should continue to retain all right, title and interest in the patent, WCRF International shall have the right to require: assignment of the patent to WCRF International or its national member, cancellation of any outstanding exclusive licenses under the patent, and the granting of licenses under the patent to parties designated by WCRF International on whatever terms are reasonable under the circumstances.

Any assignment under this provision will be on terms to be agreed between the institution and WCRF International, such terms to include but not limited to, revenue sharing with the institution and payment by WCRF International of any fees associated with cancellation of licences.

viii. No established policies
If the institution has no established patent policy or procedure for administering inventions, WCRF International shall have the right to determine the disposition of any and all rights in and to a ‘WCRF International invention’ in a manner consistent with the terms of this patent policy, including, but not limited to, the right to decide whether or not patent applications are to be filed; release the ‘WCRF International invention’ to the inventor or the inventor’s designee; submit the invention to a qualified organization for administration and/or licensing; and negotiate with the inventor and/or the institution for the fair share of the royalty income to be paid to the institution and the inventor.

ix. Government and shared rights
If any WCRF International funded invention is made with the joint support of the WCRF global network and any agency or government department, WCRF International may defer to the patent policy of that agency or department, upon its written request, supported by such information and materials as WCRF International may reasonably request (normally to include a copy of the patent policy of the institution).

If the ‘WCRF International invention’ is made with the joint support of the WCRF global network and one or more other organisations, (not an agency or government department), the institution, the inventor, the organisation or organisations and WCRF International, will confer for the purpose of arriving at a fair disposition of the invention rights to the ‘WCRF International invention’.

At all times the institution shall retain a right to use the ‘WCRF International invention’ for research and teaching purposes and the right to sub-license it to other noncommercial organisations on terms consistent with WCRF’s patent policy.

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