Supporting early career researchers to build a grantee pipeline

The world of research thrives on fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. Early Career Researchers (ECRs), with their boundless enthusiasm and eagerness to explore uncharted territories, are the lifeblood of this dynamic ecosystem. But navigating the often-complex landscape of academia and research can be daunting for these budding talents. This is where targeted support becomes not just beneficial, but essential.

This report details a learning review undertaken by the Oak Foundation’s Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Programme. The review assesses the foundation’s investments in fostering new research talent in the field of  Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) prevention. Interviews with project leads and early career researchers from the programme, as well as peer organisations, shed light on current models of supporting new research talent while identifying key challenges and opportunities for improvement. The review emphasises the importance of:

1. Promoting research with social impact: Supporting research that translates into tangible benefits for communities and influences policy is crucial.
2. Fostering an inclusive and understanding the diverse needs of ECRs: Recognising the unique challenges faced by ECRs, particularly in LMICs, is crucial. Programmes should provide tailored support, addressing social, cultural, and economic barriers.
3. Strengthening mentorship and networking opportunities: Effective mentorship is vital for ECR development, and networking opportunities facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration.
4. Equitable research environment: A focus on diversity and inclusion across gender, geography, ethnicity, and other factors is essential for developing a vibrant and impactful research community.

Supporting Early Career Researchers to Build a Grantee Pipeline

The report offers extensive recommendations and insights on how to effectively support early career researchers (ECRs) to build a pipeline of future grantees. The following is a consolidated approach funders can explore:

1. Funding Strategies:

• • Direct Funding to Individuals and Local Institutions: Prioritise funding individuals rather than institutions to ensure resources reach ECRs directly and empower them to shape their research. Complement this by directly supporting local institutions, bypassing international intermediaries to strengthen local research capacities in the long run.
  • Long-term Financial Support: Offer sustained funding beyond initial projects, recognising the precarious nature of research careers, particularly in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Explore options like career transition grants and post-project engagement to aid ECRs in establishing themselves.

2. Holistic Capacity Building:

• • Beyond Research Skills: Go beyond technical research training by offering holistic capacity building programmes encompassing leadership, communication, policy engagement, ethical research conduct, and grant writing skills.
  • Tailored Mentorship: Invest in diverse mentoring models, including peer and group mentoring, addressing the need for both technical expertise and human-centred coaching. Ensure representativity among mentors, offering ECRs from diverse backgrounds relatable figures.
  • Collaborative Learning: Facilitate ‘learning-by-doing’ opportunities, such as supervising junior researchers or cascading learning approaches where ECRs teach each other. Encourage comparative learning experiences with research teams from different countries.
  • Focus on Social Value: Encourage researchers to think beyond publications and consider the social value of their work. Integrate this into calls for proposals and offer support in translating research into practice.

3. Networking and Collaboration:

• • Online and Face-to-Face: Combine the reach of online platforms with the power of in-person gatherings for networking and collaboration. Offer online courses, build virtual communities, and organise conferences, workshops, and fellows’ meetings.
  • Prioritise South-South Connections: Encourage collaborations between researchers from different LMICs to foster a more equitable research landscape and build on shared contextual understanding.

4. Addressing Systemic Challenges:

• • Systemic Change: Recognise that individual support is insufficient. Engage with institutions to advocate for systemic changes that promote ECR inclusion, address structural discrimination, and improve research support infrastructure.
  • Support for Caretakers: Acknowledge the barriers women and caretakers face. Offer practical support like childcare provisions during conferences or flexible project timelines to ensure inclusivity.

5. Strategic Partnerships:

• • Harness Existing Initiatives: Build on the strengths of diverse partners like think tanks, NGOs, and universities to offer complementary support and leverage expertise.
  • Foster Cross-Fertilisation: Facilitate connections between funders, grantees, and partners to identify synergies, avoid duplication of efforts, and promote collective problem-solving.

6. Building an Equitable Research Environment:

• • Gender and Intersectional Lens: Apply a gender lens throughout programme design and implementation. Consider the diverse needs and challenges of women and underrepresented groups. Advocate for institutional reforms to address systemic discrimination.
  • Contextually Informed Approaches: Adapt selection criteria, project timelines, and support mechanisms to accommodate the diverse career trajectories and contextual realities of ECRs, particularly in LMICs.
  • Accessible Communication: Recognise language barriers and promote the dissemination of research findings in diverse languages. Encourage wider accessibility of research outputs beyond English-speaking audiences.

7. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning:

• • Develop a robust Theory of Change: Clearly define the desired long-term outcomes for ECR development and establish a corresponding MEL framework to assess impact and guide future strategies.
  • Qualitative Approaches: Embrace qualitative evaluation methods, like interviews and tracer studies, to understand the nuanced impact of support programmes on ECR career trajectories and societal contributions

By implementing these comprehensive strategies, funders can effectively nurture the talent of ECRs, building a robust pipeline of future grantees who are equipped to make meaningful contributions to research and societal progress.