Skip to Content Skip to Navigation

SCIENCES
SAVES LIVES

THE FUNDING PROCESS
HOW WE DECIDE: PEER REVIEW FUNDING PROCESS

NBCF is committed to integrity, accountability and transparency when we award funds. Through our grant schemes, we provide funding across a whole spectrum of breast cancer research – from basic discovery studies to accelerating the translation of results into clinical practice. In order to determine which of the many applications we receive should be funded, we coordinate a rigorous peer review process.

Applications

APPLICATIONS

An open and competitive call is issued for each of our funding schemes. Over 100 Australia-based breast cancer researchers apply for NBCF funding each year. All applications go through our peer review process to select the best researchers proposing the best projects that will make the biggest headway towards our goal of Zero Deaths from breast cancer.

review period

REVIEW PERIOD - Peer review committee

Research peers (researchers and clinicians with relevant breast cancer expertise) review and score the applications, focusing on the scientific merits and looking at quality, feasibility and potential impact of each application.

review period

REVIEW PERIOD - Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP)

NBCF defines consumers as patients and potential patients, carers and people who use health care services. The CAP is made up of consumers with a direct personal experience of breast cancer, either as a patient or carer. The CAP review and score applications independently of the scientific merit.

Research advisory committee (RAC)

NBCF’s RAC review the outcomes from the peer and consumer review processes. They then provide recommendations to the NBCF Board on which applications should be funded.

NBCF Board

The NBCF Board makes the final decision on which applications receive funding. The Board takes into account the advice of the RAC and the amount of funding available. About a quarter of grant applications are funded each year.

Researcher Reporting

After being awarded a grant, researchers provide yearly progress reports on the project, to ensure they are making satisfactory progress and are delivering the anticipated research outcomes.