Guidelines of the Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung (DSHF) on the awarding of financial support

Introduction

The purpose of the DSHF is to promote fundamental and clinical research in the area of information and care of patients and the prevention, diagnostics, therapy and follow-up treatment of cardiovascular diseases with particular regard for patient-related objectives.

Appraisal process

Applications for support can be made at any time by scientists working in the field of cardiovascular research in Germany and should be submitted to the office of the

Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung
Bockenheimer Landstraße 94-96
60323 Frankfurt am Main

Members of the Scientific Advisory Board or the Executive Board of DSHF are not eligible to apply. The funding is to be regarded as an initial financial award and has as its target group new researchers up to 40 years of age.
The application should be sent online or as 15 copies by post with the application form provided to the DSHF. The forms can be downloaded here as a Zip file. All the documentation required as stated on the form is to be enclosed with the application. The applicant must confide whether a similar funding application or parts of it have been submitted to another organisation.
The application is generally given to two experts for appraisal.
The Executive Board of DSHF will make a decision on the application on the recommendation of the Scientific Advisory Board after an expert opinion has been given and in compliance with the funds available. In general projects are funded around the 60,000 € figure and over a period of up to 2 years.

Duties and obligations of the person responsible for the project

A claim for payment of the approved monies following written approval for funding of the project by the DSHF can only be made when the necessary regulatory and other approvals for the project have been made available to the DSHF.
Partial projects from research associations may only be funded if their autonomy has been adequately substantiated.
The time period and financial plan for the research project must be presented in detail and the costs incurred during the year must be set out clearly and concisely.
At the latest three months after the end of the project an unsolicited final report on the project carried out must be submitted to the DSHF office. This report must contain the purpose of the project, the methods and materials used and the results and effects on clinical practice together with a list of publications emanating from the project. If appropriate publications and abstracts that appear later based on the results of the funded project are to be forwarded.
Publications must be forwarded without request with the endorsement „gefördert durch die Deutsche Herzstiftung/Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung„ or if relevant in English “supported by the German Heart Foundation/German Heart Research Foundation” to the DSHF.

Type of project funding

The funds are made available for personnel costs and materials consumed. Equipment is generally not financed by the DSHF. Staffing for the applicant him/herself cannot be applied for.

Conditions of financial support

The funds are to be used exclusively for the purpose outlined in the application. Should the intended use change during the course of the project or the intention exist to redirect funds an appropriate application must be made in advance and a positive decision pertaining to this awaited.
The funds paid out can be demanded back by the DSHF, if these are not directed towards the purpose approved or are not used within the meaning of „good experimental or clinical practice”.
After the sponsorship has expired a funds utilisation history is to be submitted stating by means of relevant documentation (invoice, bills etc.) what has been spent. In addition the project leader must confirm that the expenditure was necessary and that the funds were used wisely. Finally the Institution administering the funds must submit a confirmatory final invoice.
The DSHF reserves the right to demand back any monies for which no relevant documentary evidence is available.
If the funds approved are not accessed for longer than 6 months after receipt of the written approval and/or the project leader has not given justifiable reasons for this without being asked, the claim for payment will lapse. If this claim has lapsed once support for the project can only be given as a result of a new application and positive decision on renewal.

Publications

The DSHF would like to make the results of the research projects available to the public and interested professional circles. It therefore expects from the grant recipients that they will cooperate in publishing the results and be willing to use their names.
The grant recipient is obligated within 4 weeks of obtaining written approval from the DSHF unsolicited to prepare a press release understandable to the medical layperson covering a maximum two pages of DIN A 4, which can be published on behalf of the DSHF. If some of the project results are of interest to the public the DSHF should be informed if possible without request. A press release understandable for the medical layperson must be enclosed with the final report (a maximum two pages of DIN A 4) on the results of the project.
If the grant recipient(s) intend to present their results to the media - press, radio, television, agency, electronic media or others - the DSHF must be informed. The grant recipient(s) is obligated in any presentation of their project to acknowledge the support of the Deutsche Herzstiftung/Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung (s. para. 9).

Miscellaneous

In individual cases different agreements may be concluded with the grant recipient(s). These are only valid if they are set out in writing and signed by both parties.

Status: April 2007