Private foundations and corporate funders tend to prefer collaborative research that tackles complex challenges from different disciplinary perspectives. Nonetheless, bringing together ideal research teams within large institutions can be difficult particularly if prospective collaborators work in separate departments, schools or campuses. Let’s talk about multidisciplinary research teams and how to set yourself up for success.
The Collaborative Research Imperative
Non-federal funders acknowledge that today’s greatest problems need diverse knowledge. Collaboration of environmental scientists, engineers, social scientists, and policy experts is the key to climate change. Health economists, medical researchers, public health specialists, and community organizers must work together to mitigate healthcare disparities.
According to the National Academies, effective team science requires intentional approaches to creating and sustaining collaborations. However, many institutions do not have any systematic means of identifying and connecting possible collaborators for non-federal funding.
Why Non-Federal Funders Value Collaboration
Collaborative research is attractive to private foundations and corporate partners because complex problems seldom yield to single-disciplinary approaches. To tackle the issue of childhood obesity, a foundation needs researchers in nutrition, exercise physiology, behavioral psychology, food system education, and family.
These collaborative efforts also demonstrate comprehensive approaches to challenges. Funding agencies prefer integrated teams working on challenges holistically over funding several independent projects that address parts of a problem. This strategy can lead to a bigger difference and greater transformation.
Likewise, corporate funders favor collaboration as business problems seldom adhere to disciplinary boundaries. To develop effective patient adherence programs, partnerships involving clinical researchers, behavioral scientists, technology developers and health services researchers are essential.
Substantial Collaborative Funding Opportunities
Funding for collaborative research by non-federal agencies can be substantial. Multi-million-dollar grants are awarded by major private foundations to research teams. For instance, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative funds collaborative research projects for more than $10 million. Corporate research collaborations generally entail substantial multi-year commitments to fund extensive research programs.
These major awards acknowledge that transformative research that addresses complex problems requires significant resources, sustained effort and a diversity of expertise working in true partnership.
The Discovery Problem
The biggest challenge in forming collaborative research teams is identifying the relevant expertise within large and complex institutions. A researcher in cancer may be unaware that a data scientist three buildings away has developed algorithms tailor-made to analyze genomic data. An environmental scientist may be unaware that an economist in another school studies valuation methods ideal for their research question.
Relying on traditional approaches like asking colleagues and attending campus seminars mostly misses out on most potential collaborators. Current research interests are not accurately represented in the faculty directory. Seminars attract limited audiences. Informal networks tend to reinforce existing ties rather than reveal new opportunities.
The discovery issue mainly impacts non-federal funding opportunities geared towards specific needs. It is far more challenging to identify the relevant team members when a foundation seeks a combination of expertise, such as pediatric oncology, community engagement, and health policy experience.
Strategic Team Assembly
Successful collaborative research starts with strategic thinking about what expertise the research question really needs. In many cases, teams assemble opportunistically, combining whoever is available rather than systematically seeking the best possible expertise.
Analyze the research problem in the beginning. Which disciplinary perspectives are essential? What is the needed methodology expertise? Which populations or settings should the team access? It is crucial to establish clear criteria before identifying potential team members.
For success, look beyond disciplinary expertise to complementary skills. Collaborative research teams need members with different competencies, including conceptualization and methodology, stakeholder engagement, and research communication, in order to work effectively.
Geographic Considerations
Geography can complicate multi-campus institutions or regional collaborations. Locating researchers at other campuses, or nearby, who could strengthen proposals requires a search that goes beyond the institution.
Regional collaborations are preferred or required for some non-federal funders. A health foundation might require researchers from multiple institutions within its service area. Collaborations between universities, research institutes, and industry partners across multiple locations can be sought out by partners in the corporate sector.
FundFit tackles the issue of geography by matching researchers and potential collaborators beyond institutional boundaries according to their expertise relevant to funding opportunities. In particular, it will be useful for non-federal research funding that requires partners from multiple institutions or regions.
Assessing Collaboration Readiness
Not every collaboration is worth pursuing. It is essential to have an actual integration and not just names for a proposal for a research to be successful. Assess potential collaborations thoroughly before investing resources.
Are the research approaches of the potential collaborators compatible? Have they previously worked well with others? Do they have the time and resources to contribute meaningfully? Can each member of the team truly integrate their work rather than working on a parallel project independently?
Ineffective partnerships squander time and weaken relationships. It is better to decline collaboration opportunities that lack genuine synergy than to assemble dysfunctional teams that frustrate the people involved.
Balanced Perspectives and Inclusion
Collaborative research can achieve effectiveness through different vantage points. Research teams must encompass a diverse range of perspectives in tackling diverse populations’ problems. Research teams are under pressure to showcase that they have a multitude of original thinkers.
As you form project teams for non-federal research funding, consider whether your team reflects the communities you are studying or the stakeholders who will utilize your research. Teams that show genuine partnerships in the community are more important to foundations than those that collaborate only for academic fairness.
Communication Infrastructure
The success of multidisciplinary research teams is determined by communication quality. Establish expectations for communication before proposal submission. How often will the team meet? What communication tools are you going to use? How will you deal with disputes?
In collaboration agreements, document the expectations regarding roles, responsibilities, authorship, intellectual property and dispute resolution. While it may appear excessive for major projects, this documentation prevents misunderstandings that disrupt collaborations.
Leveraging Technology
The use of technology allows for collaborative research that was previously impossible. Video conferencing is a good way for many teams working in different locations to meet frequently. Collaborative documents create shared online workspaces. Project management tools are useful for progress and deadline tracking.
Nonetheless, it is not only technology that can create successful collaborations. In addition to task-oriented meetings, teams need to develop standards regarding technology use, respond to communications and create space to build relationships.
The Role of Research Development Professionals
A research development professional facilitates collaborative research for organizations and researchers. They help identify potential partners, organize the first meeting, and support teams in assessing funding fit and proposal development.
Nevertheless, research development professionals require tools that allow them to identify potential collaborators. Looking through faculty profiles manually or purely using personal knowledge is not very effective, particularly for non-federal funding opportunities that require very specific combinations of expertise.
Intellectual Contributions
For collaborative research to succeed, every team member must contribute intellectually. Funders are more and more worried about a team’s composition, finding it hard to believe all members are necessary, or that some are not there to fulfil demographic boxes or access funding.
When putting together teams for non-federal research funding proposals, be clear about what each member contributes. How does their expertise bolster the research? What would be lost without their participation?
Building Long-Term Partnerships
The most valuable collaborations extend beyond single funding opportunities. Initial projects that work well often lead to sustained partnerships producing multiple research outputs and securing diverse funding sources over years.
Invest in collaborations accordingly. Take time to understand collaborators’ research interests and goals. Look for opportunities to support their work, not just to benefit from their expertise. Strong research relationships become institutional assets generating returns over time.
AI-Enabled Team Building for Multidisciplinary Research Teams
AI-based research funding platforms tackle the collaborative team-building challenge by analyzing the institutional research capabilities and proposing ideal teams for funding opportunities.
FundFit allows institutions to find suitable researchers and partners that fit every funder’s goal by reviewing faculty members’ knowledge, research issues, and previous collaborations. This capability proves especially useful for non-federal research funding that mandates specific team compositions.
Using AI-enabled approaches, you can identify potential collaborators who possess the necessary capabilities based on specific criteria. This systematic method uncovers opportunities that informal searching methods miss.
Explore how FundFit can help you build stronger collaborative research teams →
