A1: There are a number of levels of involvement in the DTC :

1. Involvement as a fully-funded research provider :
Becoming involved at level 1 is relatively easy, based on the opportunities that exist to propose DTC research items, which are selected for the DTC's programme on merit and then are fully funded through the DTC. See our section on Proposing DTC Research for more details.

2. Involvement as a provider of a small amount of Contribution in Kind :
Level 2 involvement could be as well as or instead of involvement at level 1. We have a few organisations presently involved in the DTC who provide support, advice or specialist facilities to the full consortium partners as a free contribution in return for a level of access to specific areas of DTC work. Agreement on becoming involved in this way would depend on assessment of what the organisation had to offer to the DTC.

3. Involvement in a 'structural' sense as a full consortium partner :
Level 3 organisations provide significant Contribution in Kind (at least £500K each year) and sit on the DTC's Board and Management Team.

For a new organisation to become involved at Level 3 would involve a good deal of work on the part of both the new organisation and the existing consortium partners: the existing consortium partners have agreed leadership roles covering the various areas of the DTC's operation and so the new organisation would have to put a compelling case to the existing consortium partners and to the DTC Board as to why existing structures should be changed to accommodate them (and this wouldn't happen overnight even if accepted).

It is very unlikely that an organisation would become involved at Level 3 without having previously been involved at Levels 1 and/or 2 and thus having had the chance to build relationships within the DTC.