Funding calls
This page is being updated with current funding calls that may be of interest. Click on the links to take you through to the funders website for more information.
NIHR – Current funding opportunities
For the list of all current NIHR funding calls visit https://www.nihr.ac.uk/researchers/funding-opportunities/
Cancer Research UK – Current funding awards
For the list of all current Cancer Research UK funding awards: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/funding-for-researchers/our-funding-schemes
SBRI: Enhancing medical supply chain resilience with drones
Organisations can apply for a share of £500,000, inclusive of VAT. They will deliver projects that enhance understanding of how drone solutions can help improve resilience in healthcare supply chains, including NHS logistics. Deadline: 20 December 2023. For more information: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1762/overview/
Analysis for Innovators (A4I) Round 12 – stage 1
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £2.25 million to resolve productivity and competitiveness issues by working with top scientists and research facilities. Deadline: 3 January 2024. For more information: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1793/overview/
Transforming Cancer Therapeutics
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £10 million to develop next generation immunotherapies for cancer or life-changing treatments for paediatric cancers. Deadline: 24 January 2024. For more information: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1797/overview/
Wellcome Early-Career Awards
This scheme provides funding for early-career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Through innovative projects, they will deliver shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing. By the end of the award, they will be ready to lead their own independent research programme. For more information: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/early-career-awards
Muscular Dystrophy UK: Research grant
Muscular Dystrophy UK are currently offering funding for PhD studentships and project grants (including up to three-year project grants and shorter, proof-of-principle projects such as pilot studies of up to one year) that have relevance to one or more type of muscular dystrophy or a related neuromuscular condition. They will fund research across the breadth of conditions supported by the charity, including rare and very-rare conditions. For more information: https://www.musculardystrophyuk.org/research/for-researchers/applying-for-a-research-grant/grant-round-2024
NIHR Reducing compound pressures on the NHS and social care
The NIHR wants to generate high-quality research evidence into the evaluation of health and care interventions and services, to reduce compound pressures on the NHS and social care. This cross-programme call for research supports the recently published Department of Health and Social Care Areas of Research Interest, which calls for high quality evidence to support those who plan, commission, manage, deliver and use services across the health, public health and social care sector.
NIHR welcomes applications for both new primary research studies to establish the effectiveness of new, promising or existing interventions, and implementation science, evidence synthesis and policy research to support the translation of effective interventions into policy and practice.
The following NIHR programmes are accepting applications to this call:
NIHR Palliative and end of life care
This call for applied health and social care research studies aims to increase the evidence base to support health and care services to help people at the end of their lives to live as well as possible and to die with dignity, compassion and comfort. The scope for research includes the impact on patients, families, carers, and workforce, as well as an evaluation of the impact on and uncertainties within the health and social care system. NIHR welcome research proposals for palliative and end of life care in any disease, service or setting, including (but not limited to) hospitals, hospices, specialist centres and services, community services, home and care homes.
The following NIHR programmes are accepting applications for this call:
UK – Germany Bilateral: Collaborative R&D Round 2
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £4 million for projects resulting in innovative solutions for emerging technologies. You must collaborate with at least one German SME applying under the equivalent German ZIM programme. For more information: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1710/overview/53ba320d-aa90-447d-9400-ba3b3cfa102b#scope
Wellcome Discovery Awards
This scheme provides funding for established researchers and teams from any discipline who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing. For more information: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/discovery-awards
NIHR: 23/101 Early detection of liver disease
The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is accepting Stage 1 applications to their commissioned workstream for this primary research topic. For more information: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/23101-early-detection-of-liver-disease/33881
British Heart Foundation: Clinical Study Grants
Clinical Study Grants support funding for:
- Interventional clinical trials: trials of specific interventions or pathways of care for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Interventions include drugs, surgery, devices, psychological, physical and educational interventions.
- Observational studies of specific patient groups that are hypothesis led and address a defined clinical question(s) over a fixed timescale (up to 5 years). The population of interest should be a patient population, who will usually be recruited within the NHS. The study should have a predefined outcome(s) that will lead to changes in clinical management directly or will inform the development of a clinical trial to test an intervention.
- Clinical studies can include a mechanistic evaluation, either as a substudy within a clinical trial or as part of an observational study.
For more information: https://www.bhf.org.uk/for-professionals/information-for-researchers/what-we-fund/clinical-study