Research funding opportunities
All major funders provide information about their schemes via their websites. From these sites you will be able to access details of each scheme, guidance for applicants and application forms, as well as closing dates.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is a key funder for primary care research. Their funding is organised via the NIHR Central Commissioning Facility (CCF) and the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC). Information about the programmes falling under each is available on the NIHR website.
Research Councils also provide research funding and the individual Research Councils can all be accessed via the the Research Councils' UK website.
A list of all major funders has been compiled on the University of Leeds R&D Funding website and includes government funding, NIHR funding, Charity funding, international sources, and ‘long shots’.
Deadlines can change, so be sure to check the sites regularly.
NIHR Funding Opportunities
Below is a table showing the upcoming funding deadlines from the NIHR NETSCC and NIHR CCF. A second table describes in brief, the remit of each programme.
| Deadline | Name of Programme | Specific Call |
|---|
| 02/05/2013 | NIHR Health Technology Assessment | Commissioned Primary Research |
| 13/05/2013 | NIHR Health Technology Assessment | Researcher led |
| 16/05/2013 | NIHR Health Services & Delivery Research | Commissioned |
| 23/05/2013 | NIHR Health Services & Delivery Research | Researcher Led |
| 29/05/2013 | NIHR i4i Invention for Innovation | Challenge Award |
| 10/07/2013 | NIHR i4i Invention for Innovation | Product Development |
| 02/09/2013 | NIHR Health Technology Assessment | Researcher led |
| 03/10/2013 | NIHR Health Services & Delivery Research | Researcher Led |
| 15/10/2013 | NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research | Competition 15 |
| Name of Programme | Grant limits | Remit |
|---|
| Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation | No limit | Science driven' studies with an expectation of substantial health gain. Includes evaluations of new treatments, including therapeutics (small molecule and biologic), psychological interventions, public health, diagnostics and medical devices. Treatments or interventions intended to prevent disease are also included. |
| NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research | £2 Million | health services research; public health research; behavioural research; economic evaluations; and modelling. Delivering research findings that will have practical application for the benefit of patients |
| Public Health Research | No limit | Evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of public health interventions. |
| NIHR Health Technology Assessment | No limit | Effectiveness of different healthcare treatments and tests for those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS |
| Research for Patient Benefit | £250K | Direct benefits for NHS patients. |
| i4i Invention for Innovation | No limit | Progression of innovative medical product prototypes. |
| NIHR Health Services & Delivery Research | £2 Million (variable) | Evidence synthesis and primary research. This includes large scale studies of national importance. The programme will not fund laboratory-based or basic science research, the setting-up or maintenance of research units, or proposals which are solely service developments, audits or needs assessments |
| Bupa Foundation Philip-Poole Wilson Seed Corn Fund | £20K | Research into 1) Achieving sustained behaviour in relation to smoking, diet, physical activity and/or alcohol, 2) Facilitating wellbeing and preventing mental ill health, 3) improving patient decision making or 4) improving the design of community health activities by using new technologies to cost-effectively organise and interpret outcome data. Either a young researcher or a pilot project with a training aspect for a young researcher. Maximum of 12 months. |
| Bupa Foundation Research Grants | £100K | Research into 1) Achieving sustained behaviour in relation to smoking, diet, physical activity and/or alcohol, 2) Facilitating wellbeing and preventing mental ill health, 3) improving patient decision making or 4) improving the design of community health activities by using new technologies to cost-effectively organise and interpret outcome data. Not a pilot project, and must led by an experienced researcher. |