Where to find funding
Where to find funding
NIHR is the nation’s largest funder of health and care research, spending £1 billion from the Department of Health and Social Care on research every year. However, a wide range of bodies fund health and social care research, including charities i.e. Alzheimer’s Society and the Medical Research Council, or industry, some fund projects jointly. Most have specific areas of interest and many are disease specific. Sources of further information include (note this is not an exhaustive list):
- Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) is the national membership organisation for medical and health research charities. AMRC members support over one-third of all UK publicly-funded medical research in the UK, with members investing over £1.2 billion in health research in the UK in 2012.
- Medical Research Council (MRC) funds research through a range of grants, calls, highlight notices, studentships and fellowships.
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds a range of programmes addressing a broad range of health priorities. Funding is based on the quality and relevance of the research to personal social services, public health and the NHS.
- NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) is part of the NIHR, manages a number of research programmes, including: Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation; Health Services and Delivery Research; Health Technology Assessment; Public Health Research; and Systematic Reviews.
- UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) many different organisations fund health research in the UK. The UKCRC has developed a coherent approach to health research funding by providing a forum to coordinate the activities of funding bodies and by developing an evidence base to inform strategic planning.
- UK Research Office (UKRO) is the European office of the UK Research Councils. Activities include providing details on European Commission funding opportunities.
There is support available to you when preparing a grant application.
Specific Calls
Funder |
Clinical area |
Research question |
Criteria |
Amount |
Deadline |
Generic Calls
Funder |
Clinical area |
Title |
Criteria |
Amount |
Deadline |
NIHR ARC North Thames |
n/a
|
Knowledge Mobilisation Fellows
|
Four fellowships available: Mental Health and Dementia Starting living ageing well Tackling health inequalities Prevention in social care Webinar: 25th October 2024 at 10am |
PT role compensation
|
04/11/2024, 12 noon. |
NIHR East of England |
n/a
|
Research: Measuring Health and Care / Mental Health / Social Care Impact: Implementation, Knowledge Mobilisation |
If the Research or Impact project is NHS based, NIHR strongly encourage aligning your project focus to the Darzi review of the NHS. For Research or Impact projects in social care or other non-NHS settings, the applicant can prioritise their own research/impact questions. Webinars: 7 and 25 November 2024 |
£12,500
|
06/01/2025, 12 noon. |
NIHR |
n/a
|
Better Methods, Better Research (BMBR) funds the development of generalisable methods that underpin research. This includes biomedical, health and social care research. These methods must be applicable beyond a single case study or research question. They need to be applicable as they are, without significant modification. Methodology research should also be developed with end-user engagement. |
80% of full economic cost, (max £625,000)
|
04/12/2024, 13:00. |
|
NIHR |
n/a
|
The Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme funds ambitious studies evaluating interventions with potential to make a step-change in the promotion of health, treatment of disease and improvement of rehabilitation or long-term care.
|
3 researcher-led per year
|
10/12/2024, 13:00. (Stage 1) |
|
NIHR |
Brain tumour care, support and rehabilitation
|
Care, support, and rehabilitation for patients with brain tumours |
Studies may focus on any type or grade of primary adult and/or paediatric brain tumour. This includes low-grade or ‘benign’ tumours and high-grade tumours that are cancerous, primary brain tumours that have metastasised, recurrent or relapsed disease, and studies on patients in remission or living with brain cancer. Studies focusing on the support network for patients with brain tumours (family, carers, healthcare workforce) are also within scope.
|
3 researcher-led per year
|
01/01/2025, 13:00. (Stage 1) |
NIHR |
Mental Health
|
Research in Mental Health Nursing (HSDR Programme) |
Research proposals must fall within the remit of the Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) Programme which aims to produce rigorous and relevant evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health and social care services.
|
3 researcher-led per year
|
08/01/2025, 13:00. |
NIHR |
Mental Health
|
NIHR NICE Rolling Call (HTA Programme) |
The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme funds evidence synthesis as well as primary research, into the clinical and cost-effectiveness, and broader impact of healthcare treatments, tests, and other interventions. The programme is interested in receiving applications to meet recommendations in research identified in NICE guidance that has been published or updated in the last 5 years.
|
3 researcher-led per year
|
08/01/2025, 13:00. (Stage 1) |
PhD Fellowships
Funder |
Clinical area |
Summary |
Criteria |
Amount |
Deadline |