Research Programme Grants
When applying for a research programme grant, the Principle Investigator should have a substantial record of successfully securing research funding and delivering high quality research.
There are a range of different research programme grants offered throughout each year by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Medical Research Council (MRC) and Wellcome.
For details of eligibility, duration and costs included, please click on the relevant programme.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Research and Innovation have a dedicated team to assist with research funding applications. For further information about where to begin with the funding, application process, and study set up please contact us.
National Institute for Health Research
NIHR Global Health Research Groups
We are pleased to launch a third call for Global Health Research Groups that will meet the aims and ambitions set out in the following documents. The call will have two closing dates (Autumn 2020 and Summer 2021) to reflect the different challenges research teams may face in developing high quality applications during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opened; June 2020
Closing date; 18th May 2021
NIHR Global Health Research Units
We are pleased to launch a second call for Global Health Research Units that will meet the aims and ambitions set out in the following documents. The call will have two closing dates (Autumn 2020 and Summer 2021) to reflect the different challenges research teams may face in developing high quality applications during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opened; June 2020
Closing date; 18th May 2021
Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation - Call 4
The fourth call of the Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) programme will fund research on unintentional injuries, and urgent and emergency care, in low and middle income countries (LMICs).
The RIGHT programme funds interdisciplinary applied health research on areas of unmet need where a strategic and targeted investment can result in a transformative impact. The programme aims to strengthen capacity for research and boost knowledge exchange through funding equitable partnerships between researchers in the UK and those in LMICs that are eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding.
RIGHT call 4 will award funding to address the global burden of unintentional injuries (including but not limited to road traffic accidents, falls, burns and drowning), and urgent and emergency care. This funding opportunity is open to lead applicants from UK or LMIC institutions. Please refer to the Applicant Guidancefor further details about applicant eligibility
Opened; 11th November 2020
Closing date; 10th March 2021
Global Health Research Centres Call 1 - Research and Institutional Capacity Strengthening in Non-Communicable Diseases
The first call of the Global Health Research Centres programme will fund and designate NIHR Global Health Research Centres in non-communicable diseases.
The Global Health Research Centres programme provides substantive funding to support research-driven partnerships between institutions in low and middle income countries (LMICs) and in the UK.
The first call will fund centres to undertake high quality research in non-communicable diseases and support the development of a critical mass of sustainable, competitive research capacity.
Funding awards of up to £10 million over five years (with an option to add two extra years) are available to consortia made up of one UK institution and up to four LMIC institutions.
Submission deadline; 31st March 2021
Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme
The EME Programme looks to attract studies with novel methodological designs that deliver results more efficiently, reduce the study timeline, and maximise the knowledge gained. The translational research it supports covers a wide range of new and repurposed interventions, such as diagnostic or prognostic tests and decision-making tools, therapeutics or psychological treatments, medical devices, and public health initiatives delivered in the NHS.
The EME programme is a partnership between the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the NIHR.
Key information
Launch date - 01st October
Closing date - 01st December 2020
20/86 Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme Researcher-led
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 12th August 2020
Closing date for outline application - 01st December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/58 Interventions in Paediatric Care
Key information
Launch date - 24th June 2020
Closing date stage 1 - 01st December 2020
Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR)
The Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) Programme funds research to produce evidence to impact on the quality, accessibility and organisation of health and social care services. This includes evaluations of how the NHS and social care might improve delivery of services. The HS&DR Programme supports a range of types of research including evidence synthesis and primary research, including large scale studies of national importance.
20/113 Health Services & Delivery Researcher Programme (Standard Researcher-led)
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 21st October 2020
Closing date for outline application - 04th February 2021
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/112 Health Service & Delivery Research Programme (Evidence Synthesis Researcher-led)
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 21st October 2020
Closing date for outline application - 04th February 2021
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
Call open: 1 October 2020
Call close: 1pm on 4 February 2021
Remit and competitive decision notification: mid-late February 2021 (only unsuccessful applicants will be notified at this stage)
Stage 1 Shortlisting decision notification: early-April 2021
Stage 2 writing window: early April 2021 - end of May 2021 (8 weeks)
Stage 2 Funding decision notification: mid-August 2021
Study start date: November/ 1 December 2021 or 1 January 2022
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Call open: 16 Sept 2020
Notification of intention to submit: 02 November 2020
Call close: 1pm on 02 December 2020
Remit and competitive decision notification: mid-December 2020 (only unsuccessful applicants will be notified at this stage)
Funding decision notification: mid-February 2021
Study start date: 01 April 2021 (this is the preferred date, or as soon as practicable)
20/70 Self-neglect in the community
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Call open: 09th July 2020
Submission deadline: 28th January 2021
Remit and competitiveness decision notification: by mid-February 2021 (only if unsuccessful)
Stage 1 shortlisting decision notification: mid-April 2021
Stage 2 writing window: mid-April - mid-June 2021 (8 weeks)
Stage 2 funding decision notification: mid-August 2021
Suggested study start dates: November/ 1 December 2021 or 1 January 2022
Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
Health Technology Assessment (HTA) research is undertaken where some evidence already exists to show that a technology can be effective and this needs to be compared to the current standard intervention to see which works best. Research can evaluate any intervention used in the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of disease, provided the study outcomes lead to findings that have the potential to be of direct benefit to NHS patients. Proposals may include primary research, evidence synthesis, or feasibility and pilot studies.
NIHR statement -
We understand that many people will be prioritising NHS work and supporting COVID 19 research during the current pandemic. It is NIHR policy that these should always be the priority as reinforced by our April Programme Director’s message. It is also NIHR policy to keep the future research pipeline healthy and to support the research community. The HTA Programme is therefore advertising the following topics for stage 1 applications with a 16 week preparation period and deadline of 29 July 2020 unless otherwise stated. Please also note that these first stage applications do not need to contain a large amount of detail and that we only ask for estimates of costs at this stage.
20/109 Shorter vs longer fixed-course antibiotic treatments
Launch date; 15th October 2020
Stage 1 Submission date; 05th May 2021
Stage 1 outcome; TBC
Stage 2 submission date; TBC
Launch date - 01st October 2020
Closing date - 06th January 2021
Key information
Two stage process?- Yes
Launch date - 26th August 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 02nd December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 23rd July 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 02nd December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/73 Surgery for endometrioma in women undergoing IVF *Australian collaborations welcome*
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 23rd July 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 02nd December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/74 Antidepressants for post-stroke emotionalism *Australian collaborations welcome*
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 23rd July 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 02nd December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 23rd July 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 02nd December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 23rd July 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 02nd December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/77 Treatment of recurrent patella dislocation *Australian collaborations welcome*
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 23rd July 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 31st March 2021
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/22 Rectus sheath blockade in emergency laparotomy
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 07th May 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 02nd December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/37 Health Technology Assessment Programme researcher-led evidence synthesis
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 03rd September 2020
Closing date for application - 06th January 2021
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/38 Health technology Assessment Programme researcher-led primary research
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 03rd September 2020
Closing date for application - 06th January 2021
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/40 HTA oral and dental health
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 06th May 2020
Closing date for application - 02nd December 2020
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
20/28 Repair and rehabilitation of hand flexor tendon injury
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 03rd April 2020
Closing date for stage 1 application - 06th January 2021
Open/Closed - Open
Outcome - TBC
Invention for Innovation (i4i)
The aim of the i4i programme is to de-risk early stage projects that have a strong potential for commercialisation and acceptance for use in the NHS, making them attractive to follow-on funders. i4i funds research that has demonstrated proof-of-principle and has a clear pathway towards adoption and commercialisation.
Product Development Awards (PDA) ~ Researcher Led
Key information
Call 21
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 20th October 2020
Closing date stage one - 09th December 2020
Outcome of stage 1 - TBC
Stage two - TBC
Open/Closed - Open
Invention for Innovation Connect - Call 4
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 19th August 2020
Closing date stage one -16th September 2020
Outcome of stage 1 - October 2020
Stage two submission date - 28th October 2020
Open/Closed - Opening soon!
Two stage process? - Yes
Launch date - 04th November 2020
Closing date stage one - 12th January 2021
Open/Closed - Open
Programme Development Grants (PDG)
NIHR Programme Development Grants (PDG) are available to carry out targeted preparatory work to strengthen a future full Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) funding award. There are three funding rounds launched per year.
Key information
Two stage process? - No
Launch date - 18th November 2020
Submission deadline - 13th January 2021
Outcome - Mid-December 2020
Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR)
The aim of NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) is to deliver research findings that will lead to clear and identifiable patient benefits, typically through promotion of health, prevention of ill health, and optimal disease management (including safety and quality).
PGfAR is researcher led and does not specify topics for research. However, the research must be in an area of priority or need for the NHS and the social care sector of the Department of Health and Social Care, with particular emphasis on areas that cause significant burden, where other research funders may not be focused, or where insufficient funding is available.
PGfAR has three funding opportunities a year that typically launch in February, June and October.
Programme Grants for Applied Research - Competition 34
Key information
Currently closed. Re-opening February 2021
Policy Research Programme (PRP)
The Policy Research Programme (PRP) commissions policy research to support the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Ministers, and Senior Officials in the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and its Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs). The PRP funds policy research in three main ways:
Large-scale initiatives comprising linked groups of studies, or single projects, through the Policy Research Programme (PRP)
Long term programmes of research in Policy Research Units (PRUs), based at leading academic institutions
Responsive literature or scoping reviews, through the Reviews Facility and the Call-off Analytical Facility.
Artificial Intelligence for Multiple Long-Term Conditions (AIM)
The NIHR invites proposals to undertake programmes of research to spearhead the use of artificial intelligence (AI) methods to develop insights for the identification and subsequent prevention of multiple long-term conditions (multimorbidity) or MLTC-M.
Research funded through this initiative will use AI and data science methods, combined with expertise in clinical practice, applied health and care research and social science, to systematically identify or explore clusters of disease. In addition to the identification and mapping of new clusters of disease, the call seeks research to better understand the trajectories of patients with MLTC-M over time and throughout the life course, including the influence of wider determinants such as environmental, behavioural and psychosocial factors.
In order to facilitate new collaborations and build capability, this call has a two-stream approach.
- Research Collaboration - two stage application process for existing groups can apply for full Research Collaboration funding, building on their strong base of multi-disciplinary researchers and bringing on board new disciplines to meet the remit of the call, as required. Awards of £2.5-5m will be available for up to 36 months for a full Research Collaboration in wave 1.
- Development Award - single stage application process for applicants who are interested in applying but need more time and resources to develop a competitive proposal, may apply for a preparatory Development Award of up to £120k for 8 months before applying for a full Research Collaboration of £2.5-4m over up to 30 months at wave 2. Development Award holders will submit their full Research Collaboration application to the Wave 2 call.
Open date; 29th June 2020
Closing date; 29th September 2020
Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs commissioning brief
*Launches early 2021*
Public Health Research Programme
Many of the currently advertised PHR Programme funding opportunities may be impacted by and can be related to the COVID-19 situation. For research proposals focused primarily on COVID-19 interventions please apply via the NIHR COVID-19 Urgent Public Health Research process.
20/118 Methodological development in public health
The Public Health Research Programme (PHR) accepting stage 2 applications to their commissioned workstream for this topic. This is a 'Straight to Stage 2' process and Stage 1 applications are not required.
Evidence underpinning public health interventions is often generated by methods that were developed to answer questions about the effectiveness of clinical interventions and are often not the most appropriate for evaluating complex public health interventions. For this call, the NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) programme would like to commission research on methodological development to support public health intervention research across all sectors and disciplines.
We anticipate that a range of projects in size and scope will be commissioned (between £50K - £250K). The outputs will need to be delivered by December 2021.
Open date; 10th November 2020
Closing date; 15th January 2021
20/114 Unlocking data to inform public health policy and practice
The Public Health Research (PHR) Programme are accepting Stage 2 applications. This is a 'Straight to Stage 2' process and Stage 1 applications are not required.
Closing date; 07th January 2021
20/83 Public Health Research Programme Researcher-Led
Key information;
Open date; 04th August 2020
Closing date; 17th November 2020
Two stage application process? - Yes
Outcome of stage 1; February 2021
Stage two submission date; April 2021
Medical Research Council
Joint Global Health Trials (JGHT) Call 11 – outline stage
Key information:
This scheme seeks to support research that addresses the health problems affecting low and middle income countries (LMICs) by funding definitive trials that are likely to produce implementable and generalisable results to change policy and practice.
The scheme is targeted at trials led by academic groups, and not at trials led by commercial companies or product development partnerships (PDPs).
Opening date; May 2020
Closing date for outline proposal; 08th October 2020
Decision on outline proposal; December 2020
Submission deadline for full application; 25th February 2021
Decision/ Outcome; June 2021
Second Call for Transformative Healthcare Technologies – Pre-announcement and engagement event
Key information
EPSRC, in collaboration with MRC, will be inviting proposals for adventurous (high risk, high gain) projects as part of the second phase of the Transformative Healthcare Technologies for 2050 call (Transformative Healthcare Technologies 2.0 call). This call will target projects that are guided by a longer-term vision to pursue new, “high risk high reward” ideas and develop thinking and approaches supported by the next generation of underpinning science, engineering and emerging technologies in the healthcare space.
Engagement event key dates
Open to applications to attend: 10th June 2020
Closing date: 30th July 2020
Call key dates
Open/ Closed; Opening September 2020
Outline proposal deadline: Early November 2020
Outline proposal decision: Mid December 2020
Full proposal deadline: Early March 2021
Key information
The Medical Research Council (MRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and Versus Arthritis are pleased to announce that they will shortly be launched a £14m call for large and ambitious multidisciplinary consortia.
Open/Closed; Expressions of interest are now open from 29th May 2020
Two stage process? Yes
Submission deadline: 20th September 2020 (subject to change, based on COVID-19)
Programme grants provide larger, longer term (five years) and renewable programme funding. They aim to help the medical science community to ‘think bigger’. A programme is defined as a coordinated and coherent group of related projects, which may be developed to address an interrelated set of questions across a broad scientific area.
The expectation is that not all the questions will necessarily be answered within the tenure of the award. Parts of the programme may well be a continuation of current activity; however, other elements should be innovative and ambitious.
Key information
Open to: Academic groups with a track record of research activity.
Two stage process? - No, however please note the pre-application stage.
Pre-application stage: Applicants interested in submitting a partnership grant must contact the appropriate MRC programme manager and provide a brief abstract of the partnership grant to help them consider fit to the scheme. This initial contact with the MRC programme manager should take place a minimum of six weeks before the relevant submission deadline.
Full application closing date - Depending on the remit of the science, Programme grants should be submitted to one of the four research boards rounds: Infections & Immunity, Molecular & Cellular Medicine, Neurosciences & Mental Health, Population & Systems Medicine. Deadlines for the Boards can be found here: https://mrc.ukri.org/funding/deadlines/
Outcome: Various, please see the funding call page for further details.
Open/Closed - Deadlines for the Boards can be found here: https://mrc.ukri.org/funding/deadlines/
The partnership grant scheme is designed to support novel partnerships between diverse groupings of researchers. Funding will be provided to establish new, high-value collaborative activities/capabilities that should add value to high-quality scientific programmes that are already supported by grants from the MRC and other funders. It is not designed to fund stand-alone, hypothesis-driven research projects, which may otherwise be eligible for MRC research or programme grant type funding.
Key information
Open to: Academic groups with a track record of research activity.
Two stage process? - No, however please note the pre-application stage.
Pre-application stage: Applicants interested in submitting a partnership grant must contact the appropriate MRC programme manager and provide a brief abstract of the partnership grant to help them consider fit to the scheme. This initial contact with the MRC programme manager should take place a minimum of six weeks before the relevant submission deadline.
Full application closing date - Depending on the remit of the science, Programme grants should be submitted to one of the four research boards rounds: Infections & Immunity, Molecular & Cellular Medicine, Neurosciences & Mental Health, Population & Systems Medicine. Deadlines for the Boards can be found here: https://mrc.ukri.org/funding/deadlines/
Outcome: Various, please see the funding call page for further details.
Open/Closed - Deadlines for the Boards can be found here: https://mrc.ukri.org/funding/deadlines
MRC-NIHR Methodology Research Programme
MRP was established to inform research practice, policy and healthcare - improving efficiency throughout the biomedical and health-related research process: Methodology research maximises benefits for researchers, patients and the general population; and ensures health research and policy are built on the best possible evidence. Applications to the programme are considered once per year.
Currently closed. Opening 2021
Wellcome Trust
Collaborative Awards in Science
Funding teams of researchers, consisting of independent research groups, to work together on the most important scientific problems that can only be solved through collaborative efforts.
The Collaborative Awards in Science programme grant board consider applications three times per year.
Key information
Two stage process? - Yes
Closing date stage one - 17th November 2020
Closing date Stage 2 - 09th February 2021
Outcome - TBC
Investigator Awards in Science
You can apply for an Investigator Award if you're an independent researcher with a compelling research vision who wants to tackle the most important questions in your field.
These awards are also open to joint applications from two researchers whose complementary expertise is essential to deliver their shared vision.
Key information
Open to: Researchers throughout their independent careers, for example, you may be a newly appointed lecturer, a mid-career researcher or a senior researcher.
Two stage process? - No
Closing date - 10th November 2020
Shortlisting - January 2021
Interviews - 13th - 15th April 2021
Outcome - TBC
Open/Closed - Open
Longitudinal Population Study Grants
These grants provide support for researchers who want to establish, maintain or enhance longitudinal population studies (LPS) for the benefit of the wider scientific community. Applications are considered once a year.
Key information
Open to: Those who are established research leaders with a proven record of research activity.
Two stage process? - Yes.
Preliminary application closing date - TBC.
Full application closing date - TBC.
Interviews: TBC.
Open/Closed - Closed, anticipated to open in 2020.
