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

The Global Health Research Groups programme awards funding to specialist departments within UK universities or research institutions not currently active in global health that want to use their existing skills to build capacity to extend into this field.

Currently closed.

NIHR Global Health Research Units

The Global Health Research Units programme funds collaborations of researchers within universities and research institutes in low and middle income countries (LMICs) and the UK who wish to establish new programmes of applied health research.

Currently closed.

Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation

The Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) programme funds interdisciplinary applied health research in low and middle income countries (LMICs) on areas of unmet need where a strategic and targeted investment can result in a transformative impact.

Currently closed.

Global Health Research Centres

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.

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.

Currently closed.

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.

Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) 

The Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) Programme aims to produce rigorous and relevant evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health and social care services.

21/577 Supporting the delivery of net zero health and social care system

Launch date: 9th November 2021.

Closing date: 24th May 2022.

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) 

The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme funds research about the clinical and cost-effectiveness, and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests, for those who plan, provide or receive care from NHS, and social care services.

The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is funded by the NIHR, with specific contributions from the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) in Scotland, Health and Care Research Wales, and the HSC R&D Division, Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland.

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.

See the funding opportunities page for current NIHR Health Technologies Assessment opportunities.

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.

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. 

Programme Development Grants - Social care call

Launch date: Expected in October.

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 37

Launch date: Expected in September.

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. 

Public Health Research Programme

The Public Health Research (PHR) Programme is funded by the NIHR, with contributions from the CSO in Scotland, Health and Care Research Wales, and the HSC R&D Division, Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland.

The primary aim of the programme is the evaluation of practical interventions. We will fund both primary research (mainly evaluative, but also some preparatory research) and secondary research (evidence synthesis); precise methods will need to be appropriate to the question being asked, and the feasibility of the research.

For current funding opportunities for the Public Health Research Programme, please visit the NIHR funding opportunities website.

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).

Currently closed.

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.

Currently closed.

Pre-announcement: international collaboration to address antimicrobial resistance

Key information

Funded by: Medical Research Council (MRC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Total fund: £1,500,000

Maximum award: £250,000

Opening date: 11th January 2022

Deadline: 08th March 2022

MRC Programme Grant

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 on the MRC Funding Deadlines website.

Partnership Grant

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 on the MRC Funding Deadlines website.

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.

MRC-NIHR Clinical Academic Research Partnership (CARP)

Apply for funding to develop your research interests through a collaborative partnership. You must be a research-qualified healthcare professional at consultant level or equivalent. You must not be currently undertaking any substantial research activity. Your project can be across any area from MRC or NIHR’s remits. You must supply a letter of support from your employer. Funding is available for 20% to 50% of your basic salary and costs to undertake the project. Awards can last between one and three years.

Currently closed.

Expected to launch in August/September 2022.

Wellcome Trust

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.

Your research can be in any discipline – including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), experimental medicine, humanities and social science, clinical/allied health sciences, and public health – as long as it has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing, and aligns with our funding remit.

Deadline: 24th March 2022

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