• Our remit
• Guidelines
• Exclusions
• Outline proposal
• Full application
• Closing dates

From 2009 the research we support will focus on child health to include problems affecting pregnancy, childbirth, babies, children and adolescents.  It is likely that some research projects will help all age groups and these applications should state their relevance to children.

We support a broad spectrum of research with the objective of:

• preventing disease and disability and
• alleviating physical disability

Please note that our emphasis is on clinical research or research at the interface between clinical and basic science.  We pride ourselves that our research is both innovative and of a high standard as judged by rigorous peer review.  

Within the above criteria, we also support research and development of equipment and techniques to improve diagnosis, therapy and assistive technology (including orthoses, prostheses and aids to daily living) and we encourage applications in the field of medical engineering.

Exclusions

Please note that we do not provide:

• grants towards service provision or audit studies
• grants purely for higher education, eg BSc/MSc/PhD course fees and subsistence costs
• grants for medical or dental electives
• grants specifically for PhD studentships (although researchers are encouraged to independently register for a higher degree)
• grants for work undertaken outside the UK
• any indirect costs such as administrative or other overheads imposed by the university or other institution
• 'top up' funding for work supported by other funding bodies
• costs to attend conferences (current Action Medical Research grantholders may apply separately)
• grants to MRC Units, other than RTF awards where the training/facilities cannot be offered elsewhere
• grants to other charities
• grants for research into complementary / alternative medicine

Grants are made to those in tenured positions in a UK university or institution. Research workers who require personal support from a project grant, and who have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the grant proposal, may be named as co-applicants with an established member of staff as the principal applicant.

Grants are provided for up to three years duration in support of one precisely formulated line of research.  A one page outline of the proposed research is required before a full application form can be issued.  Successful applicants from the outline stage will be sent a full application form.  Awards will be made following peer review. 

Applications should be of the highest quality as the scheme is very competitive.

The average award we make is in the region of £110,000 and grants above £200,000 would rarely be given.  We are happy to consider grant requests at a lower level of funding (below £50,000).

Support covers salary costs, consumables and items of dedicated equipment essential for carrying out the work.

A research team can only apply for one grant per grant round.

Please note that there will be a limit to the number of full application forms that we can send out.  Where the work is considered peripheral to our aims, or in cases where demand on our funds is high, we will inform you of our decision not to pursue a full application.

Please note that we do not provide:

• grants towards service provision or audit studies
• grants purely for higher education, e.g. BSc/MSc/PhD course fees and subsistence costs
• grants for medical or dental electives
• grants specifically for PhD studentships (although researchers may independently register for a higher degree)
• grants for work undertaken outside the UK
• any indirect costs such as administrative or other overheads imposed by the University or other Institution
• costs associated with advertising and recruitment
• ‘top up’ funding for work supported by other funding bodies
• costs to attend conferences and meetings (current Action Medical Research grantholders may apply separately)
• grants to MRC Units, other than RTF awards where the training/facilities cannot be offered elsewhere
• grants to other charities
• grants for research into complementary / alternative medicine

All applicants should complete the two page outline proposal form summarising the research and giving an estimation of costs, and email it to the Research Manager.  The details on the outline form should include the potential clinical application of the work, how it fits the remit of the charity and a description of the work proposed.

A blank form is available to download at the end of these guidelines.

The purpose of the outline proposal is to establish that your proposed work clearly falls within our remit and priorities.

If your work is considered peripheral to our aims, or clearly falls within the remit of another funding organisation, and in cases where demand on our funds is high, we may be unable to pursue an application from you.

Outline proposal form

If the outline proposal is acceptable, you will be invited to complete a full application form online and you will be advised of the timetable.

Applications are assessed by peer review, first by independent external referees and then by one of our two scientific advisory panels.

The decision to approve a grant is made by the Council on the recommendations of the Panels, and our Finance Committee.