Summary of Charitable Research Funding – Draft 13th July 2009
The following document summarises available Charitable Research Funding for the UK*. This was produced in response to Research Advisory Group meeting action. Its primary purpose is to provide an overview of funded theme/disciplines and highlight current open calls for each Charity.
At this stage any comments should be forwarded to to feedback to the Research Advisory Group. Discussions will take place in RAG as to what will be done with this information i.e. amendments, dissemination, format, etc.
Please note that it is not always possible to specify the amount of funding allocated by theme/discipline, as this is often determined when calls are released.
*This is not a definitive list of possible charitable funders.
Contents
Page(s)1. / Wellcome Trust / 2-5
2. / The Nuffield Foundation / 6
3. / British Academy / 7-8
4. / The Royal Society / 9-10
5. / Leverhulme Trust / 11
6. / Royal Geographical Society / 12
7. / Joseph Rowntree Foundation / 13-14
8. / The Big Lottery Fund / 14
1. Wellcome Trust (http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/index.htm)
Wellcome Trust has 6 aims which aspire to foster and promote research to improve human and animal health. These aims are as follows:
1. Advancing Knowledge - To support research to increase understanding of health and disease, and its societal context
2. Using Knowledge - To support the development and use of knowledge to create health benefit
3. Engaging Society - To engage with society to foster an informed climate within which biomedical research can flourish
4. Developing People - To foster a research community that canadd to the advancement and use of knowledge
5. Facilitating research - To promote the best conditions for research and the use of knowledge
6. Developing the organisation - To use resources efficiently and effectively
Welcome have 6 funding categories namely:
1. Biomedical science funding - enables the investigation of health and disease in humans and animals. This includes funding for scientists, clinicians and veterinarians at different career stages. The streams are five science-oriented groupings of staff and activity within Science Funding. These are intended to broadly cover all areas of biomedical science. The streams are:
· Immunology and Infectious Disease· Populations and Public Health
· Neuroscience and Mental Health / · Physiological Sciences
· Molecules, Genes and Cells
Welcome provides a range of grants to support research projects including research support (programme and project grants), equipment and resources, fellowships and personal awards, PhD programmes and studentships, undergraduate support and other initiatives.
2. Medical Humanities
The medical humanities funding supports research into biomedical ethics andthe history of medicine, headed under two categories:
2.1 Biomedical ethics - Ethical issues that arise in the development and delivery of healthcare or the use of medical techniques in non-healthcare contexts. This includes: the ethics of biomedical or health research (relating to either humans or animals); ethical issues arising in the translation of such research into practice; ethical issues arising in clinical care; and ethical issues arising from the delivery of care, including policy and public health.
Funding is available for Clinical Fellowships in Biomedical Ethics, Research Fellowships, University Awards, Research Support and Dissemination grants with full application deadlines on the 1st August, March and December.
2.2 History of Medicine - Wellcome also support research into the historical study of all factors affecting the medical and health experience of people and animals - in all countries and at all periods.
Grant funding under History of Medicine heading comes under six categories:
· Fellowships and personal awards (Doctoral Studentships, Master’s Awards, Research Fellowship and University Awards)
· Research support (Research expenses, Short-term Research Leave Awards for Clinicians and Scientists, Travel Grants)
· Support for archives and records
· Conferences, symposia and seminar series, and
· Public engagement
3. Public Engagement
The public engagement funding promotes interest, excitement and debate around science and society.
· People Awards - Provide funding of up to £30,000 to support activities such as events, debates, exhibitions, art projects and drama productions.
Deadlines: 16 October 2009; 29 January 2010
· Arts Awards - support imaginative and experimental arts projects that investigate biomedical science. All art forms are covered by the programme: dance, drama, performance arts, visual arts, music, film, craft, photography, creative writing or digital media. The Trust invites applications for projects which engage adult audiences and/or young people.
For small to medium-sized projects (up to and including £30,000) deadlines are: 16 October 2009; 29 January 2010
· Society Awards - are for ambitious and creative projects that engage people with developments in biomedical science on a regional or national scale.
The second deadline in 2009 for preliminary applications is 9 October 2009.
For this deadline we will accept proposals only on this years theme ‘eating’
· Broadcast Development Awards - support the development of broadcast proposals in any genre that engages the audience with issues around biomedical science in an innovative, entertaining and accessible way. Wellcome is interested in funding individuals and organisations with brilliant early-stage ideas for TV, radio or new media projects. Our funding will enable these ideas to be developed into high impact, well-researched proposals to be utilised in securing a broadcast platform and/or further funding.
Deadlines: 16 October 2009; 29 January 2010
· International Engagement Awards - support projects with grants of up to £30,000 that aim to achieve some or all of the following: to strengthen the capacity of people in developing countries to facilitate public engagement with health research, to stimulate dialogue about health research and its impact on the public in a range of community and public contexts in developing countries, to investigate and test new methods of engagement, participation, communication or education around health research, to promote collaboration on engagement projects between researchers and community or public organisations, to support Wellcome Trust funded researchers in developing countries in engaging with the public and policy makers.
Deadline: 30 October 2009 (expressions of interest should be sent by 2 October)
4. Technology Transfer
The technology transfer funding supports the development of innovative, early-stage projects with potential medical applications.
· Translation Awards - are response-mode funding designed to bridge the funding gap in the commercialisation of new technologies in the biomedical area. For applied R&D projects that address an unmet need in healthcare. They are open to academic researchers and companies, and can address almost any area of healthcare.
Preliminary applications are considered four times a year. Upcoming dates
Preliminary deadline 14th August 2009 – TTCC meeting September 2009
· Strategic Translation Awards - support research projects that are viewed as strategically important to the Wellcome Trust's mission. For applied R&D projects that are close to existing Wellcome Trust interests. For example, these may build onTrust initiatives in basic science, such as genome-wide association studies, or in developing country health, in areas like malaria, typhoid or TB.
There is an open call for applications.
· Seeding Drug Discovery - This five-year, £91 million initiative aims to develop drug-like, small molecules that will be the springboard for further research and development by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in areas of unmet medical need. To facilitate early-stage small-molecule drug discovery. The awards help applicants with a potential drug target or new chemistry embark on a programme of compound discovery and/or lead optimisation.
Preliminary applications may be submitted twice a year. Upcoming dates
Preliminary deadline 9th November 2009 & 21st May 2010
· R&D for Affordable Healthcare in India - This is a five-year, £30 million India-specific funding initiative. For translational research projects that will deliver safe and effective healthcare products for India - and potentially other markets - at affordable costs. There is an open call for applications
5. Capital funding
Capital funding is for large-scale construction or refurbishment projects in the UK that support science, public engagement, medical history, or the activities of learned societies.
· Wellcome-Wolfson Capital Awards in Biomedical Science - The Wellcome Trust and the Wolfson Foundation are pleased to announce a call for proposals for science-based capital projects that fall within the Trust’s biomedical science remit. This scheme provides capital funding for large-scale projects (above £1 million), in partnership with the host institution.
Preliminary application deadline: 27 July 2009
Full application deadline (if invited): 1 February 2010
· Capital funding for public engagement and medical history - This scheme provides capital funding (normally above £200 000) for large-scale projects that support public engagement and/or medical history. Preliminary application deadline: 29 May 2009
· Capital funding for learned societies - This scheme provides capital funding (normally above £200 000) for projects that support the scholarly activities of learned societies. Applications can be submitted at any time.
6. Strategic awards
Strategic Awards provide flexible forms of support to facilitate research and/or training that is not possible under existing schemes. The aim is to 'add value' to excellent research groups, which may be demonstrated in a number of ways, e.g. capacity building in specific fields through training of research students or fellows, development and establishment of new technologies, facilities or resources thematic and/or interdisciplinary research collaborations involving combinations of basic scientists, clinicians (medical and veterinary) and non-biologists (e.g. mathematicians, physicists, chemists, engineers, social scientists), advancement of specific strategic areas, translation of basic research into policy and practice. - Strategic Awards must involve a partnership with the host institution. Preliminary applications may be submitted at any time and are assessed on a rolling basis.
Current highlighted areas
a. Mathematical biology/statistical methods - training and capacity building
All the Strategy Committees have highlighted the urgent need to address the lack of expertise in statistics, study design, data analysis (e.g. from cohort or demographic surveillance studies) and mathematical biology. Applications in these areas are particularly encouraged.
b. Public health research - training and capacity building
The Populations and Public Health Strategy Committee has identified a need to address training of and interactions between clinicians, basic scientists and practitioners in public health research. Applications in these areas are particularly encouraged.
c. 'In vivo' physiology - training and capacity building
The Physiological Sciences Strategy Committee has expressed concern about the lack of exposure that young scientists have to in vivo research, and the imminent loss of skills in this area as the current experts retire. Applications that help redress this are particularly encouraged.
d. Neuroimaging - interdisciplinary networks/programmes
To take full advantage of the UK strengths in neuroimaging, the Neurosciences Strategy Committee has identified a need for increased networking between major imaging centres and interdisciplinary programmes involving mathematicians, physicists and engineers.
e. Emerging diseases – interdisciplinary networks/programmes
Research that enables the rapid, accurate diagnosis and response to emerging diseases has been seen as crucial by the Immunology and Infectious Disease Strategy Committee. Applications for networks involving collaborations between epidemiologists, microbiologists, molecular biologists, clinicians and veterinarians, which link surveillance data with research, are therefore particularly encouraged.
f. Promotion of interactions at the clinical/basic science interface
Several of the Strategy Committees highlighted the need to promote interactions at the basic science/clinical science interface and applications addressing this are particularly encouraged.
2. The Nuffield Foundation (http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/)
The Foundation's grant-making reflects the aim of bringing about improvements in society through research and practical experiment. The wide range of activities supported by the Foundation fall into two main categories:
1. Support of research and innovation that will bring about beneficial social change
The Foundation currently has three grant programmes that support research and innovation for beneficial social change. These are:
· Law in Society - promotes access to, and understanding of, the civil justice system.
· Children and Families - helps to ensure that the legal and institutional framework is best adapted to meet the needs of children and families.
· Open Door - for projects that advance social well being, but lie outside the main Nuffield programme areas.
2. Development of research and professional capacity with particular emphasis on people in the early stages of their careers in the sciences and the social sciences.
· Science Bursaries for Schools and Colleges enable sixth form students to take part in research.
· Undergraduate Research Bursaries in Science support summer vacation research projects.
· Social Science Small Grants offers research expenses for new and established researchers working on outstanding projects. Rolling application process
· Social Science New Career Development Fellowships foster partnerships between experienced social researchers and outstanding post-doctoral social scientists at the early stages of their career.
The Foundation also has a Commonwealth Programme that aims to improve services in health, education and civil justice in Southern and Eastern Africa through the development of the expertise and experience of practitioners and policy makers. Programme under review.
The Elizabeth Nuffield Education Fund offers grants to women studying to improve their employment prospects.
3. British Academy (http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/index.cfm)
The British Academy provides research funding to postdoctoral level scholars in all subjects within the remit of humanities and social sciences. Its research funding strategy is focussed on supporting ideas, individuals and intellectual resources, and it delivers this strategic priority through schemes for research grants, research posts, research development, conference grants, individual and joint projects and the facilitation of world-class international research.
The British Academy can offer grants for travel costs, consumables, research assistance, research leave/replacement teaching, first academic appointment, visits by foreign scholars to the UK and organising a conference.
Funding schemes include:
· Small Research Grants - to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. Applications between £500 and £7,500 over two years
· British Academy Research Development Awards (BARDAs) - to enable established scholars to develop a significant research project. Applications are particularly encouraged from scholars who can demonstrate that they are developing an innovative line of research, with the potential to make a significant difference to their field and to their career profile. Priority will be given to applicants who have at least five years postdoctoral experience