Grant Information

Securing funding for your research is the best way to ensure its success. There are many different funding streams available for health and social care researchers ranging from small amounts to get a project started right up to fully funded programme grants.

Applying for funding involves a detailed application process which will take time to undertake so give yourself the needed time to ensure your proposal is competitive. The NNUH Research Grants team can support you from the initial stages of the conception of a research idea to obtaining funding.

Costing a project can be a complicated process, especially if your project engages organisations outside of the Trust and often involves several stages and online submissions and signatures. It is therefore essential that you contact R&D as soon as possible. Start by completing and sending the ‘Intent to Write’ form to research.grants@nnuh.nhs.uk

There is also support available from The NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) Research Support Service | NIHR. It provides free and confidential advice to develop funding applications within the remit of the NIHR. RSS can provide advice from methodologists, including statisticians, qualitative researchers, health economists, social scientists, behavioural scientists, clinical trialists and others with expertise in research designs, approaches, development, delivery and methods of analysis. As well as advice on patient and public involvement, and on developing and delivering inclusive research.

Also, there is support available from Clinical Trials Units (CTUs). CTUs are specialist units which have been set up with a specific remit to design, conduct, analyse and publish clinical trials and other well-designed studies. They have the capability to provide specialist expert statistical, epidemiological and other methodological advice and coordination to undertake successful clinical trials. Locally we have Norwich CTU https://norwichctu.uea.ac.uk/

There are different funding bodies, research councils, organisations and charities that launch a range of different funding calls to support different aspects of the research cycle. These funding opportunities vary from small sums of funding to attend conferences, fund research specific equipment, and to incorporate patient public involvement into the research, to larger sources of funding for research career development opportunities as well as research project and Programme grants throughout the year. For current available funding opportunities please see our ‘Funding Opportunities’ page.

Some things to consider for grant applications:

• Have you read and are you meeting the funder’s criteria? (top reason for rejection is not meeting funder’s criteria)
• What is the problem? How are you addressing it? Who will benefit and how?
• Show in literature searches the knowledge gap and how this gap affects clinical practice. Consult with PPI to demonstrate burden of the problem. Check priorities in James Lind Alliance
• Why does it matter – FINER (feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, relevant research question)
• Clearly define your research question, how will you address this question (i.e. what methods will you use) – PICOT (population, intervention, comparison, outcome, time frame). Show that your project can be executed successfully
• Not everyone on the panel is an expert, so don’t assume knowledge
• Incorporate PPI into your project, and ensure your recruitment plan will mean the participants in the study reflect the population affected
• Describe the impact your work is going to have on patients/public/health professionals/policy makers