Working in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, patients and the public, NIHR is the nation’s largest funder of health and social care research. Understanding the array of NIHR opportunities can therefore be a game-changer for researchers wishing to secure funding and make an impact in the field of public health.
Continue reading to learn more about:
- Eligibility criteria.
- Research grant programmes.
- Fellowship opportunities.
- Additional career development opportunities for nurses and midwives.
- Making a successful application.
- Gaining an enhanced insight into NIHR funding processes.
Eligibility
Any applicant who considers that they can carry out high quality research aligned with NIHR’s priorities is likely to be eligible, either directly or with a partner. However, you should review individual funding opportunities for specific eligibility and other application requirements. For example, all applications made under the Research for Patient Benefit programme must be submitted by an NHS body, reflecting how collaboration between universities, NHS organisations and other stakeholders is encouraged to enhance research relevance and impact.
Research can be of any rigorous study design, including:
- Evidence syntheses.
- Pilot and feasibility studies.
- Randomised controlled trials.
- Quantitative research.
- Qualitative research.
However, keep in mind that the same or similar applications cannot be made to more than one NIHR programme.
Research grant programmes
NIHR grant opportunities are offered through a variety of programmes that take account of different career stages and project needs. The most suitable programme (and, therefore, call or competition) for your research will also depend on broad research area, the scale of the study, and whether it will generate new evidence or blend existing evidence.
Below is a sample of NIHR funding programmes incorporating calls and competitions likely to be relevant to University of Worcester researchers. Most programmes do not have a limit on funding.
This programme funds work to identify, review and summarise existing information about the effects of tests, treatments and interventions. It aims to equip health and care decision makers with the best possible information.
- Broad research areas: Public health, clinical evaluation and translation, social care.
- Types of evidence: Evidence synthesis, programmes of research.
- Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant can be from anywhere in the UK.
- Call and competition per year: Researcher-led.
Health and Social Care Delivery Research
Funding for evaluative research to improve the quality of health and social care services. Projects typically focus on the organisation and accessibility of care.
- Broad research areas: Public health, health service and organisation and social care.
- Types of evidence: Evidence synthesis, evidence generation, programmes of research.
- Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant can be from anywhere in the UK.
- Call and competition per year: 3 researcher-led and 3 commissioned.
Translational research funding scheme aimed at medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and digital health technologies addressing an existing or emerging health or social care need.
- Broad research areas: Public health, clinical evaluation and translations, technology development, social care.
- Types of evidence: Evidence generation.
- Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant can be anywhere from the UK.
- Call and competition per year: 3 researcher-led (PDA and Connect) and 1 or 2 commissioned (FAST).
Funding for research to improve the health of the public and reduce inequalities. Research aims to generate evidence to inform delivery of non-NHS interventions and test practical interventions.
- Broad research areas: Public health, social care.
- Types of evidence: Evidence synthesis, evidence generation, programmes of research.
- Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant can be from anywhere in UK.
- Call and competition per year: 3 researcher-led and 3 commissioned.
Funding for research around the day-to-day practice of health service and social care staff. The programme funds studies that aim to increase the effectiveness of services, provide value for money and benefit patients and the public. This programme has set funding limits.
- Broad research areas: Public health, health service and organisation, clinical evaluation and translations, social care.
- Types of evidence: Evidence synthesis, evidence generation.
- Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant must be from England.
- Call and competition per year: 3 researcher-led.
Research Programme for Social Care
Funding for research that generates evidence to improve and strengthen the way in which adult and children’s social care is provided for users of care services, carers, the social care workforce, and the public in the UK.
- Broad research areas: Social care.
- Types of evidence: Evidence generation, evidence synthesis.
- Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant must be from the UK.
- Call and competition per year: 2 calls and a highlight notice.
Fellowships
The NIHR Fellowship Programme supports individuals on their trajectory to becoming future leaders in health and social care research. Fellowships are aimed at various points of career development, from initial pre-doctoral training to senior post-doctoral research:
- Pre-doctoral Fellowship (call opens late January / early February annually).
- Doctoral Fellowship (calls open in April and October annually).
- Advanced Fellowship (calls open April and October annually).
Additional Career development opportunities for nurses and midwives
Research courses, funding programmes and other initiatives for nurses and midwives include the following:
Development and Skills Enhancement Award: a post-doctoral level funding opportunity aimed at supporting early to mid-career researchers in gaining specific skills and experience to underpin the next phase of their research career.
Senior Clinical and Practitioner Researcher Award: a flexible post-doctoral award which provides funding for up to 5 years to focus on a broad range of research activities to support career development.
Tips for making a successful application
Securing NIHR funding is highly competitive, but there are strategies to enhance your chances of success:
- Align with NIHR Priorities: Ensure your research aligns with NIHR’s strategic priorities (listed below) while addressing significant health and social care challenges:
- Build on learnings from the research response to COVID-19 and support the recovery of the health and social care system.
- Build capacity and capability in preventative, public health and social care research.
- Improve the lives of people with multiple long-term conditions through research.
- Bring clinical and applied research to under-served regions and communities with major health needs.
- Embed equality, diversity and inclusion across NIHR’s research, systems and culture.
- Expand work with the life sciences industry to improve health and economic prosperity.
- Strong Collaborations: Engage with relevant stakeholders such as patients and clinicians from local NHS trusts to ensure your research is relevant and impactful.
- Robust Methodology: Develop a clear, rigorous and co-produced research plan with well-defined objectives, methodologies, and outcomes.
- Seek Support: The NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) can help you to develop your research ideas into competitive funding applications. RSS offers advice on:
- Finding funding sources.
- Refining research questions, aims and objectives.
- Developing appropriate methodological approaches.
- Planning projects, teams and budgets.
- Planning for implementation and impact.
- Patient, public, service user and community involvement and engagement.
- Research design to maximise equality, diversity and inclusion.
Committee Vacancies
For an enhanced insight into which research projects are prioritised or recommended for funding, you could consider joining an NIHR committee. Committee members include clinicians, academics, carers, patients and members of the public – all of whom contribute to ensuring that NIHR-funded research is high quality, robust and represents good value for money.
Find out more on the NIHR researcher webpages.