Seeking funds

Both novice and early career researchers and experienced researchers should use relevant guidance on this page to help locate research funds.

Novice and early career researchers

  1. Before chasing those deadlines from funding bodies, have you:
    • Discussed your plans with an experienced researcher?
      If you do not have any colleagues who might be appropriate for giving you advice or collaborating with you, there is support available at your local Research & Development Support Unit (RDSU) and/or your National Physiotherapy Research Network (NPRN) regional hub. Use these links for more information.
    • Already written a proposal? If so, are you wondering where to submit it?
      It is advisable to explore funding opportunities before writing your proposal, so that you plan the application for a particular funding body and aim to meet their deadline. If you have written your proposal, take care to present it in the format required by the funding body you select (see 'Steps to take' below).
    • Considered the type of funding you require?
      • Studentship for you to do a PhD
      • Project grant to employ a research assistant
      • Equipment grant
      • Pump priming for a pilot project

  2. Possible sources of funding, with links:

    It is important to be realistic about the type of funding your project will attract. Without an established track record in research, you are unlikely to be successful or even eligible to apply for funding from a major funding body. Even for experienced researchers, success with project grants is influenced by being part of a strong multidisciplinary research team. However, career development awards (PhD studentships and post-doctoral awards) are available from major funders (e.g. Department of Health, charities).

    For those new to research or about to become more independent (e.g. post-doctoral researcher), medical research charities are a useful source of funding for projects:
  3. Steps to take:
    1. Seek academic support - if required.
    2. Select a funding source - one with a realistic deadline, depending on how well developed your ideas are for planning the project / how many people resources are in place.
    3. Plan a timetable for developing the proposal.
    4. Obtain guidance notes and application form (if applicable) for your selected funding body. These are usually available on their website.
    5. Establish whether or not the funding body requires you to have ethical approval before submission. NB: Some ethics committees will not review proposals until funding has been secured, so you also need to find out how your ethics committee operates.
    6. Establish the timeframe within your organisation for obtaining signatures. The funding body and/or your institution may require your proposal to be approved and signed off at different levels before it is submitted e.g. Head of Department/School, Directorate Manager, School/Institutional Accountant.
    7. Allow two working weeks before the actual submission deadline to allow signatories to read your proposal before signing it. Alert them well before this stage that your proposal will be coming. Some institutions will not sign if you have not given them enough time to process the application.
    8. Develop the proposal and adhere to the guidance notes closely.

Experienced researchers

  1. Funding bodies
    • A set of guidance notes on Sources of Research Funding can be found in the Sources of Research Funding publication on this website.
    • Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC): see the AMRC website.
    • There are several major funding charities which are also members of AMRC, e.g. the Wellcome Trust and the Multiple Sclerosis Society
    • Physiotherapy Research Foundation. See the research funding page on this website.
    • Department of Health - National Co-ordinating Centre for Research Capacity Development
    • Research Councils (NB: allow time for calculating Full Economic Costing).
  2. Part funding with Physiotherapy Research Foundation
    Eg with one or more of the medical charities, following negotiations.

© Adapted from 'Guidance on submitting a research proposal', School of Health Professions & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Southampton, with permission. Maria Stokes, 15th March 2006.

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