NIHR Programme Development Grants (PDG) are designed to enable a research team to carry out targeted preparatory work to develop a competitive Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) funding application. They can also be used to further develop an existing or ongoing PGfAR-funded programme of research.
Programme Development Grants (PDGs) are available for researchers to undertake preparatory work to develop a future programme of research. Broad ranging development work is permitted, with less detail required about the future programme of research.
PDGs are also available for researchers to develop and enhance the quality and value of an existing or ongoing Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) award. Applications for such PDGs are only permitted from applicants whose PGfAR contracts are finishing within 12 months or have finished in the past 18 months.
Individual grants can be up to £150,000 for between 12 and 24 months. The amount of funding awarded, however, is determined by the scale and nature of the research or development activity to be conducted.
If seeking a PDG to develop a future programme of research, applicants can choose whether to enter directly into stage 1 or stage 2 of a future PGfAR funding call.
There is no formal expectation or guarantee that the recipients of PDGs will be successful in obtaining a subsequent Programme Grant award in the future. All future applications for PGfAR will be judged on their own merits against the published criteria.
PDGs has three funding opportunities a year that typically launch in March, July and November. Find out the dates of upcoming funding opportunities.
PDGs have a one stage application process. We offer applicant guidance for both types of PDG: for preparatory work to develop a future programme of research and for proposals to further develop an existing or ongoing programme of PGfAR research. Applicants should also consult the supporting information for applicants.
Potential applicants can seek advice on their proposal from the programme team through the pre-submission enquiry form.
Proposals are submitted online through the Research Management System. We supply a template application form to help researchers prepare their proposal ahead of submission.
Programme Development Grants (PDGs) will support preparatory work for a future programme of research, including but not limited to:
PDGs will also support further development of an existing or ongoing programme of research, including but not limited to:
*It is important that, where relevant, all primary analyses are completed and made available in PDG applications requesting funding for dissemination or implementation activities.
The programme will not support:
The selection criteria our funding committees use for applications to undertake preparatory work to develop a future programme of research are:
The selection criteria our funding committees use to assess proposals to further develop an existing or ongoing programme of research of are:
Programme Development Grant (PDG) applications are assessed by the Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) main selection committee and a PDG sub-committee.
The PDG and main selection committee is convened for each funding competition, drawing from the Stage 2 subcommittee members.
PDG applications are not sent for peer review; proposals are first assessed by a PDG subcommittee. The outcomes from the PDG subcommittee are then discussed and reviewed by the main selection committee.
The main selection committee recommends projects for funding to the Department of Health and Social Care, which approves which projects should be funded.
Members of NIHR Committees are required to declare any interests which conflict, or may be considered to conflict, with NIHR business, or may be perceived as influencing decisions made in the course of their work within NIHR programmes. All members are asked to complete the Register of Interest form (annually), which is intended to capture long term predictable interests that could be perceived to lead to conflicts of interest. These and other interests are judged on a case by case basis at individual meetings.
Professor Elaine Hay is Programme Director of NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research.
Professor Tracy Roberts is Chair of NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research subcommittee A.
Professor Jonathan Mant is Chair of NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research subcommittee B.
Professor Kate Jolly is Chair of NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research subcommittee C.
Professor Marian Knight is Chair of NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research subcommittee D.
We offer a wide variety of assistance during all stages of the research process. If in doubt, please get in touch.
Tel: 020 8843 8056
Email: programme.grants@nihr.ac.uk
Our operating hours are 9.00am to 5.00pm
Assistant Director
Mr Rajinder Flora
Senior Programme Managers
Dr Shaun McMaster
Dr Katie Cook
Mr Thomas Hutchinson
Programme Managers
Ms Fiona Giles
Dr Ramnath Elaswarapu
Ms Saima Siddiqui
Research Officers
Ms Saprina Harrison
Ms Amrit Mann
Mr Krishna Kothandapani
Senior Administrator
Ms Mandy Norton
NIHR Central Commissioning Facility
Grange House
15 Church Street
Twickenham TW1 3NL
Minutes of the PDG Competition 28 Sub-Committee
Details of what support the Research Design Service can offer.
Minutes of the PDG Competition 27 Sub-Committee
Minutes of the PDG Competition 26 Sub-Committee
Minutes of the PGfAR Competition 29 Stage 2 Sub-Committee B