Domestic funding programmes
The most suitable programme for your research idea depends on your broad research area, the scale of the study, and whether it will generate new evidence or blend existing evidence.
Which funding programme is relevant to me?
Look through the funding programmes below to explore our different domestic programmes. Most of these are open to applicants from the UK although some are restricted to England.
Better Methods Better Research
Funding research that develops and delivers ways to improve the research methods being used by others in health and care focused research.
Broad research areas: Biomedical, health and social care
Types of evidence: Evidence generation
Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant must be from the UK
Funding opportunities per year: one researcher-led
Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation
This programme funds studies into the efficacy of new approaches to disease prevention and treatment. It supports clinical trials and other studies which test how interventions may work in practice.
Broad research areas: Public health, clinical evaluation and translation, social care
Types of evidence: Evidence generation
Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant can be from anywhere in the UK
Funding opportunities per year: 3 researcher-led and 3 commissioned
Evidence Synthesis
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
Funding opportunities per year: Researcher-led
Health and Social Care Delivery Research
Funding evaluative research to improve the quality of health and social care services. Typical projects 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
Funding opportunities per year: 3 researcher-led and 3 commissioned
Health Technology Assessment
Funding research into the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatments and tests. Funded studies often compare a new technology's existing evidence with the current methods.
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 can be from anywhere in UK
Funding opportunities per year: 3 researcher-led and 3 commissioned
Invention for Innovation
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
Funding opportunities per year: 3 researcher-led (PDA and Connect) and 1 or 2 commissioned (FAST)
Programme Development Grants
Funding to help researchers carry out work which will support an application to the Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) programme. Funds can also be used to support development work for existing PGfAR programmes.
Broad research areas: Public health, health service and organisation, clinical evaluation and translations, social care
Types of evidence: Evidence synthesis, evidence generation, programmes of research
Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant can be from anywhere in UK
Funding opportunities per year: 3 researcher-led
Programme Grants for Applied Research
A researcher-led grant programme to fund applied health and social care research. Studies seek to address health and care needs in areas other research funders may not focus. Further support for applicants is provided through Programme Development Grants.
Broad research areas: Public health, health service and organisation, clinical evaluation and translations, social care
Types of evidence: Evidence synthesis, evidence generation, programmes of research
Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant can be from anywhere in the UK
Funding opportunities per year: 3 researcher-led
Public Health Research
Funding 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
Funding opportunities per year: 3 researcher-led and 3 commissioned
Policy Research Programme
Funding policy research to inform policy makers across health and social care. Policy research helps enable evidence-based policies.
Broad research areas: Public health, health service and organisation, clinical evaluation and translations, technology development, social care
Types of evidence: Evidence synthesis, evidence generation, programmes of research
Applicant eligibility: Lead applicant can usually be from UK, but this is call dependent so check the individual research brief
Funding opportunities per year: 3 commissioned
Research for Patient Benefit
Funding 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 is one of our programme with 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
Funding opportunities per year: 3 researcher-led
Research Programme for Social Care
Funding 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
Funding opportunities per year: 2 calls and a highlight notice
Themed Calls
NIHR themed calls are funding opportunities focusing on a particular priority research area, set by the Chief Medical Officer.
Broad research areas: all aspects of translational, clinical, public health and social care research
Types of evidence: all types of evidence, dependent on research area
Applicant eligibility: dependent on participating programmes
Funding opportunities per year: one funding opportunity, across a number of NIHR programmes