2025 Research Grant Call

Overview

N.B. This funding round is now closed.

This is a Grant Call available for researchers at eligible research organisations to fund projects that last up to three years. You must be based at a UK research organisation to be eligible for Children with Cancer UK funding. 

This scheme aims to support research projects across our 4 strategic priorities: 

• Understand and discover – supports discovery and translational cancer research activity through Project Awards
• Early Detection, Diagnosis & Prevention – funds discovery and translational research which aims to enable the detection of child, teenager and young adult cancer at the earliest point at which an intervention might be made
• Develop Treatment – funds pre-clinical projects that aim to progress onto future clinical trials
• Impact – funds projects that maximise impact of findings from projects within our remit and provides follow on funding to further impact on previous research projects

What can the funding be used for?

Awards funded by Children with Cancer UK are intended to accelerate discovery and develop novel and innovative approaches to cancer research affecting children, teenagers and young adults. Available funding aims to further the charity’s vision to improve survival across all cancer types impacting children, teenagers and young adults. 

Impact is at the centre of our mission at Children with Cancer UK, and we are looking for applications that have the potential for high impact and for pathways to impact to be articulated in detail. We also have a ‘highlight’ of first-in-child applications for this round.   

Who may apply?

We welcome applications from a broad range of institutions, and you can check the eligibility of your organisation here. 

Eligibility of Principle Investigators (PIs): 

• Researchers (scientists, clinicians or health care workers) from recognised UK universities, hospitals and research institutes

Career levels: 

• Mid-career researchers 
• Established researchers 
• Clinicians 
• Non-clinical researchers 

Children with Cancer UK does not supply salaries for PIs, and it is expected that their salary is secured for the duration of the project. 

Only one application from any one PI will be accepted per round. 

Collaboration is strongly encouraged to deliver the project but is not a mandatory requirement. International collaborations will be considered only where the principal investigator is employed at a UK research institution.

Scientific remit

Remit primarily addresses the needs of children, teenagers or young adults with cancer. 

Applications should include high-quality, impactful research within our research priorities of any cancer affecting children and young adults and likely to include reference to improvements in the quality of survival and quality of life through the application of science. Applications should clearly articulate future impact of the research proposed, and we encourage first-in-child research applications.

Children with Cancer UK predominantly funds fundamental science. Our funding programme has paid particular attention to supporting promising and innovative research areas to provide proof of concept studies which complement the funding of major clinical trials. Project grants may support stand-alone projects, research that is part of a wider project or trial, or research that is likely to lead to a further, larger grant application.

Costs guidance

Further information regarding which costs the funding from our award will cover is included in our cost guidance summary. 

Please note that we will NOT accept applications that:

• Do not fit the remit of this grant call and the research strategies of Children with Cancer UK
• Are led and submitted by researchers based entirely or primarily outside the UK
• Are submitted by commercial organisations
• Are intended solely or primarily to purchase substantial equipment and/or infrastructure
• Are incomplete or have been completed incorrectly

There is no upper limit for funding that can be requested, but as a guide we suggest the amount of funding requested in total is around £350,000. Higher or lower funding requests with appropriate justification will also be considered.

You will need a Flexi-Grant account to apply for research funding. The application must be carried out by the PI on the application. 

Please contact [email protected] with any queries about the applying of Flexi-Grant as early as possible. 

What makes a successful application 

Children with Cancer UK is committed to funding applications that will likely have high impact in the field. It also encourages first-in-child applications and applications that focus on our mission to create “a world where every child and young person survives cancer.” 

Reviewers and the SAP will make assess applications using the following criteria:

• Alignment to Children with Cancer UK’s Research Strategy 
• The scientific excellence of the proposal
• The importance and strategic relevance of the question proposed by research projects
• The proposed team’s expertise and ability to deliver the project
• Justification of costings and value for money of the project
• The impact outputs of research projects will have for the UK research base and those affected by cancer in children, teenagers and young adults
• Line of sight to clinic
• Feasibility of the project

If you have any questions relating to this grant call,

Please contact the Research team via email:

• [email protected]