Key information
- To support: Scientists and healthcare professionals at an early stage in their career to develop their work, understanding small research projects or pilot studies.
- Career level: Early-career basic scientists and healthcare professionals (including allied health professionals)
- Funding period: Up to 12 months
- Funding amount: Up to £15,000
Deadline:
- 31 July (Committee in November)
- 1 December (Committee in March)
Our Early-Career Small Grants…
- Act as a springboard for basic science researchers and healthcare professionals (including allied healthcare professionals) to test out innovative ideas, sparking larger projects and new avenues of exploration
- Help researchers navigate through a career transition point
- Cultivate skills and experience to mentor the next generation of researchers.
Our recent career impact evaluation looked at what former early career researchers who received this grant over the past 15 years have gone on to do and the impact of receiving the grant. Results show that most went on to receive further funding to advance the ideas they’d tested, and developed their career thanks to this grant.
Eligibility
- Early career small grants are open to basic scientists, and healthcare professionals (including allied health professionals) at an early stage of their research career. This scheme is not aimed for medically qualified research active clinical lecturers who should apply to the Academy of Medical Sciences Starter Grants for Clinical Lecturers.
- Applicants must be in receipt of a salary for the duration of the proposed award.
- The research must take place at an established research institution in the UK and applications will only be accepted form researchers working at academic institutes or NHS Trusts.
- Basic scientists must have completed a PhD or equivalent and should normally be no more than four years into their first academic position (e.g. a lectureship).
- Healthcare professionals (including allied health professionals) must have started a PhD or equivalent post-graduate degree, or have undertaken a substantial period of research equivalent to a PhD or MD.
- Allowance will be made for applicants whose career has been subject to an interruption for family or personal reasons.
- Applicants who currently hold an early career fellowship that provides salary support are eligible to apply for this scheme. We advise that these potential applicants contact research@diabetes.org.uk to discuss their eligibility in more detail.
- Applicants may have received previous funding or be a current grant holder, but they must clearly meet the eligibility criteria as an early career researcher, and identify that this funding request is distinct from any current research grants.
- Applicants must identify a mentor on the application at the same institute. Their role should be to support the development of the application and the delivery of the project.
Researchers who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the early-career small grant scheme may apply for small amounts of funding through the project grant scheme. However, these applications will be in competition with all other project grant applications.
Financial support
Awards are provided for up to one year (longer periods of time may be requested if fully justified). Up to £15,000 can be provided for material and consumables, small pieces of equipment, animal purchase and maintenance and collaborative travel. Specific training costs required to undertake the research may be allowed and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. All costs should be fully justified.
The scheme does not support costs associated with salaries, however we will consider named staff with with specific expertise, such as statisticians, health economists, nurses, etc, for their time on the project. These salaries will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Research Committee Sub-Panel. Early-Career Small Grants are not intended to be used as ‘top-up’ funds to meet a shortfall in funding from another body.
How to apply
- Please read the general guidelines for grant applicants and tips for writing a grant application.
- Log on to the Diabetes UK online research grants management system and complete all sections of the online application form.
Administrative process
All applications will be reviewed by a Research Committee Sub-Panel (with co-opted members where necessary). Applications do not go through external peer review.
Grants Advisory Panel and Research Committee Sub-Panel Review
The Diabetes UK Grants Advisory Panel (GAP) (comprised of people living with and affected by diabetes) will review the plain English summary and patient and public involvement (PPI) sections of the applications.
The GAP perspective can directly influence the funding decisions made by the Research Committee Sub-Panel. We recommend applicants to read our guidance on how to write a plain English summary and PPI in the development of your application.
Assessment criteria
Applications are assessed on the following criteria:
- The potential difference the research will make to the lives of people with diabetes.
- Scientific excellence.
- Track record of the applicants.
- Value for money.
- The potential for obtaining further funding resulting from the proposed research.
- Clarity of plain English summary
- Patient and public involvement
Funding decision
Feedback letters will be sent to all lead applicants within one month of the Panel meeting. Funded applicants will have two weeks to respond to comments raised by the Panel and should expect to receive an award letter within two months of the Panel meeting.
Resubmissions
Diabetes UK policy is to only accept resubmissions which have been invited by the Panel. You will be informed in your feedback letter if you have been invited for a resubmission. When resubmitting an application, please include a cover letter indicating how the application has addressed the Panel's comments.
External Early-Career Funding Opportunities
There are alternative funding opportunities available to early-career research active clinical lecturers and biomedical scientists at the Academy of Medical Sciences:
- Medically qualified research active clinical lecturers should consider applying to The Academy of Medical Sciences Starter Grant for Clinical Lecturers which provides £30,000 over 1-2 years.
- Biomedical scientists should also consider applying to The Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard which offers £125,000 over two years and access to the Academy's acclaimed mentoring and career development programme.
