Clinical Study Grants

Clinical Study Grants fund interventional clinical trials and hypothesis-led observational clinical studies addressing defined clinical questions in patient populations, typically costing more than £500,000 or lasting more than four years. Awards may support late-phase trials, mechanistic sub-studies, and multinational collaborations where appropriate. Grants usually run for four or more years and may be awarded in stages based on recruitment and progress. The scheme excludes open-ended population cohort studies and projects whose main focus is genomics/omics analyses.

Support for staff salaries, consumables, essential equipment, travel to scientific meetings (up to £2,000/year), and a Clinical Trials Set Up Fund (up to £50,000).

The principal investigator must be a researcher at an established UK research institution with a strong track record in trial management and high-value grant management and an internationally recognised research profile; co-PI arrangements are possible. Multicentre interventional trials should usually be managed by a UKCRC-registered Clinical Trials Unit and include CTU involvement; observational multicentre studies should consider mentorship with a CTU. Lay co-applicants are permitted if making a significant contribution.

Submit a preliminary Clinical Study Grant application (or an Expression of Interest to relevant multinational initiatives where applicable) and then a full application via the BHF grants process following published guidance; applicants use the BHF Grants Management System and supporting guidance pages.