Research Capability Funding

Research Capability Funding (RCF) is provided to research active NHS organisations by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

We use these funds to improve local health and care research infrastructure and support the development of co-designed research projects. This ultimately contributes to the health of our population through evidence generation and use within our health system.

Read the principles of our spending decisions in this briefing paper Read our 2025-2026 RCF Spending Plan Read how we have spent RCF compared with our spending plan Read our spending reports

We divide our budget into separate categories of spend, each with a different aim that contributes to the NIHR and local health system vision.

Please see below for details on each category. Application deadlines, forms and guidance will be shown within the details of each category.

Responsive Call

Next deadline: 26 January 2026

This is funding provided to support the development of a research project. We are looking to support the co-development of a specific research question relevant to health and care into a strong NIHR grant application.

There are three types of Responsive RCF you can apply for:

  • Early ideas (Type 1) = £3,000 to start co-development of research ideas, such as stakeholder engagement and PPI (Patient and Public Involvement) work
  • NIHR grant preparation (Type 2) = Up to £20,000 for NIHR grant application writing. This can include activities that will help write a high-quality NIHR application, such as preliminary data collection, and literature review.
  • Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) for Fellowship applications.

Read the guidance for applicants below and please check the list of activities we aren’t able to fund using RCF.

Please submit completed application forms to bnssg.research@nhs.net.

There will be a deadline for applications mid-June 2025, mid-October 2025 and mid-January 2026.

Early ideas (Type1)

NIHR grant preparation (Type 2)

Further guidance

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) for Fellowship applications

Colleagues from our partner Universities, the ICB and the Wider Health and Care Organisations within our ICS can apply for up to £1,500 to cover Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and associated community engagement costs that are needed to make a strong application for a Fellowship award.

These do not have to be NIHR Fellowships, but do have to be within the remit of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB research, i.e. primary care, community care, Integrated Health System, strategic commissioning, population health management, public health, residential care, social care and/or voluntary and charity social enterprise (VCSE) health and care provision.

Academic Career Award

Next Deadline: 15 January 2026

This award is for academics from the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England.

University internal deadlines may be sooner. Please speak to your line manager about this award if you are interested.

This award supports academic colleagues who are a Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, or an individual in a senior academic/research position at UWE Bristol, who are not core funded by their University employer. This award will enable academics to dedicate time to activities that support their career stability e.g. applying for research grants or Advanced Fellowships.

These awards are intended to help reduce the pressures of short-term contracts by awarding funding of £60,000 over 18 months.

Please speak to your line manager about this award if you are interested.

Launching Fellowships

Next deadline: TBC Autumn 2026

This scheme supports early-career, post-PhD researchers to establish their academic career, enhance their publication record and develop their first research grant application, for example an NIHR Fellowship or RfPB.

We are very proud to be associated with our Launching Fellows who are outstanding individuals who we believe will become research leaders of the future.

We offer up to £60,000 in funding for applicants from University of Bristol and UWE Bristol.

More information can be found in the guidance:

Researchers in Residence

Researchers from local Universities are embedded into commissioning teams in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB, thus gaining a thorough understanding of commissioning intentions and how evidence is used in practice.

These roles provide time to foster partnerships with commissioners, co-produce NIHR research applications that are NHS focussed, act as a conduit between NHS staff with research ideas, and the academic community who can develop those ideas into research grant applications.

Find available Live Researcher in Residence opportunities

Researcher in Residence posts are a great way to create direct impact, build networks for future work and be a part of how evidence is used in the new health and care system. To learn more about the opportunities, email bnssg.research@nhs.net.

Further Information

If you are an ICB employee with an opportunity for a Researcher in Residence, please complete the expression of interest form and email it to the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB Research Team at bnssg.research@nhs.net.

Bridging Funding

Next deadline: 1st of each month

Covering salary costs of researchers between NIHR grants, to ensure they do not face redundancy whilst waiting for the next NIHR-funded post to be set up. You can download the application form below.

Maternity Cover/Sickness

Next deadline: 1st of each month

Back-filling key NIHR-grant funded posts left temporarily vacant during the award period by staff taking maternity, paternity, or long-term sick leave, where absence will seriously compromise the success of NIHR-funded research.

Requests for extensions to existing RCF awards

Next deadline: 1st of each month

Providing shorter-term support for researchers whose grant application was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.

Career Development Posts

Next deadline: N/A Internal University process

Funding for an academic to develop and establish a specific area of work within one of our partner University departments. The ICB receives proposals from the University of Bristol and UWE Bristol.

If you are interested in this kind of funding please speak to your relevant contact below:

  • University of Bristol: CAPC = Katrina Turner
  • University of Bristol: PH = Rona Campbell
  • Primary Care Mental Health = Nicola Wiles
  • UWE Bristol = Boudewijn Dominicus

Departmental Development Posts

Next deadline: N/A Internal University process

Funding for methodologist posts within departments who will support a wide range of academic colleagues across a range of research interests with their research – recent examples are a Health Economist, a Medical Statistician, and a Realist Methodologist.

The ICB receives proposals from the University of Bristol and UWE Bristol. These are strategic investments to build capacity within University departments and within the local Health Services.

Grant support from the Research Team

RCF contributes to the salary costs of various research-related, administrative and research support staff who work to ensure the quality of grant applications, submitted, and the quality of our grant hosting service.

We have joint posts with our Partner Universities with staff working for the ICB and the University of Bristol or UWE Bristol.

Our job is to make academic health science thrive locally, so if you have ideas of how we could support you better, please let us know as we always seek to improve our services.