Advice for Research Capability Funding applicants
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) allocates Research Capability Funding to the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB Research team annually. We then run calls four times a year to find applicants for the funding.
Research Capability Funding allows us to invest in people who develop or support ideas for patient-based research in primary care. The funding cannot be used to undertake the research itself.
Funding and investment
Research Capability Funding can be used to fund:
- part of a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) faculty member’s salary not covered by other NIHR sources
- new staff, who are expected to be faculty members, but who have not yet obtained funding from the other NIHR sources
- existing faculty members who are ‘between grants’ (commonly termed ‘bridging funding’)
- time spent by faculty members in preparing grant proposals
- time spent by faculty members in contributing to wider research needs, for example, in peer review panels
- the research related time of NHS-employed administrative and secretarial staff supporting faculty members in their NIHR-related work.
We want to invest in:
- proposed work that addresses an NHS or local authority health priority (national or local)
- proposed work that will lead to a viable NIHR application
- Lead Investigators aho are appropriately experienced or supported
- work which is feasible for the grant application and the proposed research project
- a clear potential benefit or impact of the proposed work, particularly to the NHS and the patient population
- a strong team which has been identified, or a plan identified to achieve this
- appropriate patient and public Involvement plans for the grant application and eventual NIHR-funded research project
- relevant commissioner engagement or buy-in
- supporting Heads of Department
- value for money
What we do not invest in
We update our non-exhaustive list of reasons why we have had to reject an application for Research Capability Funding after every round of applications to give you the best information regarding what isn’t appropriate for our Research Capability Funding.
Please read this list of projects that cannot be funded through Research Capability Funding (PDF), as we describe the reason and alternative sources of funding for each rejection reason. It will save you time before applying.
If in any doubt, please get in touch using the details below and ask for the Research Manager.
Get in touch
If you have any questions about Research Capability Funding, please email bnssg.research@nhs.net.