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Application Development Award for Health and Care Professionals

National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

Overview

Opportunity status:

Open

Type:

Programme

Opening date:

17 September 2025 at 1:00 pm

Closing date:

4 February 2026 at 1:00 pm

Reference ID:

2025/415

We are looking to commission up to 10 Application Development Awards (ADAs) to carry out development work prior to research applications, with a requirement for applicant teams to involve a specific group of Health and Care Professionals (HCP).

Through these ADAs and other HCP specific initiatives, we are offering more opportunities for HCPs to develop as highly skilled researchers and research leaders, and to move towards a more multi-professional approach to addressing the health and care challenges of today and the future.

These ADAs are intended to support future applications for funding from NIHR research programmes, however, they are not programme-specific in nature.

This is a 1-stage funding opportunity. You are invited to submit a full application.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

Because NIHR funding schemes have different aims and review processes, the following are *general, evidence-based predictors shared across most programmes (domestic and global). NIHR

1️⃣ Relevance to NIHR’s Mission and Priorities

NIHR applications are first assessed on relevance to NIHR’s remit: improving patient outcomes, NHS and social care effectiveness, public health impact, or addressing policy priorities. Alignment with programme-specific aims (e.g., public health, clinical efficacy, translational science) is essential. NIHR

✔ Clearly articulate how your research fits the selected NIHR programme’s objectives and addresses health or care needs.

2️⃣ Scientific Quality & Rigor

High-quality research design — including hypothesis clarity, robust methodology and feasibility — is central. Research must address important gaps, be methodologically sound and ethically justified. NIHR

✔ Demonstrate rigorous methodology, justified sample sizes, valid measures, and feasibility within the funding timeline.

3️⃣ Impact and Knowledge Mobilisation

NIHR places high value on impact — not just scientific outputs, but benefits to patients, the NHS, care systems or society. This includes practical pathways to implementation and plans to disseminate results effectively. NIHR

✔ Include knowledge mobilisation strategies (e.g., how findings will influence policy, practice, or public health).

4️⃣ Strength of the Research Team

A credible team with appropriate expertise, track record and clear roles improves confidence in delivery. For large or multidisciplinary programmes, collaboration across institutions (academia + NHS + stakeholders) is often a strength. NIHR

✔ Provide strong CVs, evidence of productivity, and clear role descriptions for all key team members.

5️⃣ Feasibility and Realistic Planning

NIHR reviewers assess whether the project can realistically be completed within the proposed timeframe, resources and regulatory environment (e.g., ethics, governance). NIHR

✔ Present a clear timeline, milestones, risk mitigation and budget justification.

6️⃣ Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)

NIHR particularly values meaningful involvement of patients and the public in research design, conduct and dissemination, particularly for clinical and health services research. Review criteria often assess the quality of PPI input. NIHR

✔ Show active PPI engagement in shaping the research question and design.

7️⃣ Governance and Regulatory Readiness

NIHR requires high standards of research governance, ethical approval, data protection, trial registrations (if applicable) and adherence to regulatory frameworks; omissions can weaken competitiveness. NIHR

✔ Address ethical, regulatory, and governance considerations clearly in your application.

8️⃣ Competitive Two-Stage Processes

Many NIHR schemes (e.g., RfPB) use outline/tracker → full proposal two-stage assessments, with about half of outlines invited to submit full proposals. Rank, clarity and early feedback matter. NIHR

✔ Invest effort especially in the outline stage — succinct, compelling case and clear plans can strongly influence full invites.

📌 Practical Tips to Improve Competitiveness

📍 Choose the right programme: NIHR has many schemes (HTA, RfPB, HSDR, PHR, EME, PGfAR, fellowships, global health). Read the specific funding brief and criteria carefully. NIHR
📍 Early engagement: Contact NIHR Research Design Services or programme contacts to refine aims and methods.
📍 PPI strategy: Develop strong, documented patient/public involvement early — reviewers often score this explicitly. NIHR
📍 Plan impact: Include pathways to benefit patients, NHS operations, and policy change, not just publication dissemination.
📍 Document feasibility: Regulatory and data management plans reassure reviewers of practical deliverability.

🧠 Summary: NIHR Success Predictors

Predictor	Why It Matters
Mission alignment	Ensures fit to programme priorities and remit. NIHR
Scientific quality	Foundation of funding decisions. NIHR
Impact & mobilisation	NIHR emphasises NHS and societal benefit. NIHR
Team strength	Confidence in execution. NIHR
Feasibility	Project deliverability within context. NIHR
Patient & public involvement	A core NIHR value. NIHR
Governance readiness	Mitigates delivery risks. NIHR
Outline clarity in two-stage schemes	Key in early screening.

Specialties

General Medicine

Public Health

Others

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for this funding opportunity as an early-mid career researcher HCP, you must be a registered professional within 1 of the following eligible HCP groups:

nurses (including nurses that work in social care)
midwives
pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
healthcare scientists
allied health professions (as specified by NHS England)

In addition to this, you must have:

recently been, or are about to be awarded a PhD, or have equivalent demonstrable years of research knowledge and experience
not yet been the chief investigator for a substantial research award of £100,000+

Eligible Countries:

United Kingdom

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 201 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3AB

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