+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Not Verified

BMBR Programme researcher-led

National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

Overview

Opportunity status:

Open

Type:

Programme

Funding available amount:

£625000.00

Opening date:

31 March 2026 at 1:00 pm

Closing date:

23 June 2026 at 1:00 pm

Reference ID:

2026/406

The Better Methods, Better Research (BMBR) Programme, is accepting applications to this funding opportunity. This is a 1 stage, researcher-led funding opportunity. To apply, you will need to complete and submit a full application.

The BMBR Programme is a collaboration between the MRC and NIHR. It aims to ensure that optimal research methods are used to advance biomedical, health and care research, policy and delivery.

Project proposals would typically be valued up to £625,000 (100% full economic cost (FEC)). MRC and NIHR will usually fund up to 80% of your project’s FEC.

Research outputs should be available and usable to the fullest extent. Open-source software and code are encouraged. Costs to support this are eligible under the NIHR Open Access publications funding guidance.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Clear patient benefit and impact on health or care

This is one of the strongest NIHR-specific predictors.

The most competitive applications clearly show how the research will:

improve patient outcomes
improve healthcare delivery
improve diagnosis or treatment
reduce burden on the NHS or social care systems
influence clinical practice or policy
benefit patients, carers, or the public

NIHR’s core mission is research “for the direct and primary benefit of patients and the public.”

2. Strong NHS, public health, or social care relevance

Successful proposals usually have clear relevance to:

the NHS
health service delivery
public health
social care
health inequalities
community-based care
prevention and service improvement

Projects disconnected from patient or health-system application tend to be less competitive.

3. Robust patient and public involvement (PPIE)

A hallmark of strong NIHR applications is meaningful Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE).

Competitive applications usually demonstrate:

patient co-design of research questions
public involvement in study planning
patient input into outcomes selection
dissemination plans involving patients/public partners

Weak or tokenistic PPI is a common reviewer concern.

4. Strong methodological rigor

Competitive proposals generally demonstrate:

clear research question
appropriate study design
robust statistics
realistic sample size
clear endpoints
validated outcome measures
feasibility and reproducibility

Methodological strength is central across all NIHR programmes.

5. Feasibility and deliverability

Reviewers place strong emphasis on:

achievable timelines
realistic recruitment plans
access to NHS sites/patient populations
experienced delivery teams
operational readiness
practical milestone planning

Strong ideas without a clear delivery plan often score lower.

6. Clear pathway to implementation

NIHR strongly values research that can move into practice.

Successful proposals often show:

implementation strategy
pathway to NHS adoption
policy relevance
guideline impact
cost-effectiveness or service benefit
measurable route to real-world use

Implementation-focused thinking is especially important in applied and health-services research.

7. Strong multidisciplinary collaboration

High-scoring applications often involve:

clinicians
nurses
allied health professionals
health economists
statisticians
epidemiologists
implementation scientists
patient/public representatives

Multidisciplinary collaboration strengthens both scientific and practical relevance.

8. Career-development strength (for NIHR fellowships)

For NIHR personal awards and fellowships, reviewers heavily assess:

applicant trajectory
leadership potential
training needs
mentorship quality
host institution support
long-term research career plan

NIHR Academy specifically funds researchers from predoctoral level through research professorships.

9. Value for money

NIHR reviewers consider:

budget justification
efficient use of public funding
cost-effectiveness
realistic resource planning

Budgets must align closely with project scope and expected impact.

10. Potential to influence policy, guidelines, or future funding

Strong proposals often:

generate evidence for NICE/NHS policy
support future clinical trials
contribute to service redesign
create pilot data for larger NIHR or MRC funding
produce scalable national impact

Projects with broader influence beyond one institution are especially competitive.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Frequent reviewer concerns include:

weak patient benefit
insufficient NHS relevance
poor or superficial PPIE
weak methodology
unrealistic recruitment or feasibility
unclear implementation pathway
poor justification of resources
lack of impact beyond academic publication

Specialties

Public Health

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for a BMBR funding opportunity you must:

be a researcher employed by an eligible research organisation
show that you will direct the project and be actively engaged in the work
focus your application on biomedical, health and social care research methods

If you do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, you can still apply. By submitting an application you are confirming certain conditions. These dictate that, if your proposal is successful, your research organisation agrees to:

your contract being extended beyond the end date of the project
all necessary support for you and the project being provided - this includes mentorship and career development for early career researchers

We recognise the diversity of skills necessary for a successful research team. We therefore encourage applications to recognise the contribution of technical professionals.

International applicants

You can include project co-leads affiliated with an international research organisation. They must offer expertise not available in the UK. They must also make a major contribution to the design or conduct of the project. You must justify why their expertise is required.

Sponsor Details

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

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Grange Road Twickenham, TW1 3QU

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity