Funding Opportunities

The PCSM Research Hub is proud to announce funding opportunities for health research at the University of Cumbria and the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine (PCSM), in collaboration with Imperial College London and the NHS in Cumbria, particularly North Cumbria Integrated Care Trust (NCIC).

We are currently offering funding for:

Past funding calls:

2026 Health Research Projects

2026 Health Research Projects, collaborating between the University of Cumbria and NHS Trusts in Cumbria

The 2026 Health Research Projects funding scheme will fund health research projects, with a maximum of £50,000 per project and a project duration of up to 18 months.

The aim of this Imperial NIHR BRC scheme is to provide pump-priming funding for health research projects to staff who are nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, healthcare scientists (including social scientists), pharmacists, clinical psychologists or clinicians who are employed by the University of Cumbria (UoC) or by our NHS Partner Trusts in Cumbria.

The focus of any research undertaken must be for the benefit of NHS patients. The aim for these projects is to promote and facilitate research collaboration between the NHS and the University; so where possible, there should be a minimum of two co-applicants, one from UoC and another from the NHS Trust. Successful applications will be expected to produce clear outputs such as peer-reviewed research publications, research grant applications and awards and/or evidence of impact on NHS patients.

We encourage collaborative project applications with industry, other NHS or academic partners, charities or other research funders & local government.

Health Research Project Key Dates

  • Applications open: Monday, 15 December 2025
  • Application deadline: Tuesday, 31 March 2026, 11:59pm
  • Awards announced: 13 May 2026
  • Start date: All projects must start by July 1st 2026 at the latest.

Health Research Project Guidelines and Submission Forms

  • To download a word format for the application form click HERE.
  • To apply please read the application guidelines HERE carefully.
    • Please note: Applicants must also ensure their project complies with relevant NIHR policies and funding conditions, including those relating to finance, governance, insurance, contracting, ethics, and dissemination. See our Resources for Applicants page for guidance and links to NIHR support materials.

Events and Q&A Sessions for Health Research Project Applicants

Support for Applicants in Need of Team Members

If you do not have co-applicants, or wish to identify additional team members, please send your research question or ideas to pcsmresearchhub@cumbria.ac.uk and we will attempt to connect you with relevant colleagues.

Complete and submit your Health Research Project applications by 31 March 2026.

For enquiries, contact the PCSM Research Hub Manager at pcsmresearchhub@cumbria.ac.uk.

Good luck and we look forward to receiving your application.

Funder

The 2026 Health Research Projects scheme is supported by NIHR Imperial BRC.