The Research Responsive Fund (RRF) offers up to £7,500 to researchers for pump-priming projects, This scheme welcomes applications from staff in Higher Education Institutions and research active NHS/Social Care staff, including early career researchers. There is an emphasis on collaboration, and we encourage applicants to explore co-funding. Projects should align with the NCRN’s strategic themes (details of which can be found here).

The Secure Data Access Catalytic Fund (SDACF) offers a total £15,000 to fund 2-3 projects. This scheme is designed to remove barriers to data access, supporting preliminary findings and leading to larger bids. The funding can be used for accessing Trusted Research Environments (TREs) or biobanks (such as SAIL Databank), or covering staff time for work on secure data.

We strongly encourage anybody with an idea to get in touch with the NCRN team to discuss your potential application. You can contact us at admin@ncrn.uk. We would love to hear from you.

Both funding schemes have a deadline of Thursday 12th February 2026 at 5pm. Detailed information as well as application forms can be found here.