The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust: Research Infrastructure Fund
Overview
Purpose of the programme
This grant programme is open to registered or exempt charities and provides capital funding to support innovation in medical research. Reflecting the Trust’s focus on translational research, the available funding will be allocated to support investment in equipment and facilities needed to accelerate internationally competitive research in UK universities and/or NHS organisations.
The programme is open to applications in any discipline or disease area, but applicants will be required to demonstrate how the proposed investment in research infrastructure will translate into improvements in healthcare for patients.
What the Trust will fund
It is likely that 2-3 awards will be made each year, depending on the availability of resources and the scale of selected projects. In previous years, the value of individual awards to support research infrastructure has typically been in the range of £100K-£500K.
Applications may be to fund research equipment or facilities in their entirety, or for a contribution towards the funding of a larger project. Priority will be given to projects where the Trust’s support has the potential to make a significant and distinctive contribution to accelerating research. The Trust will not make contributions to large capital campaigns for “bricks and mortar” projects unless they relate to specific facilities or pieces of equipment to support translational research.
Eligibility
The programme is open to UK universities and NHS organisations. Applications will also be accepted from UK registered charities which work in partnership with universities and the NHS to support translational research.
Applications must be led by a clearly identified Principal Applicant. The Applicant may be at any stage of their research career but must have sufficient track record to demonstrate their ability to deliver the project and to lead the development of the research supported by any equipment or facilities funded by the Trust.
Applications may relate to research in any discipline or disease area but will need to demonstrate:
a) the organisation’s track record in internationally competitive research
b) how the application relates to the organisation’s research strategy
c) the organisation’s commitment to support the maintenance and future development of equipment or facilities funded by the Trust.
Eligible organisations can only make one application to either the Research Infrastructure Fund or Innovation & Improvement in Care Fund per calendar year.