Apply for funding Funding opportunities Research: Pre-Application Funding Support Fund Applications Open: 1 July 2026 Funding and support to develop your research fellowship application Overview Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Leeds Hospitals Charity are offering pre-application support for academic research career development fellowships for registered staff working in Stroke, Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Cancer, Ophthalmology, or Radiotherapy. This includes funding to provide protected time to develop your application, training, patient and public involvement, and academic supervision. The total maximum per application is up to £39,500, except for Ophthalmology, which has a maximum of £33,000. What We're Looking For We seek motivated healthcare professionals committed to pursuing a research career. Your proposed research must have a direct patient focus and demonstrate a clear plan to apply for a competitive academic fellowship within two years of this funding. Successful applicants will receive financial support and access to career development opportunities to to prepare a strong fellowship application. Applicants will need to provide evidence of the following elements: Research plan Target patient population Patient, Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation plan Operational support – suggested WTE and rationale Academic support Narrative CV - in the context of your research journey: where you’ve been, where you are, where are you going? Development plan – with both academic and operational input Intended outcome and time frame Eligibility Awards are open to all registered professions, including nurses, midwives, doctors, dentists, Allied Health Professionals, healthcare scientists, pharmacists and others. You must hold a substantive LTHT post, honorary contract, or be on clinical rotation with LTHT. Leeds Hospitals Charity Pre-Application Support Fund: Guidance to follow on launch. Key Dates: Opening Date: 1 July 2026 Bespoke discussion: Contact: Dr Denise Ross, Head of Healthcare Professions Academic Development - [email protected] Dr Carole Burnett, Academic Capacity Development Lead - [email protected] Closing Date: 31 August 2026 Interviews: 22 September 2026 Fellowship Start Dates: 1 December 2026, 1 January 2027, or 1 February 2027 Take this opportunity to secure essential support for your research career development application and advance your academic journey with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Leeds Hospitals Charity. Application Process Please read the funding guidance before applying. It contains essential information to help you submit a strong application. Pre Application Funding Support for Aspiring Researchers Guidance (to follow on launch) Link opens in new window 1. Eligibility We welcome applications from aspiring researchers working in Stroke, Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Cancer, Ophthalmology, or Radiotherapy. You must hold a substantive LTHT post, honorary contract, or be on clinical rotation with LTHT. 2. Idea Applicants should discuss their idea with their CSU tri team or equivalent before preparing any paperwork. Full commitment from your tri team and operational manger are required. If you would like to book a Teams meeting with a member of the Grants Team to discuss your application, please click the link below. Book a meeting with the Grants Team Form opens in new window You can also contact Dr Denise Ross, Head of Healthcare Professions Academic Development - [email protected] or Dr Carole Burnett, Academic Capacity Development Lead - [email protected] 3. Relevance Applicants should consider how the proposal aligns with the criteria set out in the Leeds Hospitals Charity Pre- Application Support Fund guidance including the scoring criteria. Pre Application Funding Support for Aspiring Researchers Guidance (to follow on launch) Applicants should also review our Funding Policy & Terms and Conditions to consider if the proposal is eligible in line with the policy. Funding Policy Research and Innovation Funding: Terms and Conditions Links opens in new window 4. Make an application Applications open 1 July 2026 Pre Application Funding Support for Aspiring Researchers - Application Form to follow on launch Important: You must get support for your proposal from a member of your CSU triumvirate team (Clinical Director, Head of Nursing, General Manager) or equivalent and operational manger before submitting your application. The deadline for applications against this opportunity is Monday 31 August 2026 at 23:59. 5. Review & Decision Applications will be reviewed by a panel of Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust and Leeds Hospitals Charity stakeholders and advisors. For this grant round the Panel will meet September 2026. Please see the guidance document for specific application timetables 6. Monitoring & Evaluation All successful applicants will be required to complete a Monitoring and Evaluation form and share with the Charity the impact of grant funding through case studies, blogs, and news stories. Find out more about the projects we have funded If you still have questions after reading the guidance, please contact the Grants Team on 0113 539 7091 or email [email protected] Manage Cookie Preferences