Application form guidance

Synopsis (200 word limit)

• The synopsis should be an abstract of the proposed service improvement initiative.
• This should include the background, hypothesis, and objectives as well as brief details of the proposed methodology.
• Applicants should also outline the expected outcomes and the benefits to people living with blood cancer and or healthcare professionals working in blood cancer.
• Applicants should include the number of people affected by blood cancer who will be part of this project and how many people this innovation would help.

Proposed duration

We require confirmation if the project will be concluded by April 2026. If this is a phased approach project, select no and provide a brief overview of what the next phase(s) would look like.

Provide up to three objectives/aims of the proposed project. If your application is successful, these will be used in your final report form at the end of the project.

(200 word limit)

Project proposal (1500 word limit)

• Provide details of the proposed project as clearly as possible.
• Include the background to the work and the plan for the delivery of the project.
• Tell us how you'll involve people with lived experience and clinical peers in your project. We’re especially interested in how you’ll include the voices of those who are less likely to access clinical trials.

Project budget and timelines (500 word limit)

• Explain how the project will be achieved within the budget and the duration specified.
• If you work in a clinical role, please explain how you will balance your clinical responsibilities with this project. You should also confirm whether you have management approval to apply for this funding.

Grant to support salaries

For those who will be using the funding for full-time or part-time staff members.

Salaries are expected to be costed by the host organisation’s finance and or the research office according to an applicable pay model. Add the following figures to each box in the salary section of the online form:

• Basic salary
• National insurance
• Superannuation
• London allowance (if applicable)
• Inflation.

Potential impact of the proposal (300 words limit)

• Outline the next steps for this project after this award, including details of the specific funding scheme(s) you will aim to apply for and the longer-term potential downstream impact of this project.
• Provide information about the potential future impact of this work for patients and healthcare professionals.
• Include a number of how many people both patients and professionals that could be positively impacted by your innovation, both during the project and in the longer term.

To complete this section, you may want to refer to our assessment criteria.

Currently Submitted Elsewhere

If this application is currently being submitted elsewhere, please add the organisation and date of decision.

Previously Submitted Elsewhere

If this application has been submitted elsewhere in the past year, list the organisation and the result of the submission.

If you have other funding

If your project is currently supported by another funding organisation, please provide the following details for each grant:

• Funder name
• Grant holder(s)
• Project title
• Total amount awarded (and how much you've received)
• Your role in the project
• Start and end dates

You’ll also need to tell us:

• Whether you receive core funding or support from your host institution, and what resources are provided
• How do any active grants relate to this application
• If the topic overlaps with existing grants, explain how this proposal is distinct
• If there is any overlap, outline how you will:
  • Manage the funding
  • Clarify the additional impact of this grant
  • Coordinate acknowledgements between funders

This helps ensure transparency and avoids duplication of funding.

Patentable or commercially exploitable results

If appropriate, please provide information on the Intellectual Property (IP) potential of your project, if there is any existing IP associated with your project and how this will be managed.

IP is defined as patents, copyright, trademarks, trade names, service marks, domain names, moral rights, rights in and to databases (including rights to prevent the extraction or reutilisation of information from a database), design rights, topography rights and all rights or forms of protection of a similar nature or having equivalent or the similar effect to any of them which may subsist anywhere in the world, whether or not any of them are registered and including applications for registration of any of them

Please include details of any references you have included in the other sections of the application form.

This section will be the main section reviewed by people affected by blood cancer, although we will also make the rest of the application available to them. They will provide feedback on:

• The relevance and potential impact of the project to people affected by blood cancer.
• The clarity of the plain English section of the application (and whether they can understand what the project aims to achieve)
• Whether patient and public involvement has been considered where relevant, and if they have any feedback or additional considerations to share about involving people affected by blood cancer throughout the course of the proposed project.

Please read our guidance for writing for patient audiences.

Additional information

• The word limit for the response to each question is 200 words unless otherwise stated.
• This entire section should be in plain English using non-technical language and avoiding unexplained jargon, acronyms and/or abbreviations.
• This section is intended for a lay audience, and the description of the proposed project must be clear and accessible.

Plain English questions

• Plain English title in non-technical language.
• Plain English Summary
• Background: Is it a continuation of your existing or current research, or is it a new area?
• Project need
• Project questions and aims/objectives
• Impact and benefits: What is the potential impact of this project to people affected by blood cancer? If successful, what is your future plan and what are the possible benefits in the long term? When will the benefits of your project reach people affected by blood cancer? Does your project have the potential to have a broader impact and relevance to all or other blood cancers, in addition to the specific disease being studied? What happens once this funding is finished?
• Patient and Public Involvement (PPI): Provide a brief overview of your plans to involve or engage people affected by blood cancer in your work. Please note that PPI does not refer to the recruitment of patients or members of the public as participants in the trial or study.

The main applicant must be based at the host organisation and is responsible for overseeing the delivery of the project, reporting progress, and ensuring all terms and conditions of the grant are met.

In this section, we'll ask for some personal details like job title and contact information. You will also be asked to upload the main applicants CV.

Career breaks

Has the main applicant taken any breaks from clinical work or worked part-time?

This could include:

• Parental leave
• Long-term sick leave
• Caring responsibilities
• Time away from work due to the COVID-19 pandemic

These will be considered when reviewing your track record. Please list the dates and duration of any relevant periods. You do not need to include detailed reasons or any sensitive personal information.

A co-applicant is someone who will contribute equal time and intellectual input to the project as the main applicant and will hold equal status on the grant.

Please provide details for all co-applicants involved in the project, including:

• Full name
• Job title
• Organisation
• Contact information

You must also upload a CV for each co-applicant.

A collaborator is someone who may provide advice or access to materials, but won’t be directly involved in the day-to-day work. A letter of support, stating their involvement and commitment to the project, must be attached where indicated.

Please add the details of the signatories required to sign-off the application. Details should be completed for the Department Head and the research office. Once the application has been submitted, the signatories will be asked to approve the application.

Throughout the application, we'll ask you to upload supporting documents. In all case's the embedded or attached files will be visible to the reviewers and committee members.

The following must be attached to the application if applicable:

• If appropriate, the final letter of approval from the Research Ethics Committee
• Applicants must include a letter of support for themselves as an individual and for the project from the department head and the research office.
• If appropriate, co-applicants and collaborator(s)’ letters of support
• If appropriate, any other relevant documents.