Project Grants
Apply for a Project Grant to support your blood cancer research. Because the time to beat blood cancer is now.
Introduction
Blood Cancer UK Project Grants support world class research that aims to address vital questions in the field of blood cancer in line with our strategic research priorities and the priorities of people affected by blood cancer.
For this open, response-mode project grant scheme, we invite research proposals addressing novel research questions focused on any form of blood cancer or precursor condition that could help to move us closer to reaching our goal of bringing forward the day when no one dies either of blood cancer or the side effects of its treatments.
Key dates
- Call opens: Thursday 29th October 2026
- Deadline for submission: 3pm on Thursday 21st January 2027
- Applicants notified of outcomes: July 2027
Grant amount
Grants are awarded for a duration of up to 36 months and for a maximum of £350,000.
Remit and eligibility
Project grants provide support for clearly defined research projects that aim to address key questions in the field of blood cancers in line with our strategic aims and that focus on at least one of the three priority research themes from our research strategy:
- Prevention
- Early detection and predicting outcomes
- Treatment
Applicants should clearly outline the potential impact for people affected by blood cancer.
Project grants are primarily designed to support discovery and pre-clinical translational research. Small scale clinical studies can be included where justified and feasible within the funding and timeframe available, but applications requesting funding for clinical trials will not be considered through this grant scheme.
Project grants are NOT designed for:
- supplementing or making up shortfalls in funding for ongoing research or staff funded by other awards.
- bridging support between other grants.
- biobank funding or other infrastructure costs.
Additional funding opportunity for projects focused on RUNX1
In addition to the standard Project Grants funded through this round we are working in partnership with the RUNX1 Research Program to co-fund one project addressing a specific unmet need: 'Preventing the progression from germline RUNX1 deficiency to hematologic malignancies in individuals with RUNX1 familial platelet disorder (RUNX1-FPD)'.
Applicants interested in this specific opportunity can find the full call for applications and detailed remit information in Appendix One of the guidance document attached below. Applications to this additional opportunity will still need to meet all the standard remit and eligibility criteria set out below and applications will be assessed on the same timeline as all other applications to this call. Please get in touch with the research team via [email protected] to discuss this opportunity in more detail if you are interested in applying.
How to apply
All applications must be submitted via the new Blood Cancer UK Grants Portal. The form is now live on the Grants Portal.
Guidance on using the new portal can be found in the guidance document below.
No applications will be accepted after the deadline. Applicants must submit their application ahead of the deadline leaving sufficient time for the required signatories to approve the application.
Assessment criteria
All proposals submitted for this call will be reviewed by members of our Research Funding Committee and Research Involvement Network. Recommendations from the Committee will be sent to our Board of Trustees for final approval.
More information on the assessment criteria can be found in the application guidance document.
Terms and conditions
Please make sure to read the application guidance document in full to ensure you have understood all of the requirements for this funding scheme.
Grants will be awarded in line with Blood Cancer UK’s Grant Terms and Conditions
Get in touch
If you have any queries regarding Project Grants please contact [email protected]
The scheme's impact
Project Grants have formed the backbone of our funding portfolio over the last 65 years. These grants support world class research that addresses key questions that could help to move us closer to reaching our goal of a world where no one dies as a result of blood cancer or the side effects of its treatment.
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11 Grants awarded last year
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£3.2 million Total invested last year
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23% Applicant success rate last year
Our research
Our £500 million investment in research since 1960 has helped transform treatments and taken us to the point where beating blood cancer is now in sight. Our researchers are working to finish the job.
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