Co-funding opportunities

Our goal is to increase diabetes research capacity, expertise and deliver clear patient benefits. We will therefore consider co-funding applications with other funders where there is a clear link to diabetes.

If you would like to apply for co-funding, please contact research@diabetes.org.uk in advance of submitting your application and consider the following:

• It is important to approach us as early as possible, so that we can consider the request, approach the other funder(s), and review our processes.
• If a co-funded application is agreed, we or the other funder(s) will manage the application review process. This will be discussed by all funders and a suitable approach will be agreed. 

Medical Research Council (MRC)

We are partnering with MRC on a suite of research training fellowships to help grow investment in diabetes research careers. These include:

• Clinical Research Training Fellowship
• Clinical Scientist Fellowship
• Senior Clinical Fellowship
• Career Development Award
• Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship. 

We will jointly fund up to one fellowship annually across these funding schemes. We will consider high quality applications into any aspect of diabetes and its related complications.

Applications to these scheme are managed by the MRC. For more information, visit their website for information on further scheme requirements and eligibility and how to apply.

Applicants seeking a joint fellowship are also required to fill out a joint funding form which is available, along with further guidance on the MRC website.

NIHR Doctoral Fellowship

We’ve partnered with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to jointly consider diabetes-related applications submitted to the NIHR Doctoral Fellowship scheme to support talented individuals, who demonstrate the potential to become research leaders of the future, to undertake a PhD. 

Awards are provided for three years (or up to five years part-time). 

Clinical applicants are able to include up to 20% clinical time as part of the Fellowship, to ensure the maintenance of their clinical competence. Funding is provided for salary, research costs and training and development. 

Eligibility:  

• Applicants must have completed relevant pre-registration training (for clinical academic applicants) 
• Applicants must have completed a first degree (for non-clinical applicants) 
• The research must take place at an established research institution in the UK 
• Applicants must be intending to register for and complete a PhD 
• Where already registered for a PhD (or MPhil with transfer to PhD), the applicant should not have been registered for more than 12 months at 100% WTE by the time the award starts. 

This scheme is not currently open to researchers in Scotland.  

We partner with the NIHR Doctoral Fellowship once a year during the round that opens in October – please visit the NIHR website for further details on deadlines and funding decisions. 

If you have any questions about the Fellowship, please email the Academy- academy-awards@nihr.ac.uk. 

Kidney Research UK

We are open to co-funding research with Kidney Research UK, into the relationship between kidney disease and diabetes and the development of new treatments. Read our joint research statement for more information.

British Heart Foundation

Diabetes UK and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) recognise the importance of understanding, treating and preventing cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes, and are prepared to consider joint funding. This funding would be for substantial research projects with a clear link to both diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

In particular, Diabetes UK and the BHF are prepared to consider co-funding applications for the following grant types:

• Programme-level grants or clinical trials (large project grants from Diabetes UK and programme grants or clinical study grants from the BHF)
• Diabetes UK Harry Keen Intermediate Clinical Fellowship or BHF Intermediate Clinical Research Fellowship
• Diabetes UK RD Lawrence Fellowship or BHF Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowship.

If you have an interest in applying for one of the above, please contact the research team of the appropriate funder who you are considering applying to before submitting your application. 

Joint funding will not be considered for lower value awards such as smaller project grants or studentships. These should be applied for under normal processes for each funder.