How To Apply
NNUKRF Clinical Projects Application Form
NNUKRF Education Study Application Form
NNUKRF Meeting or Conference Application Form
Information for Applicants
Not all awards may be offered each year
NNUKRF RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS (not available for 2025)
How to apply.
Timelines are posted on the website each year.
Applications forms are available via the NNUKRF website www.nnukrf.org.uk when the awards open. Application forms will contain further instructions.
Applications will normally be electronic although NNUKRF may also use templates.
Applications must be submitted by the deadline which will be published on the website and will be 23:59 on the closing date.
The review process has two stages.
Stage 1: Preliminary Applications reviewed by the Research Selection Committee.
Stage 2: Applicants successful at stage 1 will be invited to submit a full application and to present their proposal to the independent Research Selection Committee. External independent review will also be sought at this stage
NNUKRF Fellowship Application Criteria
Applications must be related to diabetes or in a field having clear overlap with diabetes such as obesity or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
Applicants must be living and working in the UK.
Applicants must register for a higher degree hosted by a UK institution.
Projects must be based in the UK.
Doctors may apply. Doctor means a person holding a medical qualification (such as MBBA, MBBS) and GMC registration.
Nurses and midwives may apply. Nurse or midwife means a person having a nursing or midwifery qualification (such as Bachelor’s degree) and NMC registration.
Health Care Professionals may apply. A Health Care Professional is a person requiring a qualification or license to practice in the UK (such as dieticians, podiatrists and pharmacists).
NNUKRF Fellowship Funding Criteria
NNUKRF will meet the directly incurred costs of Research Fellowships.
NNUKRF may fund full time fellowships for a maximum period of three or four years and part time fellowships for a maximum period of five years (but not more than would be equivalent to three years full time salary on a pro-rata basis). Four year Fellowships will be awarded when applicants wish to first complete a taught Master’s degree that supports the subsequent 3 year project. A NNUKRF Fellowship Award funds the salary of the Research Fellow either full time or pro-rata for part time Fellowships (but not more than would be equivalent to three years full time salary on a pro-rata basis). This salary cost is made up of the salary, superannuation/pension, NI contributions and London Weighting Allowance if applicable.
Where the Foundation supports part time fellowships it will not meet the salary costs of time (for example clinical commitments) spent outside the research project.
The Fellowship also covers the annual cost of registration for a higher degree with a higher education institute or pro-rata registration costs for part time degrees.
Consumables (eg lab equipment, test kits, questionnaires…..) up to a maximum £8,000 per annum are available for 3 year fellowships and pro-rata per annum for 4 year and part time 5 year fellowships.
Travel costs for academic meetings should not be included. The Research Fellow can apply to NNUKRF on an ad-hoc basis for these costs. Research Fellows may apply for one national meeting per year and one international meeting during their fellowship tenure.
Any funding from other sources required to complete the fellowship must be clearly stated on the application form.
In line with most other charity funders NNUKRF will not fund indirect costs (such as infrastructure, buildings and equipment) or directly allocated costs (such as supervisor time) therefore these should not be included in the application.
The Foundation will not meet additional costs due to the apprenticeship levy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-levy-how-it-will-work)
The review process will consider several factors, these include:
- Direct or potential benefit to patients with diabetes.
- The medical or scientific merit of the application and whether the project will add to the body of knowledge.
- Whether the application is well written.
- Whether the proposal contains provision for training and supervision of the research fellow, commensurate with that required for a higher degree.
- Whether the methods are well planned and thought through.
- Is the project achievable in practical terms (patient number etc) or too ambitious.
- Statistical considerations are well explained and appropriate.
- Applicants who reach the final round will be invited to present their proposal to the Research Selection Committee and have the opportunity to answer questions and demonstrate their and understanding of the area.
NNUKRF may offer joint fellowships with other organisations. Any criteria specific to joint awards will be made available at the time of the award round opening date.
Please contact NNUKRF with any questions.
Ethics Committee Approval
Where required Ethics Committee approval should be in place for projects supported by NNUKRF before any award payments can be made. The Trustees may, however, decide to make awards pending Ethics Committee approval.
Fellowships cannot extend beyond 3 years (5 years part time) to allow for ethics approval time.
Excess Treatment Costs
If research funded by NNUKRF takes place within the NHS any excess treatment costs have to be allocated to the correct payer. The Foundation is a member of AMRC and excess treatment Costs will therefore be met by the NHS. Attributing the Costs of Health and Social Care Research and Development guidelines (AcoRD) published by the Department of Health 4 May 2012 apply to awards made by NNUKRF and award holders should seek advice from their local research office on how to ensure the costs are managed accordingly.
Applicants reaching the full application stage may be required to complete a Schedule of Events Cost Attribution Tool.
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding-and-support/study-support-service/resources/excess-treatment-costs.htm
Similar rules may apply in the devolved nations and applicants from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should check with their R&D office.
Clinical Commitments
On call and clinical work during Fellowships is accepted but not funded.
Process for a NNUKRF Fellowship awards.
All preliminary applications are reviewed by an independent Research Selection Committee.
Research Fellowships go through a two-stage process – an initial preliminary application and a full application for shortlisted applicants. If successful at the preliminary stage applicants for Fellowships will be asked to submit a full application and will also be asked to present their proposal to the Research Selection Committee. Full applications are sent for external independent review. Applications should have a named fellow at the point of submitting a preliminary application.
GRANTS
How to apply
Timelines are posted on the website each year.
Applications forms are available via the NNUKRF website www.nnukrf.org.uk when the awards open. Application forms will contain further instructions.
Applications will normally be electronic although NNUKRF may also use templates.
Applications must be submitted by the deadline which will be published on the website and will be 23:59 on the closing date.
The review process has two stages.
Stage 1: Preliminary Applications reviewed by the independent Research Selection Committee.
Stage 2: Applicants successful at stage 1 will be invited to submit a full application to be reviewed by the independent Research Selection Committee.
NNUKRF Grant Criteria
The maximum amount available for a Grant award will be published when the applications open each year.
The Grant awards are open to all applicants working in the diabetes area.
These awards are made to investigate an area of interest within a larger project funded from elsewhere or to carry out a pilot project. The Grant awards are wide ranging and applicants can apply for equipment and reagents, assay kits and other consumables. Technician time can be included although the salaries cannot be included. Reviewers will consider the following when assessing the applications:
- Relevance to diabetes themes and patient benefit.
- Well written, clear application.
- Overall contribution to body of knowledge, could the proposal lead to a poster, oral presentation or publication?
- Clarity of objectives.
- Methodology, is this clear and likely to deliver the objectives.
- Is the project feasible given funding level.
The appropriateness of the funding requested will be considered (is the application seeking to support otherwise inadequately funded projects or supplement salary shortfalls?)
Process for a NNUKRF Grant awards.
Applications are reviewed by an independent Research Selection Committee.
Grant awards go through a two-stage process with a preliminary 250 word abstract application followed by a full application for shortlisted applicants.
Please contact NNUKRF with any questions.
NNUKRF CLINICAL AND EDUCATION FUND AWARDS
How to apply
Timelines are posted on the website each year.
Applications forms are available via the NNUKRF website www.nnukrf.org.uk when the awards open. Application forms will contain further instructions.
Applications will normally be electronic although NNUKRF may also use templates.
Applications must be submitted by the deadline which will be published on the website and will be 23:59 on the closing date.
Fund Application Criteria
Applicants for a Fund Award must be a qualified health care professional living and working in the UK. A qualified health care professional is a person requiring a qualification or license to practice in the UK (such as nurses, dieticians, podiatrists and pharmacists). The Fund Awards are not open to medically qualified professionals.
Applications must be related to diabetes.
Clinical projects must be based in the UK.
If applying for support to attend a course or training the course or training must be in the UK.
Where an applicant is applying for support to attend a meeting preference will be given to those people presenting an original piece of work or giving a talk or lecture.
NNUKRF Fund Award Criteria?
There are three types of award as listed below. The maximum amount available for Clinical Project Awards will be published when the applications open each year. Awards cannot be backdated or offered retrospectively. Fund awards are allocated to a specific educational activity, meeting or clinical project and the Foundation will not consider indirect or directly allocated costs in relation to these awards.
Clinical Projects – the Clinical Projects are wide ranging they should have clear application to clinical practice. It could, for example, be a project to enhance your service, new materials, test a new idea or investigate outcomes. Previous successful applications have included websites, videos, in-hospital insulin use, 3c diabetes, and education projects. Please contact the Foundation if in doubt. The lead applicant for the Clinical Projects cannot be a doctor (GMC registered).
Educational Awards – the Educational Awards offer funding toward courses, training and new learning opportunities to enhance your diabetes service. The educational activity must be based in the UK and hosted by a recognised educational institute. Applications are accepted from all health care professionals except medically qualified persons (ie GMC registered).
Meeting Awards – support to attend a meeting or conference related to diabetes care. Applicants can apply for registration, travel and accommodation costs. The meeting or conference must be held in the UK. Where an applicant is applying for support to attend a meeting, preference will be given to those people presenting an original piece of work or giving a talk or lecture. Applications are accepted from all health care professionals except medically qualified persons (ie GMC registered).
Process for the NNUKRF Fund awards.
The Fund awards is a one stage process, however, applications are triaged to ensure they comply with the rules and are a valid application. All valid applications are reviewed by an independent committee of Nurses and other Health Care Professionals.
OTHER INFORMATION
Partnership Awards
NNUKRF may enter into funding partnerships with other funders whose objectives overlap with the objectives of NNUKRF.
In these cases the award process will change and the details will be made available at the time the awards open.
Partnership awards will require the sharing of applications to the partner.
Application Forms
Applications forms can be obtained from NNUKRF or can be downloaded from the website ukresearchfoundation@novonordisk.com
Application forms should be completed in line with the guidance notes on the application forms.
Deadlines
Deadlines for applications can be found on the web site www.novonordiskfoundation.org.uk
Feedback
Applicants for a Research Fellowship will receive feedback on their application from the Research Selection Committee and from external reviewers.
Applicants for a Grant award will not receive feedback because the amount of time and work that would be placed on the voluntary independent Research Committee Members.
Applicants for Fund Clinical and Educational Awards will not receive feedback due the volume of applications and the time and work of the voluntary independent Nurse and Allied Healthcare Professional Selection Committee
Success Rates
NNUKRF publishes the number of applications received each year on the website along with the number of successful applications.
Further Information
Please contact NNUKRF directly for any further information ukresearchfoundation@novonordisk.com