Quality of Life Awards
Funding to increase understanding and minimise the impact of brain tumours on those affected.
Applications are now closed and will reopen next year.
Purpose and scope
The Brain Tumour Charity reports, 'Losing Myself: The Reality of Life with a Brain Tumour' (focusing on adults) and 'Losing My Place: The Reality of Childhood with a Brain Tumour' (focusing on children and young adults), highlight issues that have the biggest impact on those affected by brain tumours. These include fatigue and/or pain control at home, physical symptoms, emotional wellbeing and social isolation.
This funding scheme aims to address these issues and improve the quality of life of those diagnosed with a brain tumour. Applications must have a direct and measurable benefit to quality of life and projects must focus on measuring and minimizing the impact that brain tumours have on people's lives.
We are seeking applications that increase our understanding of quality of life issues and could lead to a reduction in the burden of these issues. The project can focus on any part of the patient pathway from diagnosis to remission and survivorship, or end of life care.
Applications could include but are not limited to:
- Symptom management
- Treatment side effects
- Cognitive impairments
- Emotional and mental health
- Survivorship issues
- Communication and social isolation
- Relationships
Funding
Funding of up to £300,000 per project for up to 3 years.
This funding should be allocated to cover direct costs for staff, including salaries (excluding Principal Applicant and PhD students), consumables, and publication costs. Requests for capital / infrastructure will not be considered since it is expected that this will be available at the Lead Institution, as well as all partner organisations.
Grants will be awarded to the principal applicant's institution. Funding can be allocated to co-investigator institutions with agreements put in place between all partner institutions.
Eligibility criteria
- All grant applications must focus on at least one of the research priorities highlighted in our research strategy 'A Cure Can't Wait'
- For projects focused on adult brain tumours, the application must address at least one of the areas highlighted in the 'Losing Myself: The Reality of Life with a Brain Tumour' report
- For projects focused on paediatric brain tumours, the application must address at least one of the areas highlighted in the 'Losing My Place: The Reality of Childhood with a Brain Tumour' report
- The principal applicant does not need to be based in the UK but the research has to be relevant to the UK landscape
- The principal applicant must have a contract with the institution covering the duration of the grant
- If the principal applicant does not hold an academic or research position, the application must include a co-applicant at the Lead Institution that does
Public and patient involvement
To obtain input from those affected by brain tumours, we strongly recommend that applicants access our Research Involvement Network (RIN) for public and patient involvement. In order to receive feedback from the RIN, please allow for a minimum of 3 weeks turnaround time.
Key Dates
Applications are now closed and will reopen next year.
Assessment criteria
- Relevance to funding call
Projects must address the patient-prioritised quality of life issues outlined in our reports - Methodology
Projects must have a sound approach and methodology in order to address the questions raised - Expertise of applicants
The applicants must be appropriately trained and well suited to carry out the planned studies. It is not essential for the principal investigator to have experience in brain tumour research; however there must be suitable collaborative arrangements with experts in this area - Potential for patient benefit
Projects must articulate a clear pathway to lead to patient benefit as well as the anticipated impact and likelihood of this. Applications with a clear path to clinical or practical application will be strongly favoured - Value for money
Projects must demonstrate that the requested funds are essential for the work and how these represent value for money
The Brain Tumour Charity is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and adheres to its principles of peer review. All applications will be considered by our Biomedical Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) alongside lay representatives of people affected by brain tumours.
Please read the following documents before applying for funding
Grand conditions - PDF
These grant conditions, together with the grant award letter, set out the terms and conditions on which we make a grant to the host institution and grantholder.
Finance guidelines - PDF
These guidelines explain which of the costs incurred will be paid for by The Charity
Data protection statement - PDF
This statement details how the information you give us will be processed, used and stored in accordance with data protection legislation
Further information
If you would like to discuss your project ideas or need any information, please contact the Research Team.
E-mail: research@thebraintumourcharity.org
Phone: +44 (0) 1252 418190
