The deadline for the latest round of applications is Friday 31 July 2026.
We are pleased to announce the latest call for the Research Innovation Fund.
In this latest round, there will be funding for both clinical and non-clinical projects or innovations, up to a maximum of £50,000 per project.
The Research Innovation Fund is a collaboration between Royal Papworth Hospital Charity and the hospital's research and development directorate.
The fund aims to support:
- projects / innovations which will have a direct impact on patient care both locally and nationally.
- non-clinical projects which align to the trust’s values or a key strand of the Trust's strategy.
- feasibility or pilot work that will provide results or other information that will permit or otherwise enhance the likelihood of securing external peer-reviewed grant funding.
The scheme is open to all employees of Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Medical and non-medical staff are equally encouraged to apply for the award.
Applications from people with honorary contracts within the trust are welcomed, providing that the grant will be held at Royal Papworth Hospital and the project is conducted in collaboration with a named Trust employee and/or that the Trust will be the named lead institution and grant holder in any subsequent application to external funding sources.
Individuals who are in receipt of a current Innovation Fund award are not able to apply for another award as the main applicant.
Interested in applying?
For full details on how to apply, please check out the:
All applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the R&D department for advice before making an application.
A dedicated protocol development workshop will be held on Wednesday 3 June and Wednesday 1 July. Please contact Vikki Hughes for further information (victoria.hughes1@nhs.net).
The deadline for applications is Friday 31 July 2026, but you are encouraged to register your interest at the earliest opportunity so that your proposal can be optimally developed.
View previous successful applications and their awarded grants.
Library service support
Royal Papworth Hospital’s Library Service are offering their support to people considering applying for the Innovation Fund.
- If you have an idea for a project but wish to learn more about existing research on your topic, they can help.
- If you want to check that your idea is innovative, they can help.
Literature searches are an important part of establishing whether a project is innovative.
Would you benefit from support while conducting searches? We can provide training and feedback on your search strategy, or carry out high-quality, professional literature searches on your behalf.
If you are interested in applying to the Innovation Fund and would like some support in your initial stages, please contact library.papworth@nhs.net.