Find out more about the funding process and how we award research grants.
In this section
How can I apply?
- Please submit your application using our online grants management system (Grant Tracker). Once you’ve registered with the system, you’ll be able to access the application forms for open grant rounds.
- Make sure you carefully read the guidance for the grant round you’re applying for. You can find these on our funding opportunities page.
- In your proposal, you must clearly demonstrate how your research project could lead to better treatments, improved diagnosis, or the prevention of breast cancer. For more information, read our research policies and grant conditions.
- If you have any questions about completing the application form, please email the research funding team, or call 0207 749 0893 between 9am and 5pm.
What’s the application review process?
Response-mode funding
Our response mode funding includes project, PhD and fellowship grants.
Breast Cancer Now is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities and we follow their guidelines for best practice in peer review. We award grants based on their scientific value in relation to our objectives. When making decisions on grant awards, our key considerations are the quality of the application and applicants.
We assign research proposals to the scheme’s committee members with relevant scientific or clinical expertise. As an initial screening, committee members carry out a preliminary screening step by reviewing all applications. They identify applications that aren't competitive and applications that should move forward to the next stage of review. If we aren't going to take your application any further, we will let you know within 12 weeks of the application deadline, and send you feedback from the committee.
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External review
We then send shortlisted applications to at least 2 researchers who specialise in the area of the research project. We make sure these researchers don’t have a conflict of interest and aren't a member of the committee. After their review, we share the external reviewers’ comments and any scientific updates from the applicant with the committee.
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Discussion in meeting
We allocate each application to 2 committee members, based on their areas of expertise. The 2 members present the application to the rest of the panel, including any relevant information from external reviews. After a short discussion, the committee members score the application. We then rank applications by their average score and the committee makes their recommendations for funding.
For fellowships, we invite shortlisted applicants to attend an interview with selected members of the committee.
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Trustee meeting
The committee will present recommended applications to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Long term programme grant funding
Our long-term programme funding includes our research centre at the Institute of Cancer Research, the research unit at King’s College London, the Generations Study and the biobank.
Our long-term programmes are funded in a 5-year cycle. At the end of the funding cycle, we assemble an independent, international panel to assess the performance of each programme. The panel assessment will determine whether programmes receive another 5 years of funding. The panel will make funding recommendations to the Board of Trustees, who give the final approval for funding.
The panel also reviews the research proposals for the following 5 years. At least 3 independent national and international expert scientists and clinicians will also peer review the research proposals.
During the funding cycle, we evaluate each programme annually to assess whether it’s achieving its objectives and to determine whether we will continue funding.
How will I find out about the application outcome?
Following the application review process, we will notify applicants via e-mail about the outcome of their application. If your application is successful, we will issue a contract based on our research policies and grants conditions. Successful applicants will then be issued a contract based on our research policies and grants conditions, along with information for new grant holders about the management of their grant.
Useful links and documents
Success rates and conflict of interest policy
Conflict of interest policy
Download pdf (.1 MB)PHD grant success rates
Download pdf (.1 MB)Project grant success rates
Download pdf (.2 MB)Get in touch
For any queries about our funding processes, please contact our research funding team.