Designed in consultation with researchers, the session aimed to demystify the funding process and offer practical guidance on developing strong, competitive grant applications. Key questions explored included:
- What are funders looking for in supporting documentation and statements of support?
- How can applicants ensure that their documentation is compelling and robust?
- What level of risk are funders willing to accept?
- How should applicants balance ambitious, high-impact ideas with more straightforward, lower-risk proposals?
- How much flexibility is there for discovery-driven research along the way?
More than 70 colleagues attended the event, which featured expert insights from representatives of major funding bodies including the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Prostate Cancer UK, Kidney Research UK, and the Wellcome Trust.
Participants heard directly from:
- Mathew Hobbs, Director of Research, Prostate Cancer UK
- Ryan Wolstenholme, Senior Programme Manager, NIHR
- Elaine Davies, Director of Research Operations, Kidney Research UK
- Professor Sheraz Markar, Professor of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery
- Sophie Hawkesworth, Senior Manager (Clinical), Wellcome Trust
Their discussion offered candid advice on crafting persuasive applications, navigating review processes, and shaping research ideas that resonate with funders.
Emily Hotine, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at NDS and organiser of the event, said: ‘When planning this event, we realised that the best way to ensure it would have a meaningful impact on our researchers would be to allow them to direct it. The result was a discussion guided by their questions, which 100% of attendees surveyed have reported they will use to inform their future funding proposals. The success of this event emphasises the importance of listening to and prioritising your audience’s needs.’
The event concluded with a networking lunch, giving attendees the opportunity to continue conversations with speakers and peers and to seek further guidance on their funding journeys.