The role of the RDS is to provide support for people preparing research proposals for submission to peer reviewed funding competitions for applied health and health related social care research - our major focus is on the NIHR funding streams. The NIHR funds a range of programmes addressing a broad range of health priorities, covering the entire healthcare pathway from preventions, detection, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment to care with a focus on the needs of patients and the public.

To ensure that your research project is submitted to the most appropriate funding stream it is important to to be aware of the eligibility and scope criteria of each stream. The following pages will aim to provide the relevant information and submission dates for each of the NIHR funding streams. Links are provided to the individual funding websites themselves, where further details are available; and the RDS-EM can provide you project specific advice on which funding stream is most appropriate for your current research proposal.

The NIHR Central Commissioning Facility (CCF) manages research programmes funded by the National Institute of Health Research and the Department of Health, that investigate a range of healthcare matters and assist in how research-based knowledge is applied across all healthcare sectors. The programmes managed by CCF are listed below. w: CCF

• Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) aimed at providing evidence to improve health outcomes in priority or need areas for the NHS England. w: PGfAR
• Programme Development Grants aimed at providing funding to enable a research team to undertake preparatory work with a view to subsequent application for a Programme Grant.  w: development grants
• Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) aimed at investigating ways to improve the effectiveness of NHS services, provide value for money and benefit patients. w: RfPB
• Invention for Innovation (i4i) aimed at turning innovative ideas into new products to meet the demands of a 21st century health service. w: i4i
• Research for Innovation Speculation and Creativity (RISC) aimed at supporting new and radical research proposals with the potential to create a step change in the way patients are cared for, managed and treated. Following a comprehensive review at the end of 2010, this programme is now closed and no further competitions will be held. Existing grants continue to be managed by the NIHR Central Commissioning Facility.w: RISC

The NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) manages evaluation research on behalf of the National Institute for Health Research. The programmes managed by NETSCC are listed below and most programmes have both commissioned and researcher-led workstreams. w: NETSCC

• Health Technology Assessment (HTA) aimed at providing information about the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests. w: HTA
• Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) aimed at supporting 'science driven' studies with an expectation of substantial health gain. w: EME
• Health Services Research (HSR) aimed at improving service quality and patient safety. From early 2012 HSR and SDO will merge into one stream HS&DR. w: HSR
• Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) aimed at improving practice in relation to the organisation and delivery of healthcare. From early 2012 HSR and SDO will merge into one stream HS&DR. w: SDO
• Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) From early 2012 HSR and SDO will merge into one stream HS&DR. w: 
• Public Health Research (PHR) aimed at providing information about the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of public health intervention. w: PHR

Other NIHR Research Programmes

• Policy Research Programme (PRP) aimed at providing the evidence base for policy development on public health and social care issues. This used to be a CCF programme but now site within the Department of Health. w: PRP
• NHS Physical Environment Research and Development Programme aimed at improving the patient environment by promoting safe, high quality and best value design in health care settings. w: physical environment
  
• Methodology Research supports the development of new and improved methodologies to underpin the design and conduct of clinical research. Jointly funded with MRC. w: MRP