The sole purpose of the Programme Development Grant is it to provide funding to enable a research team to undertake preparatory work that will allow them to submit a successful PGfAR application in a subsequent funding competition. Applicants will have to outline the PGfAR research question they propose to address following the preparatory work.

Who it's for:
All NHS organisations and other providers of NHS services in England in collaboration with an appropriate academic partner or partners. All funding will be awarded to an NHS organisation which may then pass funds on to an academic partner. An appropriate NHS manager needs to be included as a co-applicant.

Funding:
Funding between £20k and £100k over a period of 6 - 18 months to enable a research team to develop and refine its research ideas ( Interventions or outcome measures), obtain empirical justification for research plans, or acquire or further develop appropriate collaborative expertise.

Process:
Programme Development Grants are awarded by open competition following a three stage process. Initially all proposals will be screened against basic eligibility criteria and then assessed by a sub-group or the Selection Panel to ensure the applications fall within the scope of the scheme. The proposal will then be assessed by the PGfAR Selection Panel.
Applicants will need to

• Describe the research to be undertaken
• Indicate how the preparatory work would enable the team to develop a credible application for the PGfAR
  

Successful applicants proceed straight to stage 2 of Programme Grants for Applied Research on completion of the development work.

Time-line:
Outcome 3 months after deadline with funding awards beginning 3 months later.

Criteria:
Applications will be judged on the following criteria:

• Relevance to the priorities and needs of the NHS
• Quality of the proposed future programme (including the likelihood that what is planned would attract PGfAR funding)
• Strength of the research team
• Work plan for the development phase - particularly the extent to which the work would enable applicants to submit an PGfAR proposal 
• Value for money

Programme Development Grant Website