We provide funding for project grants and PhD studentships across the spectrum of sarcoma research.
As the national charity for all types of sarcoma, Sarcoma UK is committed to funding world-class science to understand sarcoma better, improve treatments and make a difference to the lives of sarcoma patients. Since 2009, we have funded over £5 million of research to a range of high-quality institutions and projects across the UK. Since the launch of our studentship programme in 2016 we have proudly supported seventeen PhD students in laboratories across the UK. Read more about the projects we’ve funded.
Our strategic approach to research is flexible and broad, with an aim of supporting the highest quality science which will have an impact for people affected by sarcoma. We support a wide range of sarcoma research and are flexible in being able to offer funding for a variety of laboratory, clinical and studentship projects via our funding calls.
Sarcoma UK warmly welcomes applicants from all backgrounds; from centres across the UK, as well as from research groups outside the sarcoma research space.
Apply for funding
Research Workshop Scheme
£3000 grants are available to facilitate meetings, promote research ideas and give sarcoma researchers the space to meet, discuss ideas, brainstorm questions and plan research applications.
Sign up to our mailing list here to be notified of funding calls as they open or come back to this page for updates.
Eligibility criteria for our funding calls
If you are unsure about the eligibility of your application, please contact Sarcoma UK’s research team by emailing research@sarcoma.org.uk.
Host institution requirements
- The host institution for the project must be a UK-based higher education institution or the NHS.
- The host institution must be the employer of the grant holder.
- The host institution will be responsible for the entirety of the award, including all administration, liaison with third parties and ensuring compliance with conditions of award by other institutions where appropriate.
- Work on the project may take place at other institutions, which may be outside of the UK, but the host institution is responsible for any sub-contracting and payment of funds to other organisations.
Applicant requirements
- The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for the intellectual leadership of the research project and must be actively engaged in the overall management of the research.
- The PI should be able to demonstrate evidence of a strong research record, with experience to drive and lead a research project which addresses your proposed research questions. Demonstrable evidence could include publications, successful grant applications and an ability to lead teams.
- The PI and the proposed project must be based in the UK at a Higher Education Institution (HEI), Research Institute or Clinical Institution. The principal investigator of the work must have a contract of employment within the host institution for the duration of the grant prior to application.
- Where the PI is on a fixed-term contract, their contract must extend at least one year beyond the lifetime of the project, or the host institution must demonstrate that it intends to award a permanent position at the end of the fixed term. In addition, a co-applicant with a permanent post at the host institution should be listed on the application.
- Named Co-Is must be actively involved in the running of the project to the extent indicated in the application.
Resubmission guidance
For submissions of proposals across any Sarcoma UK grant rounds, we allow only one resubmission of a previously unsuccessful proposal, unless you have been explicitly invited to resubmit for a second time.
For all resubmissions, we require a full explanation of the revisions (additions, deletions and modifications) made to the proposal from its previous iteration, and responding to any concerns raised by reviewers or the Grant Review Panel. Please include this explanation as a maximum of 2 pages of A4 attached prior to your application form.
Resubmissions will be checked as part of our triaging process; applications which do not meet the above requirements will not be accepted.
Other requirements
Applications will not be accepted:
- Where the primary intent of the grant is for purchase of equipment
- From commercial organisations.
- Where the PhD studentship is already underway.
- Where the application has been submitted to any of Sarcoma UK’s funding calls on more than one previous occasion unless explicitly invited.
- Please note that the member of staff supported on a large grant may not be a PhD student.
Application assessment criteria
Sarcoma UK’s research programme is flexible and broad. Proposals will be assessed on scientific quality and relevance to people affected by sarcoma.
All applications will proceed to review unless they are deemed out of remit for the call shortly following submission. Applications will be assessed on a variety of criteria by peer and lay written reviews and Sarcoma UK’s Grant Review Panel, including scientific quality, pathway to impact and the team and environment. Read more about how your proposal will be assessed.
