New Wellcome Trust Schemes Now Open

The Wellcome Trust has announced that its three new funding initiatives for early, mid and senior career researchers are now open to applications.

The Wellcome Trust has announced that its three new funding initiatives for early, mid and senior career researchers are now open to applications. The research carried out can be in any discipline – including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), experimental medicine, humanities and social science, clinical/allied health sciences, and public health – as long as it has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing, and aligns with the Trust’s funding remit.

All applicants must have sponsorship from or should be based at an eligible host organisation. The host organisation can be based in the UK, Republic of Ireland or a low and middle-income country (apart from India and mainland China). The host can be a higher education institution, research institute, non-academic healthcare organisation or not-for-profit organisation.

The three new schemes are:

Early Career Awards

These awards will provide funding for early career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Salary for the grantholder and up to £400,000 for research expenses for up to five years will be provided. The first funding round has an application deadline of 26 October 2021.

Career Development Awards

Career Development Awards provide funding for mid-career researchers from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders. Applicants should already be driving their own research and be ready to lead a substantial and innovative research programme. The Trust provides the salary for the grantholder and research expenses for up to eight years. The first funding round has an application deadline of 16 November 2021.

Discovery Awards

This new scheme is aimed at established researchers and teams from any discipline who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas. Funding will cover eligible research expenses for up to eight years. The first funding round has an application deadline of 11 November 2021.

For all three schemes, candidates must ensure they submit an application to the host organisation for approval. The host organisation must then review the application and submit it through the online Wellcome Trust Grant Tracker (WTGT) system.

(This report was the subject of a RESEARCHconnect Newsflash.)