The MRC global health strategy is currently being refreshed in line with our core remit of biomedical discovery and early translation. The Applied Global Health Research Board is no longer open for new applications.
If you wish to conduct applied research, please consider the National Institute for Health and Care Research as this work falls more within their remit.
To check the remit of your project against other available MRC funding opportunities please contact rfpd@mrc.ukri.org
Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new UKRI Funding Service.
For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual.
To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity you must:
Medical Research Council (MRC) particularly encourages applications from:
The board recognises that applied global health research requires the involvement of a diverse range of collaborating organisations in order to affect sustainable change.
Applications involving a not-for-profit organisation based in an LMIC will be eligible to be named project co-lead (international). This can include grass-roots organisations and community groups.
If you do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, by submitting an application the research organisation is confirming, if it is successful:
You are not eligible to apply if:
It is expected that researchers from India and any high-income countries make a significant contribution to their own research costs, including covering their own overheads. Where India is included in a project there must be at least two other LMICs involved in the project.
UKRI is unable to support ODA research and innovation activities taking place in China, or where China is the direct beneficiary. This means the ODA compliance statement submitted by applicants should not identify China as part of the project’s rationale/justification. Providing no UK funding flows to China, it is permissible for China-based researchers to be involved in UKRI funded activities, when part of a consortia of internationally based researchers. China-based researchers are not eligible to lead applications.
We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.
We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:
Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI.
We’re looking to fund research projects that will lead to tangible change in health policy and practice in the near future through practical, impact focused research.
We aim to support a diverse portfolio and examples of the types of research we will support, include:
If you are in the early stages of establishing an international research partnership, you may wish to consider applying to the UK Academy of Medical Sciences Networking Grants call. The deadline for the call is the 23rd October 2024. The awards provide up to £25,000 over one year to support collaborations between researchers in the UK and other countries, including researchers in low- and middle-income countries. Global health topics are within remit and the awards can be used to hold networking events, forge new links and generate innovative transdisciplinary research ideas aimed at strengthening global research capacity.
Proposals with a specific health systems focus should consider applying to the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s (NIHR’s) Global Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) programme. We may reject applications that have a strong systems focus and could be a better fit with NIHR.
We welcome cross-sector research combining expertise to meet a global health challenge. For example, an application may include aspects of urban planning, health policy and non-communicable disease (NCD) research. The research question might involve different disciplines and approaches from outside the health sector, but the primary objective must be to improve health.
You can apply for funding to address any health topic of relevance in the context where the research will be conducted. Examples of projects we have funded to date include infections, climate, ageing, NCDs, snakebite and anti-microbial resistance.
Explore previous Applied global health research board funding decisions.
If you are unsure whether your application fits the remit described, please send a one-page summary of your application to international@mrc.ukri.org
The MRC partners with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to support global health research projects. Some of the projects funded through AGHRB in specific strategic areas of mutual interest such as climate and health, women and girls’ reproductive health, early childhood development and epidemic preparedness will be funded under this partnership.
Through our investments in global health research, we aim to:
All projects funded by AGHRB must adhere to principles of gender equity. Part of the assessment criteria will include the gender balance of the team, and also the potential for the research to promote gender equity. Projects with a poor gender balance or where the research project implementation or outcomes may exacerbate gender inequalities, will be rejected.
We are committed to strengthening research capacity within low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the UK. All applicants are required to develop plans to strengthen research capacity within their application, which will be assessed by expert reviewers and inform funding decisions.
We encourage you to start discussing capacity strengthening priorities as early as possible, in consultation with key stakeholders, both within and outside of your project team. For example:
We take a broad view of where capacity strengthening activities could be targeted, however plans must be directly linked to the proposed project. Activities could target the individual, institutional or contextual level, or span multiple levels, and plans should be proportionate to the scale of the project, with larger projects expected to be more ambitious.
Examples of capacity building include, but are not limited to:
Find further resources, tools and guides on strengthening research capacity provided by the UK Collaborative on Development Research.
Although new investigator research grants are not available through the AGHRB, we are committed to supporting early career researchers in applied global health. The board will consider each applicant’s career stage and proposed mentorship arrangements during funding discussions.
We will not fund:
These opportunities represent areas of specific strategic focus that help to inform discussions at funding meetings, but you can submit research applications that focus on any applied global health topic.
The MRC maternal and neonatal health area of investment aims to provide funding for innovative applied research to address the global burden of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity.
The board supports research in early childhood development, which encompasses the physical, socio emotional, cognitive, and motor development of children from birth to eight years of age.
Early childhood development is the outcome of the nurturing care for early childhood development report. This is a range of education, health, nutrition and social protection inputs and environments. Applications in this area will be jointly funded by FCDO as part of a coordinated effort to increase and scale up the evidence base for early childhood development interventions.
Read more about the early childhood development area of investment.
The adolescent health area of investment aims to fund innovative applied research to improve adolescent health in LMICs.
Maximising impact from research remains a priority for MRC. To ensure that we meet this priority, we are funding research to address the implementation gap and progress interventions towards real-world impact.
We expect this research to ensure that evidence-based health interventions are implemented in an accessible and fair way for the most vulnerable populations.
Read more about the implementation science area of investment.
We will fund projects lasting up to five years, although projects typically last three to four years.
The resources you request should be appropriate for the objectives of your application. We will accept applications of all sizes from £150,000 up to approximately £2 million MRC contribution. MRC typically fund 80% of full economic cost, excluding eligible international costs, which are funded as exceptions (100%). We will take value for money into account when assessing applications.
Equitable partnerships, including financial equity, are a key principle of the board. Applications in which the majority of the funding is allocated to the UK, plus any high-income countries (or India), will be rejected.
You can request funding for costs such as:
Please note: total costs attributed to international high income countries (those not on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of official development assistance recipients), or India, must not exceed 30% of the full economic cost grant value. There is no cap on eligible funds attributed to international project co-leads from DAC list countries.
We will not fund:
You may include project partners that will support your research project through cash or in-kind contributions, such as:
Where there is engagement from individuals based in government agencies, international intergovernmental organisations (for example, the World Health Organization), or other stakeholder organisations (for example, industry collaborators), applicants should include them as a named project partner.
You are not required to provide project partner letters (or emails), of support for stage one of the application process (they will need to be provided at stage two).
If your application involves industry partners, you are not required to provide additional information if the team project partner falls within the industry collaboration framework (information will need to be provided at stage two).
Find out more about subcontractors and dual roles.
Any individual included in your application with a core team role cannot also be a project partner.
Any organisation that employs a member of the application core team cannot be a project partner organisation, this is incudes other departments within the same organisation.
If you are collaborating with someone in your organisation, consider including them in the core team as project co-lead, or specialist. They cannot be a project partner.
We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. TR&I is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.
As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.
See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.
Find out about getting funding for international collaboration.
We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
If you are based in an LMIC research organisation, you can register your organisation by contacting support@funding-service.ukri.org and provide your organisation name, country and city.
If the lead research organisation is an NHS organisation, check it is available in the Funding Service. You are encouraged to check this early as there may be additional steps for the organisation to be set up before you can apply.
Two grant types are available, ‘research’ and ‘partnership’. Before you select ‘Start application’, check you are applying for the appropriate grant type. Applications submitted to the incorrect grant type will be rejected.
You will be able to select ‘start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page, from 9:00am (UK time), on 20 August 2024.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. You must:
Watch our research office webinars about the new Funding Service.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
Applications should be self-contained, and hyperlinks should only be used to provide links directly to reference information. To ensure the information’s integrity is maintained, where possible, persistent identifiers such as digital object identifiers should be used. Assessors are not required to access links to carry out assessment or recommend a funding decision. Applicants should use their discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
References should be included in the appropriate question section of the application and be easily identifiable by the assessors for example, Smith, Research Paper, 2019.
You must not include links to web resources to extend your application.
Medical Research Council (MRC) must receive your application by 3 December 2024 at 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
MRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.
MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at Applied global health research board – funding decisions.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.
Word limit: 550
In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
Succinctly describe your proposed work in terms of:
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
Only list one individual as project lead.
Project leads can be from eligible UK or LMIC research organisations.
We expect all applications to this opportunity to include project co-lead (international), based at LMIC research organisations.
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Word limit:10
Provide up to five keywords that describe your application.
Provide up to a maximum of five keywords, for example: maternal health, malaria, implementation science, sub-Saharan Africa.
This is for administrative purposes to help with the initial application processing and will not affect the overall assessment of your application.
Word limit: 1,000
What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?
Explain how your proposed work:
Within the Vision section we also expect you to:
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Word limit: 1,500
How will you deliver your proposed work?
Explain how you have designed your work so that it:
Within the Approach section we also expect you to:
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Word limit: 250
What are your capacity strengthening plans for the research project?
Explain how you have embedded appropriate capacity building activities within the proposed work. Explain how your capacity strengthening activities:
Within this section we expect you to:
Word limit: 1,650
Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?
Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
The word count for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for R4RI modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.
Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.
Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed. Use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI. You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member brings:
Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).
Complete this as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.
UKRI has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new Funding Service.
For full details, see Eligibility as an individual.
Add details about any project partners’ contributions. If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service.
A project partner is a collaborating third party organisation who will have an integral role in the proposed research. This may include direct (cash) or indirect (in-kind) contributions such as expertise, staff time or use of facilities.
The individual named as the project partner contact, cannot be included in your application as a member of the core team, in any core team role.
The project partner organisation cannot be an applicant organisation, where any member of the core team is based. For example, you cannot include a different department based within the applicant organisation as a project partner.
If an individual or organisation outside the core team is responsible for recruitment of people as research participants or providing human tissue for this project, list them as a project partner.
Add the following project partner details:
If there are specific circumstances where project partners do require funding for minor costs such as travel and subsistence, these project partner costs should be claimed and justified within the resources and costs section of your application.
If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Letters or emails of support are not required from project partners at stage one of the application process (they will be required if you are invited to apply to the full application stage two).
If your stage one application includes industry project partners, you are not required to complete the Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF) review, until the stage two application process is relevant to your proposed work. Find out more about ICF.
Word limit: 500
What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.
Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated:
Consider the MRC guidance on ethics and approvals.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Word limit: 500
Provide a high-level indication of how much each research organisation will need.
Provide a breakdown of the funding requested for each eligible organisation, by copying and pasting the table provided into the text box. You should then add the cost figures relevant to each organisation involved. The table has separate column headings, which will allow you to clearly define the costs you are claiming for each participating organisation, depending on where they are based:
Important note: a narrative justification of your costs is not required during stage one of the application process.
Applications in which the majority of the budget is allocated to the UK will be rejected.
LMICs are defined as those on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list.
You must include costs associated with LMIC organisations as exceptions (100%).
Important note: You can claim an additional 20% on top of the total LMIC exception costs for each specific LMIC organisation. These additional funds are a contribution towards indirect costs incurred by the LMIC overseas organisation over the duration of the project (excluding India).
Important note: There is no cap on eligible funds attributed to international project co-leads from DAC list countries, excluding India.
All UK based costs must comply with the principles of full economic costing (FEC) of applications and claimed accordingly (if the application is successful, we would typically fund 80% of the UK based costs claimed).
An HIC international organisation based overseas, including India, will not be on the OECD DAC list of official development assistance recipients and is therefore not defined as an LMIC.
Costs associated with HIC international organisations must be claimed as an exception (100%).
All costs attributed to international HICs, including India, must not exceed 30% of the total FEC costs claimed.
Do not include indirect costs for organisations based within any HIC international organisation, as these are not permitted. Do not claim the 20% extra costs as this is for LMIC based organisations only (excluding India).
Provide a breakdown of the funding request per organisation by completing the table provided in the Funding Service.
Word limit: 800
Is this application related to another application to MRC or other funding organisation?
If your application is not related to another, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
If yes, state your previous reference number and explain how this new application is related to the other application.
If the related application was submitted to another funder, you should identify the name of the funder and when you applied.
If this is a resubmission, describe how it differs from the previous application and how feedback on the previous application has been considered and acted on.
We will assess your application using the following process.
Your outline application will be reviewed by independent board members and MRC’s global health faculty of experts.
We will review the comments and scores for each application. Shortlisted applications will be invited to submit a stage two application.
We aim to complete the stage one assessment process within four months of receiving your application. The funding decision will be made on applications invited to stage two approximately six months from then.
We will give feedback with the outcome of your application.
We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.
Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making.
We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.
The assessment areas we will use are:
Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.
If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page
Important note: The Helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the Helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline and/or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding Finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility or content/remit of an opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.
For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.
For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact international@mrc.ukri.org
For general questions related to MRC funding including our funding opportunities and policy email: rfpd@mrc.ukri.org
Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.
Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org
Phone: 01793 547490
Our phone lines are open:
To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.
Find information on submitting an application.
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email international@mrc.ukri.org
Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].
Typical examples of confidential information include:
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.
We held a webinar on 7 December 2023 to provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions.
Passcode to access the recording: H6RXwk@i
We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities. We are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career, such as:
Reviewers and panel members will be advised to consider the unequal impacts that COVID-19 related disruption might have had on the capability to deliver and career development of those individuals included in the application. They will be asked to consider the capability of the applicant and their wider team to deliver the research they are proposing.
Where disruptions have occurred, you can highlight this within your application if you wish, but there is no requirement to detail the specific circumstances that caused the disruption.
