Purpose:
For long-term support on a 5 year rolling basis.

Minimum criteria:

• The principal investigator will be a senior researcher working in an established research institution in the UK. He/she must have a strong track record of project grant support, usually from BHF, and an internationally recognised research profile.
• The proposed research plan must be extensive and imaginative, but remain focused.
• Prospective applicants must have submitted a preliminary outline at least 18 months before the expected start date and received BHF’s approval to submit a full application (see below).

Preliminary outline proposal:
Full applications will not be considered without BHF’s prior approval to submit.  In order to decide whether it is appropriate to apply, the following information is required in brief:

• Title of research programme and names of the Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-applicants.
• Background to your proposal.
• Research proposals for the next 5 years, including objectives and the main methods to be used to tackle the research aims.
• Your objectives in the longer term.
• An explanation of why the research requires programme rather than project grant support.
• Summary of expected costs.
• Brief cv (2 pages max) of PI.
• Relevant current and recent grants held by the PI and co-applicants.

Please keep the information relating to points 1-6 within 3 pages.

N.B. Outline proposals should be submitted at least 18 months before the expected start date of any award.  Allow 1 month for outline to be considered.

Duration of grant:
5 years initially, with an interim review at the half way point. Programme Grants offer long-term support on a 5 year rolling basis, extendable by a successful renewal application (see later details).

Award may include:

• Staff (e.g. technician, research assistant, postdoctoral salaries) (N.B. excluding PhD studentships)
• Research consumables, directly attributable to the project
• Research equipment essential for the project

How to apply:
Please read the documents listed in Application Checklist

What to submit:

• Completed application form: Form RG 
• Detailed research proposal and other information as listed in Application Checklist
• Add the following additional information – Outline plan of research after 5 years

Number of copies required:
17 collated copies of the application form and supporting information and 1 electronic copy (collated as a single file) emailed to research@bhf.org.uk.

Decision process:
Strict deadlines apply to Programme Grants (listed below). We will acknowledge receipt of your application within 1 month and advise when you can expect the result. A decision will be reached by the Chairs and Programme Grants Committee (4 meetings a year) after it has considered external peer review reports. Since Programme Grants are rarely awarded without revision, the application should be submitted 12 months before the expected start date.

Application deadlines:
Programme Grants should be submitted by 12 noon on the last working day of: February, May, August, November.

Programme Grant Renewals:
Principal investigators must discuss with BHF the timing of renewal applications 18 months before the end date of their current award, as BHF will not be responsible for costs incurred after the end date during the renewal process. The application process, beginning with an outline proposal, is otherwise the same, although the following additional information is required (complete FORM AR ‘Annual and Final Report Form’ – available on request):

• Progress made during the previous funding period
• A list of publications year by year
• Details of staff with start and end dates and what they have contributed
• Details of patentable or commercially exploitable results

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