BHF Healthcare Implementation Fund

We want to support everyone with cardiovascular disease to live a longer healthier life, by ensuring they get the treatment, care and support they need.

The Healthcare Implementation Fund (formerly the Healthcare Innovation Fund) supports measurable improvement in the delivery of services for people with cardiovascular disease.

Through funding projects in real-world NHS settings, the aim is to develop the evidence of what will and will not work following local/regional testing to find the best solution to an unmet need.

A summary of what we fund, who can apply, and the criteria is found below. You can also find detailed information about the fund in our A summary of what we fund, who can apply, and the criteria is found below. You can also find detailed information about the fund in our Healthcare Implementation Fund Criteria pack (PDF, 895 KB, 38 pages). You’re strongly encouraged to read this information before applying for funding.. You’re strongly encouraged to read this information before applying for funding.

What we fund

Applicants can apply for up to £350,000 for novel ideas that support early-stage testing and early-stage scaling projects that have been scoped.

Applications to the fund must have completed scoping, which means a problem and a novel solution have been identified, understood, and outlined.

Projects should aim to deliver at least one of the following:

• Reduce hospital admissions or readmissions
• Enhance patient flow
• Support quality care
• Optimise resource utilisation
• Implement new technologies
• Improve communication and collaboration

Who can apply

The lead applicant or investigator must be employed by an NHS organisation or UK based academic institution.

Applications are invited from teams who have been identified and supported by UK’s regional innovation boards, like:

• Health Innovation Networks (HINs) in England
• Innovation Hubs in Scotland
• Cardiac Network Board in Wales
• Cardiology Network in Northern Ireland

It’s essential that your application demonstrates that multiple colleagues have worked together to define the problem, and to scope proposed solutions. The colleagues involved should be appropriate to the project design and include a wide range of relevant skillsets.

It's important that your project considers patient involvement, such as being involved in defining the problem and in designing the proposed solution.

Your project can include working with other partners, such as the third sector and industry, where you think it will benefit people with cardiovascular disease.

Criteria

A high-level overview of the criteria is outlined below but please read the pack for more detailed information on each criterion:

• It’s imperative that the project meets the criterion of innovative or novel.
• Your project must be primarily focussed on driving measurable improvement in the delivery of services for patients with any type of cardiovascular disease.
• The project design must evidence a structured and systematic approach.
• The size and calibre of the team should reflect the size and complexity of the project.
• It’s imperative that you outline a systematic approach to evaluation.
• While a maximum of £350k funding is available, applicants requesting most, or all, of the full amount will need to provide strong reasons to justify the need.
• There must be a detailed budget to outline every cost.
• Involvement of patient and carers should be proportionate to the scale of the project and the level of funding you’re seeking.

When you can apply

We open for applications on Monday 22 September 2025. Applications close on Monday 17 November 2025 at midday*.

We will open again for applications in spring 2026. Further details will be announced in due course.

*Unfortunately late applications cannot be considered.

Apply for funding

Read our Healthcare Implementation Fund Criteria pack (PDF) for guidance on the application process.

1. Register for a BHF Research Grant account or log in to your existing account
2. Complete the relevant application form:
   Early-stage testing projects
   Early-stage scaling projects
3. Submit your application.

If you would like a chat about your potential application, please email us at [email protected]

We appreciate that several colleagues will be working on the application form together. To help facilitate that, we’ve included a MS Word document of both forms below.

• Early-stage testing form (MS Word Document, 256 KB, 16 pages)
• Early-stage scaling form (MS Word Document, 264 KB, 17 pages)

However, please note that applications will only be accepted on the online BHF Grant Management System. Applications by email with an MS Word document attached will be rejected automatically.

Next steps if your project doesn't meet the criteria

Explore our full range of research grant options to understand what research BHF currently funds.

Please note that implementation science projects based on a hypothesis that require a power calculation and ethics approval should be submitted to BHF’s Project Grants scheme.

If you have a novel idea for a service improvement project with a CVD focus that does not fully meet the specific scope and criteria, please contact us via email at [email protected].

When you will hear from us

Your application will be assessed by expert peer review, patient reviewers and by our committee.

Assessments will begin during December 2025 and January 2026 with the opportunity for rebuttal late January 2026. We expect to announce the awards in April 2026.

Successful applicants will be notified of their grant offer, subject to our Standard Grant Agreement terms.

What have we funded already?

The BHF Healthcare Implementation (formerly Innovation) Fund has already awarded £3.85 million pounds worth of project funding, innovating treatment, care and support for people with cardiovascular disease. From AI stethoscopes to online psychological support, projects are underway to support everyone with cardiovascular disease to live a longer healthier life.

Projects awarded funding in March 2024

Projects awarded funding in September 2024