Managing your grant
If your application is successful, you will be sent an award letter and a grant acceptance form. You will then be required to manage your grant for its duration.
When you receive your award letter
Please make sure you accept your grant by following the link in your award letter within one month of its date.
Claims for expenditure
Please refer to our Invoice Guidance to ensure all invoices contain the relevant information needed for a timely payment.
Invoices must be submitted to [email protected] quarterly, in arrears, claiming for actual expenditure against the award. Include the following information:
- The grant reference number
- The name of the Principal Investigator
- A name and contact details for queries
- The claim period
- Itemised expenditure under the correct budget heading (eg. salaries, consumables, equipment)
- Salaries – awarded post number, staff name, period if different from claim period, grade, basic salary, NI, SA, LA if applicable
- Consumables – itemised against the breakdown of award
- Equipment – awarded item number to which it relates. Include the relevant supplier’s invoice. This needs to be countersigned by the Principal Investigator.
Queries must be responded to within 2 weeks to avoid delayed or non payment. A final invoice must be submitted within 6 months of the grant end date. The grant will be closed and no reimbursement will be made against invoices submitted after this date.
Grant Costing Policy for Research Professorships and Personal Chairs
Please refer to our Costing Policy for Research Professorships for allowed expenditure.
Fellows claiming the discretionary fund
The Fund provides flexible support for the fellow’s research and development needs, including but not limited to, professional development (such as workshops, training or coaching), or research-related equipment and consumables. Please refer to the Grant Costing Guide for eligible costs and seek confirmation from BHF if in doubt before incurring expenditure.
BHF’s prior approval to use the Fund is not required and any unused funds can be carried forward to the following year providing the total sum for the duration of the award is not exceeded.
A claim for reimbursement should be included on the Institute’s quarterly claim following expenditure, clearly identifying the Fund being claimed (Discretionary Fund) with an itemised description and amount. A copy of the supplier’s invoice must be included when claiming items of equipment. In submitting the claim the Finance Office confirms expenditure is auditable and complies with BHF guidance.
A summary of how the Fund was used will be requested in the Fellow’s Final Report and receipts may be requested for audit.
Fellows claiming the caring responsibility fund
The Fund provides expenses directly related to caring responsibilities incurred by the Fellow as a result of fellowship activities, such as but not limited to, attending conferences, training, or collaborator visits.
BHF’s prior approval to use the Fund is not required but please seek confirmation if further guidance is required before incurring expenditure. Any unused funds can be carried forward to the following year providing the total sum for the duration of the award is not exceeded.
A claim for reimbursement should be included on the Institute’s quarterly claim following expenditure, clearly identifying the Fund being claimed (Caring Responsibility Fund) with an itemised description and amount. In submitting the claim the Finance Office confirms expenditure is auditable and complies with BHF guidance.
A summary of how the Fund was used will be requested in the Fellow’s Final Report and receipts may be requested, where available, for audit.
Fellows claiming the training fund
The Fund provides support for the Fellow’s research and development needs (such as workshops, training or coaching) where suitable provision is not available by the University. Please refer to the Grant Costing Guide for eligible costs and seek confirmation from BHF if in doubt before incurring expenditure.
BHF’s prior approval to use the Fund is not required and any unused funds can be carried forward to the following year providing the total sum for the duration of the award is not exceeded.
A claim for reimbursement should be included on the Institute’s quarterly claim following expenditure, clearly identifying the Fund being claimed (Training Fund) with an itemised description and amount. In submitting the claim the Finance Office confirms expenditure is auditable and complies with BHF guidance.
A summary of how the Fund was used will be requested in the Fellow’s Final Report and receipts may be requested for audit.
Part time working
We are prepared to support part time working on most of our personal awards. For more information - read our Flexible working policies.
Maternity/paternity/adoption/parental leave
We are prepared to support maternity, paternity, adoption or parental leave in accordance with the university’s terms of employment - read our Flexible working policies.
Clinical studies
Read our Policies for researchers conducting clinical trials for more information on our expectations for managing your clinical trial.
Claiming travel funds for conferences
Would you like to claim a travel fund? Your university must submit a Travel Fund Claim Form within 6 months of attending the scientific meeting.
Extensions to fellowships
If you are in receipt of one of the following fellowships, it may be possible to extend it.
- Intermediate Basic Science Research
- Intermediate Clinical Research
- Career Re-Entry Research
- Career Development Research for Nurses & Healthcare Professionals
Read how you can extend your fellowship.
BHF Fellow offered a permanent/tenured post
If you have been offered a permanent/tenured post prior to the end date of your Fellowship it may be possible to transfer your salary to that post while retaining your BHF Fellowship to its current end date. Please contact [email protected] for further details.
Reporting progress
We don't usually require an Annual Report outlining study progress unless you have been awarded a Clinical Study Grant, or if specified as a Condition of your Award.
For all awards, we require a Final Report on the outcome of your research project within 3 months of the grant end date. If a final report is not submitted, the grant will be closed with the final invoice unpaid. The Principal Investigator is also unlikely to receive further grant funding from BHF.
Five year grants are subject to a mid term review and occasionally we may request a progress report.
Translational Awards are subject to milestone reports, and we may request progress reports, when necessary, throughout the course of the award.
You can find information on how to access the relevant forms in Reporting progress.
Research evaluation
We monitor the outcomes of the research we fund on a regular basis.
As a Condition of Grant - you will need to submit outcome data using Researchfish, our research evaluation system to do this.
The exceptions to this are: Infrastructure Grants, Strategic Initiatives and BHF Centres of Research Excellence or Centres of Regenerative Medicine.
Publishing your research
We are committed to unrestricted access by the wider community to published research. All grant holders must comply with our Open Access Policy.
For advice on how to share your exciting results with our supporters refer to communicating your research.
Research grants FAQs
If after reading this page you still have questions about managing your research grant, visit our FAQs page.