Grant types

The International Grant Programme comprises two main grant types:

Investigator Initiated Grants may be awarded to investigators from anywhere in the world, except the Americas (North America including the USA and Canada, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America). Such grants are for a maximum of £250,000 for up to four years, with a limit of £75,000 for any one year.

Regional Seed Grants are awarded to principal investigators specifically from countries where WCRF International member organisations operate (UK, the Netherlands, France, Hong Kong but not the USA). These are intended as start-up funds for pilot research on innovative ideas relevant to WCRF International research priorities to allow them to develop to a stage where an application for an Investigator Initiated grant would be appropriate. The amount available for each seed grants is limited to a maximum of £60,000 for up to two years.

WCRF International may also co-fund breast cancer project grants with Breast Cancer Campaign. Prior permission will always be sought from grant applicants before forwarding any details.

Types of applications:

New applications
Most grant applications are for new projects. Researchers can only be the Principle Investigator for one grant application per grant cycle, with one exception that is discussed in section 5.1 of the Grant Application Package. Please indicate on the application form whether you are applying for an Investigator Initiated Grant or a Regional Seed Grant.

Renewals – for current grant holders
Research grants may be renewed. The PI should contact WCRF International to register intent to apply for a renewal grant at the time of the Outline Application stage (16th July to 11th October 2010). It is not necessary to complete an Outline Application form - proposals can be submitted at the Full Application stage. Details on how to apply will be provided. Renewals must include all relevant progress reports, one copy of the original funded application, and all publications resulting from the previous funding by the WCRF global network. WCRF International recommends that renewal applications are submitted after two thirds of the funding period (for example after the second year of a three year grant). Renewal applications compete equally in the grant review process with new applications in that cycle.

Revisions
If an application is not deemed fundable at the Full Applications stage the PI may submit a new Outline Application in the next grant cycle. This revised application will include an additional section, where all issues raised by the Grant Panel and peer reviewers as provided in reviewers’ reports to the applicant in the previous cycle, should be addressed. A revised application will compete equally with all submitted applications in that cycle.

Fundable grants not funded in the previous cycle
Occasionally, Investigator Initiated and Regional Seed grants are judged to be of sufficient scientific merit for funding by the Grant Panel, but cannot be funded due to limited finances. Applications are ranked according to scores awarded by the Grant Panel and grants are awarded according to their ranking, the priorities of the WCRF national members, and the finances available at the end of each fiscal year (September). Applicants of unfunded successful grants will be exempt from completing an outline application and will be invited to submit a full application in the next cycle.

Term
Grant awards for Investigator Initiated grants are made for up to a maximum of four years, although the applicant or the Grant Panel may specify a period of one, two, three or four years. Regional Seed grants are made for up to two years. Awards are made without assurance of continued support beyond the designated term.

For more information about the grant types and the types of applications for the Regular Grant Programme please see our Grant Application Package.