Where can I find funding?

Where can I find funding for PPI work?

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You can find funding for Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) work through national bodies like the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Medical Research Council, local community foundations, and regional research and university support services.

Useful links

You may find some of the links below useful in identifying possible funding sources. It is by no means extensive.

Please note some of the links take you to external platforms that may require registration and/or a fee to access; we do not promote any of the platforms but offer them as potential tools when trying to find funding.

If you are eligible to receive National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) funding, their Research Support Service offers free and confidential support to help researchers develop and design high-quality research proposals.

Where can I get funding for pre-grant Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement?

  • The NIHR allocates Research Capability Funding to research-active NHS organisations or NHS health care providers to enable them to maintain research capacity and capability. Contact your local NHS Research and Innovation team for details on open funding schemes. For Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, try Research Capability Funding -BNSSG Healthier Together
  • If you are applying for a fellowship the Research Capability Funding -BNSSG Healthier Together allows £1.5k for PPI work to support the project
  • The NIHR Research Support Service offers involvement funds (up to around £300) to support public involvement in funding applications. These funds are designed to help researchers involve members of the public in the design and planning stages of their research proposals – including PhD students preparing applications.
  • The NIHR School for Primary Care Research (SPCR) also makes funds available through their 9 departments (University of Bristol, University of Exeter, Keele University, University of Manchester, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, Queen Mary University of London, University of Southampton and University College London) to support early involvement into applications to SPCR funding rounds.
  • Health and Care Research Wales pay the cost of project PPI co-applicants before funding decisions are known
  • The University of Bristol’s Public Engagement team issue regular newsletters which include funding opportunities – sign up to the newsletter. Public Engagement also oversee the University of Bristol’s Participatory Research Fund scheme. Those external to the University of Bristol must collaborate with a member of staff to be eligible to apply. 
  • The University of Bristol’s Brigstow Institute funds research projects that bring together a breadth of expertise and experience to explore societal issues though a radically interdisciplinary approach and transform ideas into real world impacts.

Other possible sources of funding for PPIE