Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance rolls out the Cancer Research and Innovation Award Funding Scheme 2025/26

Following the successful launch of the Cancer Innovation Grants in 2024, Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance is pleased to announce a further round of funding opportunities – subject to the approval of funding from NHS England.

The Cancer Research and Innovation Award Funding Scheme widens the scope of funding to include research projects in 2025/26.

“We are delighted to announce not only another opportunity to help fund our local culture of cancer innovation, but we may now also discover some fascinating research concepts that could be utilised to improve cancer services.” Mr Kartikae Grover, Clinical Director of Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance

If you have an innovative project that promotes early cancer diagnosis, treatment, recovery and/or patient experience in the Humber and North Yorkshire area, the Cancer Alliance could help you with the funding. Click here for more details on how to apply for an innovation award.

For the first time, applications are encouraged if you want to develop and implement research proposals that focus on the Cancer Alliance’s funding priorities (see below). If you would like information on how to apply for a research award, click here.

What is the scheme?

The Cancer Research and Innovation Award Funding Scheme forms part of the Cancer Alliance’s aim to build a culture of cutting-edge cancer innovations and research, essential to improving early diagnosis, treatment, recovery and patient experience.

This programme has been created in collaboration with:

• Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber
• Innovation, Research and Improvement System (IRIS)
• NHS Humber Health Partnership
• York and Scarbrough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Voluntary and Community sector
• Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance Patient and Public Representative Group
• Academic partners

The Cancer Alliance encourages all system stakeholders to initiate, identify and develop proposals for research and innovation, and to adopt evidence-based innovative approaches that can help earlier and faster diagnosis and assist those living with cancer. All applications should particularly target local priorities for improvement.

For more information on the Cancer Innovation Grant winners last year, click here.

Who can apply?

The Cancer Alliance welcomes applications from:

• Primary and Secondary care organisations
• Patients
• Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs)
• Academic institutions
• Wider system stakeholders – e.g. social care organisations

Collaboration is encouraged across organisations and sectors.

Funding priorities

The Cancer Research and Innovation Award Funding Scheme is a non-recurring revenue financial scheme that promotes research and innovation in cancer care, to improve earlier and faster diagnosis and patient experience, in line with the NHS Long Term Plan.

The Cancer Alliance is particularly keen to receive applications that are in line with NHS Cancer National Planning Guidance, that:

• Have a focus on (but not exclusive to) tumour sites with the highest volume of late-stage diagnoses in the Humber and North Yorkshire region.
• Target the 20% most deprived populations (Core 20plus) who experience health inequalities, including inclusion health groups.

See research or innovation guidance forms for more information.

Funding availability

Individual awards will be funded to a maximum of £50,000.

Awards timeline

• Applications open – Monday, 17 March 2025. Please note that the Cancer Alliance will be holding an online drop-in session on Thursday, 3 April 2025 (12:25pm to 1:00pm) via MS Teams, where prospective applicants will be able to learn more about the application process. Please click here to join the call.
• Applications close – Friday, 9 May 2025. 5pm

How do I apply?

• If you have read the guidance on how to apply for a research award and want to start your application, click here.
• If you have read through the guidance on how to apply for an innovation award and wish to proceed, click here to access the application form.
• For more information, please contact the Cancer Alliance Diagnostics and Innovation Team at hnyicb-ery.cdi.team@nhs.net.
• To find out more about the Cancer Alliance’s diagnostics and innovation work, please click here.