Alzheimer's Research Uk

Charity Number: 1077089

Annual Expenditure: £27.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £27 million (2023-24)
  • Success Rate: 16-20% (varies by scheme)
  • Decision Time: 3-6 months
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £600,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK-based with international collaboration

Contact Details

  • Website: www.alzheimersresearchuk.org
  • Email: enquiries@alzheimersresearchuk.org
  • Phone: 0300 111 5333
  • Research Team: research@alzheimersresearchuk.org
  • Public Engagement: engage@alzheimersresearchuk.org

Overview

Founded as a research charity, Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity with charity number 1077089. In 2023-24, the organization achieved record-breaking income of £57 million and invested £27 million into dementia research - their highest amount to date. Since inception, they have funded 1,275 research projects across the UK and internationally, committing over £237 million to dementia research. The charity focuses exclusively on biomedical research in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, with particular emphasis on translational research that can benefit people with or at risk of dementia. Led by CEO Hilary Evans-Newton, who has overseen significant growth since joining in 2013, the organization maintains strategic partnerships including the UK Dementia Research Institute and follows a rigorous peer review process aligned with AMRC guidelines.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • Major Project Grants: £350,000 - £600,000 (up to 5 years) - for ambitious, high-impact dementia research
  • Pilot Project Grants: Up to £70,000 (up to 2 years) - for novel research ideas with potential for larger applications
  • Advanced Clinical Fellowships: Fellowship funding for clinicians combining research and practice
  • Research Fellowships: For PhD-qualified non-clinical researchers
  • PhD Scholarships: Full PhD programme funding (applied for by supervisors)
  • Inspire Fund: £5,000 - £20,000 for public engagement projects on dementia

Priority Areas

  • Treatment: Research into therapeutic interventions for dementia
  • Diagnosis: Development of diagnostic tools and methods
  • Prevention: Research into preventing dementia onset
  • Translational Research: Basic preclinical and clinical research with practical applications
  • Drug Discovery: Projects with collaboration potential through their Drug Discovery Alliance

What They Don't Fund

  • Care or service delivery research
  • Indirect costs (estates, shared IT, administration, HR, libraries)
  • Principal Investigator salaries (except for Fellowships)
  • Apprenticeship levy and recruitment costs
  • Research outside their biomedical remit
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Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive: Hilary Evans-Newton (joined 2013, holds honorary doctorate in medicine from University of Exeter, Trustee of AMRC, Member of World Dementia Council, co-chairs government's Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals Programme)

Chair of Board of Trustees: Gavin Patterson (appointed February 2025, former President and Chief Revenue Officer of Salesforce, former CEO of BT Group)

The organization maintains a distinguished Grant Review Board of leading dementia research experts and is actively expanding to include more diverse perspectives. As Hilary Evans-Newton states: “Sustained, strategic investment is essential if we are to translate scientific promise into treatments that benefit patients.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are made via their online grant application website. Grant schemes only appear when rounds are open (approximately 3 months before deadlines). Current open calls include Major Project Grants, Pilot Project Grants, and Advanced Clinical Fellowships.

Decision Timeline

  • Application Period: 3 months before deadline
  • Review Process: Initial review by Grant Review Board members, triage, rebuttal opportunity, final review with lived experience input
  • Interviews: Required for Fellowship applications
  • Total Timeline: Typically 3-6 months from submission to decision
  • Notification: Email notification of outcomes

Success Rates

  • Research Fellowships: 16% success rate (8 awards from 51 applications over 3 years)
  • Senior Research Fellowships: 20% success rate (7 awards from 35 applications over 3 years)
  • Success rates vary by scheme and competition levels

Reapplication Policy

Feedback provided on request after funding decisions. Specific reapplication policies not publicly detailed - contact research team for guidance on resubmissions.

Application Success Factors

  • Scientific Excellence: Applications assessed on excellence of science and potential for impact in the field and for people affected by dementia
  • Team Expertise: Skills and expertise of applicants, suitability of team and research environment
  • Scheme Alignment: How well proposals meet specific scheme criteria with justified resource requests
  • Translational Potential: Research must have potential to benefit people with or at risk of dementia
  • UK Institution: Lead applicant must be based at UK academic/research institution with appropriate contract duration
  • Bold Vision: For Major Project Grants, they encourage “bold, ambitious, and high-impact ideas” driven by scientific opportunity rather than funding limits
  • Collaboration Potential: Pilot Projects showing potential for Drug Discovery Alliance collaboration are prioritized

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Ensure research has clear translational potential benefiting people with dementia
  • Lead applicants must be UK-based but can include international collaborators
  • Applications undergo rigorous peer review with lived experience input
  • Success rates are competitive (16-20%) - ensure applications meet all scheme criteria precisely
  • Major Project Grant limits increased from £350k to £600k - think ambitiously about research scope
  • Contact research team early for guidance on scheme suitability
  • Utilize 3-month application windows effectively for thorough preparation

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