Bma Foundation

Charity Number: 1192733

Annual Expenditure: £0.7M

Stay updated on changes from Bma Foundation and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ??730,589 (2024)
  • Total Income: ??1,250,722 (2024)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 4-5 months (applications close early March, decisions by end of July)
  • Grant Range: ??50,000 - ??65,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK only
  • Funding Available: Approximately 12 grants totalling ??800,000 annually

Contact Details

Website: www.bmafoundationmr.org.uk

Email: researchgrants@bma.org.uk

Phone: +44 20 7383 6341

Address: BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JP

Overview

The BMA Foundation is an independent charity (registered charity number 1192733) that has been supporting medical research since 1839, making it the oldest medical organisation in the world to award grants and prizes to encourage further medical research. Until 2020, the BMA Foundation for Medical Research consisted of four existing separate registered charities, which the trustees brought together under one formal, newly established Charitable Incorporated Organisation called the BMA Foundation. The charity awards approximately 12 research grants totalling ??800,000 each year to medical doctors and research scientists to help fund innovative medical research across diverse areas including cancer, heart disease, asthma, schizophrenia, and many others. All grants are funded by generous past bequests and donations. With total income of ??1,250,722 in 2024, the Foundation's mission is to support medical students, doctors, and scientists in their research aims and help pioneer medical research that advances health and relieves sickness for the public benefit.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The BMA Foundation offers 12 specific named grant categories, most awarding ??65,000 each (one awards ??50,000). Applications open annually in March with a fixed deadline:

  • Dawkins & Strutt Grant: ??65,000 - Research into gender and race bias in clinical decision making
  • Doris Hillier Grant: ??65,000 - Research into rheumatism and arthritis (BMA members only)
  • H C Roscoe Grant: ??65,000 - Research into viral diseases of the respiratory system
  • Helen H Lawson Grant: ??65,000 - Research into women's health and wellbeing
  • J Moulton Grants (3 categories): ??65,000 each for:
  • Cardiovascular disease using AI techniques
  • Chronic kidney disease management
  • Ophthalmology diagnostic tools
  • The James Trust Grant: ??65,000 - Research into asthma (BMA members only)
  • Josephine Lansdell Grant: ??65,000 - Research into heart disease (BMA members only)
  • Kathleen Harper Grant: ??65,000 - Research into treatment and management of incontinence
  • Margaret Temple Grant: ??65,000 - Research into schizophrenia
  • Philip Baker Grant: ??65,000 - Research into M??ni??re's disease
  • The Sherman Fund Grant: ??50,000 - Mental health research in Wales

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports medical research across a broad spectrum:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer research
  • Respiratory medicine (including asthma and viral diseases)
  • Neurological disorders (including schizophrenia and M??ni??re's disease)
  • Women's health and wellbeing
  • Rheumatology and arthritis
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Ophthalmology
  • Incontinence treatment
  • Mental health
  • Health equity (gender and race bias in clinical decision making)

The Foundation particularly encourages applications from individuals who are developing their research careers or taking the first steps toward becoming independent researchers.

What They Don't Fund

  • Postgraduate education involving 'taught' programmes (e.g., Masters courses)
  • Undergraduate education
  • Overseas training
  • Travel expenses
  • Computer hardware (software is covered as equipment/expenses)
  • Indirect research costs
Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for Bma Foundation?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

The BMA Foundation is governed by six trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity operates as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the UK Charity Commission. The Chair of Council of the BMA also serves as chair of trustees of the BMA Foundation.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the BMA Foundation online application system. Applicants can apply for multiple grants but must complete a separate application for each grant category. Maximum of two joint applicants per grant.

Four PDF attachments required:

  1. Signed organisational permission letter
  2. Detailed research project proposal (maximum 2,500 words, excluding references)
  3. Two signed references per applicant
  4. Ethical approval documentation

Proposal must include:

  • Research project summary
  • Introduction
  • Aims and objectives
  • Project design
  • Research methods
  • Data analysis plan
  • Potential benefits to patient care

Decision Timeline

  • Application Period: Opens March 1st annually (specific closing date in early March)
  • Decision Notification: End of July
  • Grant Money Available: September of the award year
  • Funding Duration: Over three years

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. With approximately 12 grants awarded annually from a competitive pool, applicants should expect the process to be highly selective.

Reapplication Policy

The BMA Foundation does not publish specific reapplication policies or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants. Interested applicants should contact researchgrants@bma.org.uk for clarification.

Application Success Factors

Assessment Criteria

Independent expert assessors evaluate applications based on:

  • Originality and Insight: Will the project provide new insight into the problem or valuably confirm existing studies?
  • Clinical and Research Importance: Will the project contribute to furtherance of knowledge and benefit patient care?
  • Scientific Reliability: Is the research design sound with appropriate sample sizes?
  • Applicant Qualifications: Is the applicant sufficiently experienced and qualified to carry out the study?
  • Data Analysis Approach: Is the proposed analysis method appropriate?
  • Appropriate Use of Funds: Are the requested resources justified?

Recent Funded Projects (2024 Examples)

  • EQUIP Study (Kathleen Harper BMA award): Evaluation of vaccine hesitancy amongst midwives and impact assessment of educational material to support vaccine uptake during pregnancy
  • Asthma Biomarker Research (James Trust grant): Comparing inflammation changes in sputum and nasal samples to design the first definitive biomarker-directed, placebo-controlled trial of oral steroid treatment for outpatient attacks in biologic-treated asthma
  • ACL Injury Research (Moulton grant): Determining the role of stem cells derived from the knee at time of injury as a key factor in manufacturing a host-driven living graft construct for ACL reconstruction
  • Colorectal Liver Metastasis AI Research: Using artificial intelligence to predict histological growth patterns from CT and MRI imaging

Tips for Standing Out

  • Focus on clinical relevance and patient care benefits
  • Demonstrate how your research provides new insights or confirms important existing studies
  • Ensure your research design includes appropriate sample sizes and robust methodology
  • Clearly articulate your qualifications and experience
  • Stay within the 2,500-word limit for proposals
  • Match your research to the specific focus area of the grant category you're applying for
  • For early-career researchers: emphasize this is a step toward becoming an independent researcher, as the Foundation particularly encourages such applications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Match to Named Grants: Each of the 12 grant categories has a specific research focus - tailor your application to align precisely with one category
  • Emphasize Patient Care: Assessors prioritize projects that will benefit patient care and advance clinical knowledge
  • Early Career Advantage: The Foundation actively encourages applications from researchers developing their careers, so highlight your career stage
  • BMA Membership Matters: Some grants are restricted to BMA members (Doris Hillier, James Trust, Josephine Lansdell) - check eligibility carefully
  • Plan for Timeline: With decisions in July and funding available in September, plan your research timeline accordingly
  • Strong References Critical: Two signed references per applicant are required - secure these early
  • Multi-Year Funding: Grants are available over three years, so structure your project accordingly

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References