Brace

Charity Number: 297965

Annual Expenditure: £0.9M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £941,181 (2024 charitable activities expenditure)
  • Total Income: £1,926,429 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 3+ months (depends on reviewer availability)
  • Grant Range: £20,000 - £110,000
  • Geographic Focus: South West England and South Wales only

Contact Details

Website: www.alzheimers-brace.org

Email: enquiries@alzheimers-brace.org

Phone: 0117 414 4831

Pre-application Contact: Applicants are asked to contact the Grants Manager before submitting a full application to check research eligibility.

Overview

BRACE (Bristol Research into Alzheimer's and Care of the Elderly) was founded in 1987 and is an independent charity committed to defeating dementia through scientific research. Since its founding, BRACE has raised more than £11 million and awarded over £10 million in grants towards dementia research. In 2024, the charity had total assets of £3.4 million with an annual income of £1.9 million and charitable activities expenditure of £941,181. BRACE's mission focuses on three strategic areas: understanding the brain to identify underlying causes of different dementias, developing accurate and effective means of early diagnosis, and finding new methods of prevention, treatment, and ultimately a cure. The charity exclusively funds research institutions in the South West of England and South Wales, supporting researchers at universities including Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, Plymouth, Swansea, and the University of the West of England (UWE). Notable achievements include funding the world's first early Alzheimer's EEG test and supporting almost 40 PhD students, including 18 in the last five years. The charity currently faces funding challenges due to a significant drop in income.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Note: BRACE closed their December 2025 funding round due to limited availability of funds following a significant drop in income. All current grant commitments remain protected and fully funded. Future funding rounds will be announced when the charity is on a path to recovery.

BRACE offers three types of research grants:

  • PhD Studentships: £90,000 - £110,000 - Cover tuition fees, follow MRC recommendations for stipend, and include a fixed sum for consumables and other overheads. Typically 3-year programs.
  • Pilot Projects: Up to £70,000 - Usually last 12-18 months. Applicants with proposals exceeding these guidelines are welcome to contact BRACE for advice.
  • Equipment Grants: Up to £20,000 - Support purchase of research equipment (larger amounts may be considered by agreement).

Priority Areas

BRACE funds hypothesis-driven quantitative research in the following areas:

  • All forms of dementia including Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia
  • Understanding underlying causes of different dementias through brain research
  • Developing accurate and effective early diagnostic methods
  • Prevention and treatment strategies, including drug treatment, self-management strategies, carer support, and music therapy
  • Related conditions: traumatic brain injury, mild cognitive impairment, young-onset dementia
  • Dementia aspects of other neurological disorders (e.g., dementia in Parkinson's and Huntington's disease)
  • Pre-clinical and clinical proof-of-concept research
  • Less-studied aspects: emotional processing, visuo-spatial attention, movement and balance problems, quality of life considerations

What They Don't Fund

  • Research outside South West England and South Wales
  • Applications where the primary research focus is not on dementia aspects of the disease
  • Salaries (except essential short-term project costs)
  • Research at institutions without clear evidence of existing dementia studies
  • Direct grants to individual members of the public
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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

In June 2022, BRACE was incorporated and BRACE Trustee Limited became the sole corporate trustee. The Directors of BRACE Trustee Limited include:

  • Hollye Kirkcaldy - Chair
  • Hugh Brown
  • Chris Gray
  • Professor Seth Love
  • Professor Bridget Lumb
  • Dr John Pounsford
  • Paul Steckler
  • Chris Wilkin

The directors bring wide experience in financial and legal matters, business acumen, and knowledge of medical science.

Executive Leadership

  • Mark Poarch - Chief Executive Officer

Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)

The SAC works independently to assess each application on scientific merit alone:

  • Dr Charlie Arber - Senior Research Fellow, University College London
  • Dr Sam Creavin - NIHR Clinical Lecturer in General Practice, University of Bristol
  • Professor Nancy Zook - Associate Professor of Psychology, University of the West of England
  • Professor Zafar Bashir - Professor of Cellular Neuroscience, University of Bristol

Leadership Quotes

Mark Poarch on the importance of research infrastructure: “The Brain Bank underpins so much research and letting it disappear would be like taking the foundations from under a house.”

On strategic planning and resilience: “It was as well that our trustees had started reserving funds for the Brain Bank as far back as 2018, as our fundraising has been devastated by the pandemic and we have had to rebuild from a low base.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Current Status: BRACE has closed the current funding round planned for December 2025 due to limited fund availability. Future rounds will be announced on their website.

When applications are open:

  1. Submission: Applications must be submitted before the published deadline (late submissions are not considered)

Decision Timeline

The process typically takes 3+ months from submission to decision:

  1. Initial review: BRACE staff check application format, applicant eligibility, and alignment with mission
  2. Triage stage: Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) reviews applications; those receiving >50% “YES” votes proceed to external review
  3. External review: Five external expert reviewers are contacted; at least 2 reviews are required (this stage depends on reviewer availability)
  4. SAC meeting: Committee evaluates applications on scientific merit and provides recommendations
  5. Board decision: Trustees discuss SAC recommendations and external reviews, consider available funds, and vote on final funding
  6. Notification: Applicants are notified of decisions (method not specified)

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. Applications are subject to competitive peer review, with only those passing the triage stage (>50% SAC approval) advancing to external review.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented. Contact the Grants Manager for guidance on resubmitting unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

Key Considerations for Strong Applications

Scientific Merit: The Scientific Advisory Committee assesses applications solely on scientific merit. Ensure your research has:

  • Clear hypothesis-driven approach with quantitative methods
  • Strong potential impact on understanding or managing dementia
  • Robust methodology and research design

Institutional Support: Applications require a letter from the institution confirming:

  • Availability of facilities for the proposed research project
  • Verification of financial elements
  • Evidence of existing dementia studies at the institution

Geographic Eligibility: Research must be conducted at institutions in South West England or South Wales (Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, Plymouth, Swansea, UWE)

Dementia Focus: Primary research focus must be on dementia aspects. Related neurological conditions are eligible only if dementia is the primary focus.

Examples of Funded Research

BRACE has successfully funded:

  • World's first early Alzheimer's EEG test - Pilot project at University of Bath developing the “Fastball EEG test” for detecting memory impairment years before typical diagnosis
  • South West Dementia Brain Bank - £140,000 grant ensuring continued operation of this vital research infrastructure
  • Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale (BADLS) - Development of assessment tools for dementia patients
  • Galantamine clinical trials - Facilitated clinical trials for Alzheimer's drug
  • Genetic research - Uncovered potential new risk genes for Alzheimer's prevention and treatment
  • Diagnostic equipment improvements - Enhanced MRI and electrophysiological equipment for earlier detection

Strategic Guidance

  • Contact early: Reach out to the Grants Manager before applying to confirm eligibility
  • Provide reviewer suggestions: Include potential external reviewers with relevant expertise in your field
  • Highlight pilot potential: BRACE particularly values proof-of-concept and pilot projects that can lead to larger studies
  • Follow guidelines precisely: Applications not following format requirements may be rejected at initial review
  • Meet deadlines: Late submissions are not considered under any circumstances
  • Emphasize regional impact: Demonstrate how your research benefits the South West England/South Wales dementia research community

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Regional restriction is absolute: Only institutions in South West England and South Wales are eligible - this is non-negotiable
  • Pre-application contact is essential: Speaking with the Grants Manager before applying can save time and ensure eligibility
  • Scientific merit is paramount: The SAC evaluates solely on scientific merit, independent from funding availability considerations
  • Pilot projects are valued: BRACE particularly supports early-stage, proof-of-concept research that can attract larger funding later
  • Competitive process with multiple review stages: Applications face triage by SAC (>50% approval needed), external peer review (minimum 2 reviewers), SAC assessment, and final Trustee decision
  • Timeline requires patience: Allow at least 3 months from submission to decision, with external review timeline dependent on reviewer availability
  • Current funding pause: Monitor the BRACE website for announcements about future funding rounds as the charity rebuilds its financial position
  • Infrastructure support: BRACE recognizes the importance of research infrastructure (e.g., Brain Bank) and has funded key facilities

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