British Association For Cancer Research

Charity Number: 289297

Annual Expenditure: £0.0M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £30,500 (35 awards in 2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 4 weeks from deadline
  • Grant Range: £250 - £2,000 (plus £750-£1,000 for competitive awards)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-based but supports international travel and collaboration
  • Total Income: £185,282 (FY 2024/25)

Contact Details

Address: c/o Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, Cancer Genetics Building, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF

Email: bacr@leeds.ac.uk (Janet Alexander, BACR Secretariat)

Phone: 0113 2065611

Website: https://bacr.org.uk

Charity Number: 289297 (England and Wales)

Overview

Founded over 65 years ago, the British Association for Cancer Research (BACR) is the UK's largest professional membership association dedicated to cancer research, with almost 1,500 members. As a registered charity, BACR unites cancer scientists across academia, industry, charitable and health sectors throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. The organization's mission is to advance and promote all aspects of cancer science through educating and training present and future generations of cancer researchers. Over the past three years, BACR has distributed over £150,000 in bursaries, fellowships and awards, with £30,500 awarded across 35 grants in 2023 alone. The organization provides educational and training opportunities, organizes scientific conferences and workshops, and supports members to attend cancer-focused events worldwide. BACR is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2025 with a special conference at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

BACR/AstraZeneca Student Awards (Rolling deadlines: Jan 31, Jun 30, Sep 30)

  • National meetings: up to £500
  • European meetings: up to £1,000
  • International meetings (outside Europe): up to £2,000
  • For students presenting research at conferences

Non-Student Travel Awards (Rolling deadlines: Jan 31, Jun 30, Sep 30)

  • National meetings: up to £500
  • European meetings: up to £1,000
  • International meetings (outside Europe): up to £2,000
  • For established researchers attending scientific meetings

Travel/Exchange Fellowships (Rolling deadlines: Jan 31, Jun 30, Sep 30)

  • Maximum award: £2,000
  • Supports lecture tours, course participation, or collaborative work at other institutions
  • Preference given to researchers with less than 5 years post-doctoral experience

Mid-Career Fellowships (Rolling deadlines: Jan 31, Jun 30, Sep 30)

  • Maximum award: £2,000
  • Supports travel to different laboratories to advance ongoing programs or facilitate collaborations
  • For mid-career researchers

BACR/AstraZeneca Young Scientist Frank Rose Award (Annual)

  • Award: £1,000 plus funding to attend and present at BACR meeting
  • Recognizes outstanding contributions to translational cancer research
  • For researchers up to 15 years post-PhD (allowing for career breaks)

The BACR Early Career Award (Annual deadline: March 31)

  • Winner: £750 plus presentation opportunity at BACR event
  • Two runners-up: £250 each
  • For researchers with no more than 5 years active research post-PhD

Student Impact Award

  • Award: £250
  • Recognizes student citizenship in addition to academic achievements

Priority Areas

BACR supports all areas of cancer research including:

  • Genes, mutations and repair
  • The tumour ecosystem
  • Immune cells and immunotherapy
  • Models, screening, profiling and imaging
  • Novel therapeutic strategies and early detection
  • Translational cancer research

What They Don't Fund

  • Retrospective applications (events that have already occurred)
  • Applications for conferences less than one month after the application deadline
  • Non-members (must have been a BACR member for one year at time of application, though membership applications can accompany certain award applications)
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Governance and Leadership

The BACR is governed by an Executive Committee comprised of 3 Officers (Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer) and 9 ordinary members. These 12 trustees serve as the charity's governing body and are responsible for ensuring proper financial management. The organization operates with no paid trustees—all trustees serve voluntarily without remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

The BACR Secretariat is led by Janet Alexander, who handles applications and member communications.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Travel Awards and Fellowships:

  1. Ensure you have been a BACR member for one year at the time of application
  2. Prepare your application materials (varies by award type but typically includes abstract, budget, and supervisor support letter)
  3. Submit applications by email to the BACR Secretariat at bacr@leeds.ac.uk
  4. Applications will be acknowledged within 72 hours—if not received, contact the Secretariat

For BACR/AstraZeneca Young Scientist Frank Rose Award:

Submit a single PDF document containing:

  • Completed application form
  • Brief summary of accomplishments in cancer research (max 600 words)
  • Publication list of original research articles in chronological order (newest first)

Email to bacr@leeds.ac.uk with “BACR AstraZeneca Award” in the subject line

For BACR Early Career Award:

Submit a single PDF containing:

  • Completed application form
  • Summary of accomplishments and future career plans (max 600 words)
  • Numbered publication list in chronological order with role descriptions (max 100 words each)
  • Additional published materials list
  • Up to three most notable publications as PDFs
  • Supervisor or line manager support letter

Decision Timeline

Applications are reviewed after the relevant deadline, and applicants can expect to hear outcomes within one month of the deadline.

Three annual application rounds with deadlines:

  • January 31
  • June 30
  • September 30

For the Early Career Award, the annual deadline is March 31.

Success Rates

BACR distributed 35 awards totaling £30,500 in 2023. Specific success rates or total application numbers are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

BACR does not publicly specify restrictions on reapplication. Given the rolling nature of most awards (three deadlines per year), unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent rounds.

Application Success Factors

Critical Requirements

Timing is Essential: Conference dates must be at least one month after the application deadline. Retrospective applications are ineligible because “one of the award criteria is the recognition of BACR on the conference presentation/poster.” Applicants are advised to “plan their applications well in advance, carefully noting the deadlines.”

Membership Matters: Maintain BACR membership for at least one year before applying. Full members and PhD student members receive free EACR membership, which provides additional benefits and demonstrates commitment to the field.

What BACR Values

According to assessment criteria, successful applications demonstrate:

  • “Participation (oral presentation or poster) in a high-quality conference/workshop”
  • Strong abstract quality and scientific merit
  • Proven achievements and potential in cancer research
  • “Enthusiastic letter(s) of support from project supervisor(s)”
  • Realistic budgets

Application Quality

For awards requiring publications, follow instructions precisely:

  • List publications in chronological order with newest first
  • Include only original research articles (no reviews, commentaries, case studies for certain awards)
  • Articles accepted for publication/in press are permitted
  • Include full references and be numbered

Post-Award Requirements

Awards are distributed post-event upon submission of completed expenditure forms with receipts to the Honorary Treasurer. Recipients must acknowledge BACR support in their conference presentations/posters.

For Career Awards

When calculating eligibility for Early Career Award (5 years post-PhD limit), BACR explicitly excludes: “parental leave, illness leave, caring responsibilities, part-time work, and other approved career breaks.” This demonstrates BACR's commitment to supporting researchers with diverse career paths.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Join early: Membership must be held for one year before applying for most awards—join now to be eligible for future funding rounds
  • Plan ahead: Applications must be submitted well in advance of the conference/event, with the event occurring at least one month after the deadline
  • Small but strategic: While individual awards are modest (£250-£2,000 typically), they provide crucial support for travel, networking, and career development in cancer research
  • Three chances per year: With three annual deadlines (January, June, September), applicants have multiple opportunities to secure funding
  • Acknowledge BACR: Recognition of BACR support on presentations is mandatory and assessed as part of eligibility
  • Strong supervisor support is key: Applications require “enthusiastic” letters of support from supervisors—lukewarm endorsements likely won't succeed
  • Career breaks are understood: BACR explicitly accommodates career breaks in eligibility calculations, making awards accessible to researchers with non-linear career paths

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References