International Spinal Research Trust

Charity Number: 1151015

Annual Expenditure: £5.0M
Throughout England And Wales

Contact Info

Website: www.spinal-research.org

Phone: 020 3824 7400

Email: info@spinal-research.org

Be the first to know about new funding opportunities

Get notified when we add new funders to the directory

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Estimated £800,000 - £1,500,000 (specific figures not publicly available)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (peer review process follows AMRC standards)
  • Grant Range: £19,000 - £250,000+ (depending on grant type)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-based, but Strategy Awards open to international researchers

Contact Details

Website: www.spinal-research.org

Email: info@spinal-research.org

Phone: 020 3824 7400

Grant Application System: Applications through advertised calls only (no unsolicited proposals). Register for notifications at: https://spinalresearch.tfaforms.net/26

Overview

Spinal Research, formally known as the International Spinal Research Trust (UK Charity Number 1151015), is the UK's leading and most influential spinal cord repair charity, setting the standard for spinal cord research worldwide. The organization funds more research into spinal cord injury than any other charity in the UK. Founded in 1980, Spinal Research takes a strategic, collaborative approach to funding high-quality research aimed at repairing and restoring function after spinal cord injury. The charity received the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) Peer Review certificate in 2021, demonstrating its commitment to rigorous peer review standards. In 2021, Spinal Research established a strategic alliance with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to accelerate the delivery of spinal cord therapies through a coordinated, global approach. The organization's research strategy is guided by four pillars: understanding and innovating the pathobiology of spinal cord injury; communicating and influencing to change the future; building capacity and capability through research networking; and translating innovation to restore function and quality of life.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

PhD Studentships (UK institutions only): £120,000 - £130,000 total over 3.5 years

  • Stipend: £21,000 (London) or £19,000 (outside London) with 3.5% annual increments
  • £12,000 per annum for consumables
  • £1,000 travel budget
  • £1,200 for laptop and software
  • University fees covered at UK student rate
  • Applications through advertised calls only

Strategy Awards: Variable amounts, typically up to £250,000+ over three years

  • Three-year duration (typically)
  • Open to international researchers
  • Supports postdoctoral researcher salary, consumables, travel, technical assistance, and essential equipment
  • Awarded following internationally-advertised competitive calls based on themes identified by the Scientific Advisory Committee
  • Application method: Competitive calls published in Nature and via email alerts

Translational Awards: Variable amounts over two years

  • Two-year duration
  • Focused on translating laboratory treatments to clinic
  • Requires proven efficacy in peer-reviewed publications
  • Supports pre-clinical studies (dose-response, toxicity testing, etc.)
  • May support Phase I clinical trials
  • Application method: Rolling basis when funds available

Special Emphasis Grants: Variable amounts

  • Focus on multidisciplinary, outcome-driven initiatives
  • Target outcomes based on restoration of neurological function that are clinically relevant and high priority to patients
  • Application method: Specific calls when available

Priority Areas

Spinal Research's most recently funded projects focus on:

  • Restoration of hand and arm function
  • Improvements for bladder and bowel control
  • Reduction of debilitating nerve pain
  • Clinical studies for function restoration
  • Translational research moving treatments from laboratory to clinic
  • Combinatorial treatment strategies (through Reeve Foundation partnership)
  • Pre-clinical research addressing scientific and technical hurdles on the critical path to clinic

The organization strategically focuses on selected molecular and cellular events underlying spinal injury and nerve regeneration.

What They Don't Fund

  • Directly Allocated or Indirect Costs (unless specifically agreed)
  • Indirect costs and estate costs (expects these to be covered by government funding to universities)
  • Full Economic Costing (fEC) proportion-based funding
  • Building depreciation costs
  • General running costs of institutions
  • Unsolicited proposals (only responds to advertised calls)

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Chief Executive Officer: Louisa McGinn

Appointed as CE after serving as Director of Fundraising. McGinn has 15 years' experience in the charity sector, including roles at Comic Relief, Cancer Research UK, and Save The Children before joining Spinal Research in 2022.

Chief Vision Officer: Harvey Sihota

Harvey Sihota, who lives with a spinal cord injury himself, previously served as CEO before taking the newly created role of Chief Vision Officer. He joined in 2020 with the goal to deliver effective treatments and technologies to those with SCI, bringing experience from the Finance & Technology sector and a track record in the SCI rehabilitation sector.

Chair of Trustees: Tara Howell

Howell suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury in 2014 after a horse-riding accident and is a passionate advocate for research funding.

Key Quotes from Leadership

Louisa McGinn (CEO):

"We exist to cure paralysis and believe in a future where it is no longer a life sentence. Thanks to the innovative research we've already funded, many experimental treatments are showing huge potential. The science is moving forward, and alongside our incredible supporters like Wayne, we're committed to raising the money that's needed to ensure the power of that research can transform the lives of people with a spinal cord injury."

Harvey Sihota (Chief Vision Officer):

“Is spinal cord injury curable? Yes, it is inevitable that it will be one day. There may not be a single silver bullet but we can certainly envision a pipeline of interventions that will incrementally restore functions to people over time. However, we have a lot of work to do to make this vision a reality.”
"Accelerating the delivery of meaningful therapeutics is at the heart of our strategic alliance with the Reeve Foundation. The latest scientific call is another joint step on the journey towards the repair and restoration of the spinal cord. In this call we're encouraging industry to become a partner in concept-proving science, providing greater understanding of a proposed new therapeutic or device so we can speed up the next stages of development."

Tara Howell (Chair of Trustees):

“Traditionally, this area of research has been chronically underfunded because everyone thought that curing paralysis was impossible, but that is no longer the case. The great news is that next year, the first function-restoring treatment in history for chronic spinal cord injury is due to be launched. If we can restore function, we can make a life-changing difference for those injured, as well as their family and friends.”

Governance Structure

Strategic Advisory Council: International body of eminent scientists and clinicians (non-remunerated) who advise trustees on research strategy. Membership reflects diverse expertise from molecular and cell biology to neurosurgery and clinical practice.

Grant Advisory Committee: Fundamental part of grant review process, chaired by Professor Elizabeth Bradbury PhD. Provides advice on grant applications and responds to specific enquiries.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Application Method: Advertised calls only (no unsolicited proposals)

  • Calls published in Nature journal
  • Email alerts to researcher database
  • Register for notifications at: https://spinalresearch.tfaforms.net/26
  • Applications submitted through online portal (SmartSimple system)

Current Status: No open calls at time of research (applicants should monitor for future announcements)

Pre-Application Recommendations:

  • Review grant types, assessment process, and research policies before applying
  • View screens in online portal system before beginning Letter of Intent (LOI)
  • Ensure proposal fits goals of funding program
  • Provide clear, logical writing with sufficient detail for reviewers
  • Budget realistically for all directly incurred costs

Decision Timeline

Specific timelines not publicly disclosed. The organization follows AMRC principles of peer review with:

  • Two-stage process for some programs (LOI followed by invitation-only full application)
  • Grant Advisory Committee review
  • Independent peer review assessment
  • Final decision by trustees

For Pre-Clinical Research funding (partnership with Reeve Foundation), a two-stage process includes initial LOI submission and review, followed by invitation-only full grant application.

Success Rates

Success rates not publicly disclosed. The organization maintains rigorous standards through AMRC-certified peer review processes.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policy not publicly disclosed in available sources. Applicants should contact the organization directly or review detailed grant guidelines when calls are announced.

Application Success Factors

Specific Advice from the Funder

From Application Guidelines:

  • “Ensure that submitted proposals fit the goals of the funding program”
  • “Proposals should be clearly and logically written, with sufficient details to ensure that reviewers understand all critical aspects of the proposed project methods and plan”
  • “Given the length of the LOI (approximately two pages), sufficient detail to assess strategy should be provided”
  • “All costs should be realistically budgeted and requested in the application form”
  • Applicants should view online portal screens before beginning LOI

Strategic Priorities:

The organization emphasizes:

  • Clinically relevant outcomes with high priority to patients
  • Restoration of neurological function
  • Translation from laboratory to clinic
  • Multidisciplinary, collaborative approaches
  • International partnerships and cooperation
  • Combinatorial treatment strategies

Projects Recently Funded

Through Reeve-ISRT collaboration (2022):

  • Four research studies totaling £1 million focused on restoration of neural/motor function in chronic, traumatic spinal cord injury
  • Each grantee awarded up to £250,000 over 2-3 years
  • Focus on novel circuit formation approaches

Recent priority areas:

  • Clinical studies for hand and arm function restoration
  • Bladder and bowel control improvements
  • Debilitating nerve pain reduction

Language and Terminology

The organization uses:

  • “Repair and restoration” rather than just “treatment”
  • “Function-restoring” treatments
  • “Translational” research
  • “Combinatorial interventions”
  • “Critical path to clinic”
  • Focus on “outcome-driven” and “clinically relevant” research

Standing Out

Key Success Factors:

  1. Alignment with strategic priorities: Focus on function restoration, translational potential, and clinical relevance
  2. Strong scientific foundation: Proven efficacy in peer-reviewed publications (especially for Translational Awards)
  3. Collaborative approach: Multidisciplinary teams and partnerships valued
  4. Clear clinical pathway: Demonstrate how research will translate to patient benefit
  5. Realistic budgeting: Only request directly incurred costs with clear justification
  6. Quality over quantity: Organization funds selectively based on strategic themes
  7. Patient priority: Outcomes that matter most to people with spinal cord injuries
  8. International perspective: Willingness to collaborate with global partners (especially through Reeve Foundation alliance)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Timing is critical: Spinal Research only accepts applications through advertised calls (no unsolicited proposals). Register for email alerts to ensure you don't miss opportunities when calls are published in Nature or via their database.
  1. Strategic alignment is essential: The organization takes a highly strategic approach to funding, with themes identified by their Scientific Advisory Committee. Proposals must clearly align with their four pillars: understanding pathobiology, communicating and influencing, building research capacity, and translating innovation to restore function.
  1. Demonstrate clinical relevance: Emphasize how your research will restore function and improve quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries. Use patient-centered language and focus on outcomes that matter to the community.
  1. Budget for direct costs only: As an AMRC member charity, Spinal Research will only fund directly incurred and identifiable costs. Do not include indirect costs, estate costs, or building depreciation in your budget.
  1. Consider the Reeve Foundation partnership: For translational research focused on combinatorial interventions and accelerating therapies to clinic, explore opportunities through the Reeve-ISRT alliance, which may offer larger grants and international collaboration opportunities.
  1. Prepare for rigorous peer review: The organization maintains AMRC Peer Review certification and uses independent peer reviewers. Applications undergo thorough scientific assessment by the Grant Advisory Committee and Strategic Advisory Council.
  1. PhD studentships are UK-only: While Strategy Awards are open to international researchers, PhD studentships are restricted to UK research institutions. Ensure you meet geographic eligibility before applying.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

References