MS Society

MS Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1139257).

MS Society is a charity registered in England and Wales (charity number 1139257) whose purposes are to support and relieve people affected by multiple sclerosis and to promote research into multiple sclerosis and allied conditions and publish the results. In today's money, it has invested over £260 million in research since its founding. Its major grant types are individual support grants and research grants, and it offers five grant types through its response-mode grant round, alongside co-funding opportunities and occasionally commissioned funding calls. Its annual giving is £5,228,000.

Priority Areas

The MS Society awards research grants for effective treatment, prevention, symptom management and service development, ranging from small projects to large programmes, PhD studentships and fellowships. Its research spans topics such as stem cells, immunology, symptom relief and MS services. It says it funds only top-quality science that can make a real difference for people with MS, with a priority of finding and testing treatments to stop disability progression. Research award applicants are based at UK universities or NHS institutions. Local volunteer-run groups also award individual support grants to people with MS, their families and carers, helping with costs associated with living with MS such as home adaptations, mobility aids and respite care. It also pursues strategic research collaborations and partnerships.

Themes

• Effective treatment
• Prevention
• Symptom management
• Service development

Geographic Focus

UK.

Research award applicants submit their applications through the online grants management system.

Deadlines: Co-funded research opportunities have deadlines throughout the year.

Application windows:

• Project Awards: Applications open around October; the closing month is not stated.
• Catalyst Awards: Applications open around March and October; closing months are not stated.
• Data Discovery Awards: Applications open around March; the closing month is not stated.
• PhD Fellowships: Applications open around March; the closing month is not stated.
• Early Career Fellowships: Applications open around March; the closing month is not stated.
• Catalyst Awards: One opening is in December and one is in March; the stated deadlines are in March and May.

Who can apply:

• Catalyst Awards: Both junior and established researchers are eligible to apply for Catalyst Awards. You’re expected to have a contract (fixed-term or tenure) which covers the proposed duration of the grant. You must be based at a UK university or NHS institution and be the Principal Investigator of the project.
• Data Discovery Awards: Both junior and established researchers are eligible to apply as Lead Applicant for our Data Discovery Awards. You’re expected to have a contract (fixed-term or tenure) which covers the proposed duration of the grant. You must be based at an UK university or NHS institution and be the Principal Investigator of the project.

What the charity says:

• The Society funds top-quality science that can make a real difference for people with MS.
• Research should reflect what matters most to people living with MS and be relevant to their needs and experiences.
• Applicants should involve people affected by MS from the early stages of preparing their application.
• Review panels shortlist the highest-quality and most relevant applications for further review.
• Early Career Fellowship applications are assessed on project quality and relevance, and the quality of the training plan and environment.
• Project Award budgets are reviewed for value for money.