Orchard

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 1174480
• Annual Income: £179,475 (FY ending Feb 2025)
• Annual Expenditure: £157,766
• Grant Range: £60,000 - £120,000 (based on completed studies)
• Decision Process: Independent scientific advisory board review
• Application Method: Periodic calls for proposals
• Geographic Focus: International (UK-based)

Contact Details

Website: www.orchardocd.org

Email: info@orchardocd.org / nick@orchardocd.org

Phone: 07886709633

Address: 66 Devonshire Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 2BL, UK

Overview

ORCHARD was founded by Dr. Nick Sireau and exists to accelerate the development of new and better treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a severely debilitating mental illness. The charity operates with a three-pillar approach: Research (funding and running clinical trials), Hubs (maintaining an OCD research database and registry), and Dissemination (awareness campaigns and conferences). ORCHARD is committed to funding “hard-to-fund projects that have great potential to make a major impact for obsessive compulsive disorder.” The charity addresses a critical gap in mental health research funding, as OCD research receives only 89p per patient per year in the UK compared to approximately £8 for depression research. ORCHARD is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and adheres to their principles of expert review.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

ORCHARD runs periodic Calls for Proposals seeking innovative, hard-to-fund OCD research projects:

Recent Funded Studies:

• Psilocybin Clinical Trial (Imperial College London & University of Hertfordshire): £120,000 total (£60,000 from crowdfunding, match-funded by a foundation). 15 patients over 18 months studying psilocybin as treatment for OCD.
• Tolcapone Study (University of Chicago, 2022 winner): Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study examining tolcapone for OCD. 60 participants aged 18-65 over 24 months. Grant amount not publicly disclosed.
• tDCS Study (University of Hertfordshire): Additional funding provided by ORCHARD to extend the FEATSOCS study (primary funder: NIHR Programme Research for Patient Benefit). Amount not disclosed.

Additional funding:

• OCD Video Series: £10,000 from National Lottery Awards for All
• OCD Patient Registry: Multi-year funding from Bally's Foundation and Hospital Saturday Fund

Priority Areas

ORCHARD seeks research proposals that:

• Develop new and effective methods of diagnosis, treatment, and management of OCD
• Are “hard-to-fund” - innovative approaches that struggle to secure traditional funding
• Involve specialized, highly skilled, multi-disciplinary international teams
• Have great potential to make a major impact for OCD patients
• Focus on novel treatments (e.g., psilocybin, tolcapone, tDCS)
• Improve understanding of OCD through patient registries and databases
• Translate research findings into practical clinical applications

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, ORCHARD's focus is exclusively on OCD and related compulsive disorders. Projects outside this remit would not align with their charitable objects.

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Governance and Leadership

Founder and Chair: Dr. Nick Sireau (contact: nick@orchardocd.org) - Social entrepreneur, Ashoka Fellow, PhD in social psychology of social movements, and OCD patient himself.

Key Staff and Advisors:

• Margherita Zenoni - Communications and Fundraising Manager
• Sean Fletcher - Trustee, broadcaster (BBC, ITV, Sky), son has OCD
• Professor Naomi Fineberg - Consultant psychiatrist, 20+ years OCD experience, serves on UK's NICE Guidelines Committee for OCD (independent scientific advisor)
• Dr. Ilenia Pampaloni - Consultant Psychiatrist, clinical lead for National Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Unit
• Chiara Toschi - Postdoctoral researcher, University of Oxford
• Katherine Selby - Communications strategist and mental health advocate
• Ana Maria Pereira de Souza - Cognitive neuroscientist
• Pete Chan - Healthcare communications professional

Scientific Advisory Board:

• Dr. Lynne Drummond
• Dr. Jim Hagan, PhD
• Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez
• Prof. Trevor Robbins
• Dr. Susanne Ahmari
• Dr. Sabine Bahn

Governance Note: No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The charity has no trading subsidiaries.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

ORCHARD issues periodic Calls for Proposals rather than accepting rolling applications. Their most recent documented call was in 2022.

Application Process:

1. Monitor www.orchardocd.org for announcement of calls for proposals
2. Submit research proposal when call is open (specific requirements detailed in call announcement)
3. Independent Scientific Advisory Board reviews and judges submissions
4. Winner(s) announced publicly on website

Contact for Inquiries: info@orchardocd.org

Decision Timeline

Based on the 2022 call:

• Proposals are reviewed by an independent scientific advisory board
• Timeline from call announcement to decision not publicly disclosed
• Winners announced via website and press releases

Success Rates

Not publicly available. ORCHARD describes receiving “many great submissions” for their calls, with at least one winning project per call (the 2022 call was described as their “second call for proposals”).

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated. Given the periodic nature of calls and focus on innovative research, unsuccessful applicants would likely be encouraged to apply to future calls.

Application Success Factors

What ORCHARD Looks For:

1. “Hard-to-Fund” Innovation: ORCHARD explicitly seeks “hard-to-fund projects that have great potential to make a major impact.” If your research is too novel or risky for traditional funders, ORCHARD may be ideal.

• Proportionality: Review process appropriate for the scale and significance of the award
• Independence: Evaluation by experts independent of ORCHARD's staff and trustees
• Diversity: Diverse range of expert reviewers with relevant knowledge

1. Multi-disciplinary International Teams: The charity's objectives reference “specialised and highly skilled, multi-disciplinary international teams,” suggesting preference for collaborative, expert-led research.

1. Clinical Translation Potential: Recent funded projects (psilocybin, tolcapone, tDCS) all focus on novel treatments with potential for clinical application.

1. Evidence of Addressing Funding Gap: Given that OCD research is severely underfunded (89p per patient annually vs. £8 for depression), applications should demonstrate why traditional funding sources are insufficient.

Funded Project Examples:

• Psychedelic research (psilocybin) - novel approach, initially crowdfunded
• Dopamine modulation (tolcapone) - investigating new molecular targets
• Brain stimulation (tDCS) - non-pharmacological intervention

Strategic Considerations:

• ORCHARD has funded three major studies to date, suggesting selective but impactful funding approach
• The charity collaborates with major institutions (Imperial College London, University of Chicago, University of Hertfordshire)
• Projects typically run 18-24 months
• ORCHARD provides not just funding but also registry access and dissemination support

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Target “hard-to-fund” innovative OCD research that traditional funders consider too risky or novel
• Wait for calls for proposals rather than submitting unsolicited applications - monitor their website and mailing list
• Emphasize clinical impact potential and how your research could lead to new treatments for OCD patients
• Build multi-disciplinary teams with specialized expertise in OCD, as this aligns with ORCHARD's stated priorities
• Expect rigorous independent peer review from their Scientific Advisory Board following AMRC standards
• Consider registry collaboration - ORCHARD's OCD patient registry could accelerate recruitment for clinical trials
• Leverage ORCHARD's small size - with annual expenditure around £157,000, they fund selectively but provide comprehensive support including dissemination through webinars and conferences
• Contact early: Email info@orchardocd.org to express interest and be notified of future calls

References

1. Charity Commission Register - ORCHARD (Charity 1174480): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5098022

1. ORCHARD Official Website: https://www.orchardocd.org/

1. “2022 Call for Proposals – Winner Announcement,” ORCHARD: https://www.orchardocd.org/call-for-proposals-2022/

1. “The work we do,” ORCHARD: https://www.orchardocd.org/the-work-we-do/

1. “About Orchard OCD”: https://www.orchardocd.org/about-orchard/

1. “An interview with Orchard founder Nick Sireau”: https://www.orchardocd.org/an-interview-with-orchard-founder-nick-sireau/

1. “Successful Completion of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Study,” ORCHARD: https://www.orchardocd.org/successful-completion-of-transcranial-direct-current-stimulation-tdcs-study/

1. “University of Hertfordshire and OCD charity Orchard announce promising new treatment for people living with OCD,” University of Hertfordshire, 2022: https://www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/news-and-events/news/20223/university-of-hertfordshire-and-ocd-charity-orchard-announce-promising-new-treatment-for-people-living-with-ocd

1. ORCHARD OCD Registry: https://orchardocdregistry.org/

1. Association of Medical Research Charities - ORCHARD OCD Member Profile: https://www.amrc.org.uk/orchard-ocd