Psychiatry Research Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £206,420 (year ending 31 March 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not specified
• Grant Range: Up to £100,000
• Geographic Focus: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (King's College London) and associated NHS Trusts
• Established: 1982

Contact Details

Address: 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom

Email: psychiatry_research_trust@kcl.ac.uk

Phone: 020 7703 6217

Website: www.psychiatryresearchtrust.co.uk

Overview

The Psychiatry Research Trust (PRT) is a UK registered charity (No. 284286) established by Trust Deed on 20 January 1982. The Trust raises funds for research into all aspects of mental illness and brain disorder undertaken at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London and its associated Mental Health Trusts: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust is dedicated to supporting young scientists in their groundbreaking research efforts within the field of mental health. In the year ending 31 March 2024, the Trust had total income of £588,475 and made grants totalling £206,420. The IoPPN is ranked 2nd in the world for psychology and psychiatry (US News 2025-26) and produces more highly cited outputs on psychiatry and mental health than any other centre globally.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Career Development Fellowships: Up to £100,000

• Designed to support early career researchers
• Two annual deadlines: 31 March (for starting 1 July) and 30 September (for starting 1 December)
• 4-page application including one-page CV, background, experimental/activities plan, references, and budget
• Budget must be approved by the grant office of the submitting institution

Small Grants: Up to £10,000

• Can be submitted at any time on a rolling basis
• Faster decision process

Special Funding Calls: Over £100,000

• Restricted to specific funding calls organised and advertised by the PRT
• Special application formats may be required

Alfred Meyer Prize: £1,250

• Annual award for the best paper(s) published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal
• Maximum of two papers awarded annually
• Open to researchers up to and including Senior Lecturer or Consultant (obtained within the last five years)
• Prize focuses on research on the relationship between brain mechanisms and mental illness
• Submissions require PDF of published paper and short cover letter explaining context and impact

Priority Areas

The Trust supports both protected funds (used only for research in specified areas) and unrestricted funds awarded to young researchers in open competition, provided they are supervised and their research falls within one of the Clinical Academic Groups (CAG) of the IoPPN.

Research areas include:

• Psychiatry
• Neurology
• Psychology
• Neurosciences
• Mental health
• Brain disorders

The Trust is also interested in funding:

• Teaching initiatives focused on mental health
• Public engagement initiatives
• Creativity projects that give voices to artists and people with lived experience
• Support for young psychiatrists from Eastern Europe and developing countries

What They Don't Fund

The Trust only funds research associated with the IoPPN at King's College London and its partner NHS Trusts. Applications from outside these institutions are not accepted.

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Governance and Leadership

The Psychiatry Research Trust is governed by a Board of 11 trustees selected to provide broad expertise in financial management, academic research, psychiatric and neurological research, and fundraising.

Chairman: Professor Thomas Kern Jamieson-Craig (Tom Craig)

• Emeritus Professor of Social Psychiatry
• Works at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
• Immediate past president of the World Association of Social Psychiatry
• Also serves on the Finance Committee

Other Trustees Include:

• Professor Emerita in Clinical Psychology (former Head of the Department of Psychology at IoPPN until 2012)
• Financial expertise from fund managers at Arcus Investment Ltd
• Professor in Child Health and Behaviour, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital
• Mike Stewart, Portfolio Manager for Brevan Howard

Support Staff:

• Financial Adviser: Dr David Wilson
• Office staff: Ms Lesley Pease BA (Hons) and Ms Deanna Samuels

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

All applications should be submitted by email to: psychiatry_research_trust@kcl.ac.uk

Application Requirements:

• 4-page application document
• One-page CV
• Background section
• Experimental/Activities Plan
• References
• Budget (must be approved by the grant office of the submitting institution)

Eligibility: Applications may be made by any staff member at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London, or at the associated Mental Health Trusts (South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust).

Application Deadlines

For grants up to £10,000: Rolling basis - can be submitted at any time

For grants up to £100,000: Two annual deadlines

• 31 March (for projects starting 1 July)
• 30 September (for projects starting 1 December)

For grants over £100,000: Specific funding calls as advertised by the PRT

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by grant size:

• Up to £10,000: Decided at Chairman's discretion (expedited process)
• £10,000 to £100,000: Reviewed by internal assessors (academic members of the Board and/or academics at the institutions). Internal triage may be conducted if needed.
• Over £100,000: Sent to both internal and external assessors. If disagreements arise, the Chairman seeks a second external assessor before convening internal assessors to make final determination.

Specific notification timeframes are not publicly documented.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is documented publicly. Unsuccessful applicants should contact the Trust directly for guidance on resubmission.

Application Success Factors

Assessment Criteria: The Trust evaluates applications based on:

1. Scientific value: Quality and rigour of the proposed research
2. Value to the NHS: Practical benefit and potential clinical impact
3. Feasibility: Can the project be completed in the proposed timeframe?
4. Value for money: Cost-effectiveness, including any matching funds from the applicant
5. Capacity building potential: Evidence of supporting early-career researchers
6. Pilot potential: Whether it serves as a foundation for future grant applications

Key Points for Applicants:

• The Trust particularly values applications from early-career researchers who are supervised within the IoPPN's Clinical Academic Groups
• Budget approval from your institution's grant office is mandatory before submission
• Applications should demonstrate clear value to the NHS and potential for clinical translation
• Projects that can serve as pilots for larger future grants are favoured
• Matching funds from the applicant's institution strengthen applications
• Clear evidence of capacity building (supporting junior researchers) is important

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Institution-specific: Only researchers affiliated with IoPPN at King's College London or the three associated NHS Trusts can apply - this is not an open grant programme
• Career development focus: The Trust prioritises early-career researchers, with most grants awarded as Career Development Fellowships up to £100,000
• Flexible funding tiers: Small grants (up to £10,000) can be submitted anytime on a rolling basis, while larger grants have two annual deadlines
• Clinical relevance matters: Assessment criteria emphasise value to the NHS and practical clinical impact, not just academic merit
• Pilot potential valued: Projects that can lead to larger future grant applications are particularly favoured
• Budget pre-approval essential: Your institution's grant office must approve your budget before submission
• Multiple assessment levels: Larger grants undergo rigorous review by both internal and external assessors, so applications must be robust

References

• Charity Commission Register: PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH TRUST - 284286
• Psychiatry Research Trust Website: www.psychiatryresearchtrust.co.uk
• Research & Funding Policy: www.psychiatryresearchtrust.co.uk/research-funding-policy
• Trustees Information: www.psychiatryresearchtrust.co.uk/trustees
• Alfred Meyer Prize: www.psychiatryresearchtrust.org/awards-and-prizes
• Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience: www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn
• King's College London IoPPN Funding: www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/study/research-funding/funded-research-opportunities

All sources.