The General Nursing Council For England And Wales Trust
Charity Number: 288068
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Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: Approximately £100,000-£150,000
- Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
- Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
- Grant Range: Up to £40,000 per award
- Geographic Focus: England and Wales only
Contact Details
Website: www.gnctrust.org.uk
Email: secretary@gnctrust.org.uk
Phone: 01494 714128
Overview
The General Nursing Council for England and Wales Trust (GNCT) is an independent charitable trust established in 1983 when the General Nursing Council for England and Wales—the regulatory body for the nursing profession for the preceding 60 years—was abolished under the Nurses and Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979. The Trust's mission is to advance the science and art of nursing, promote the education and training of student nurses and registered nurses, and fund research into nursing policy and practice. With annual expenditure of approximately £100,000-£150,000, the GNCT operates as a modest but focused funder supporting nursing research that enhances professional practice and improves patient care outcomes across England and Wales. The Trust holds NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) non-commercial partner status, which means funded studies may be eligible for NIHR Clinical Research Network support.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
Annual Research Grants: Up to £40,000 per award
The Trust issues an annual call for research grant applications with a specified theme that changes each year. Applications are submitted by email using the Trust's grant application form with a fixed annual deadline (typically late June). The 2025 call focuses on “Evidence-based innovations that identify the role played by nurses in improving care,” with a deadline of 27th June 2025.
Priority Areas
The GNCT focuses on funding research that:
- Advances nursing practice and profession: Research that enhances understanding of nursing's unique contribution to healthcare and clarifies the evolving role of nurses in meeting patient needs
- Evidence-based innovations: Projects exploring digital solutions, technological innovations, and evidence-based interventions that demonstrate how nurses improve care delivery
- Health inequalities: Research exploring the role nursing can play in addressing health inequalities and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours
- Nursing workforce: Studies examining workforce challenges, retention, job satisfaction, and professional development in nursing
- Primary and community care: Research focused on general practice nursing, community nursing, and care delivered outside hospital settings
Any methodological approach is welcome, but nursing must play a central role in all proposals. Evidence of how a nursing perspective has shaped the innovation must be clearly identified.
What They Don't Fund
The Trust does not fund:
- Research conducted outside England and Wales
- Applications where the lead applicant is not a registered nurse
- Projects where nursing does not play a central role
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Governance and Leadership
The Trust is governed by a Board of 5 Trustees who serve on a voluntary basis without remuneration. The Board draws upon recommendations from independent reviewers when allocating awards.
Known Trustees include:
- Professor Bridie Kent: NMC nominated trustee (joined Autumn 2024). Professor of Leadership in Nursing at the University of Plymouth since 2013.
- Dr Susan Procter: Trustee. First appointed as Professor of Nursing at Northumbria University in 1995; has held professorial posts at City University London and Buckinghamshire New University.
Application Process and Timeline
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted by email using the Trust's grant application form. The Trust provides two key documents for applicants:
- GNCT Grant Application Form (annual version available on website)
- GNCT Guidance Document (annual version available on website)
Applications must be received by the specified deadline to be considered for funding. The 2025 deadline is 27th June 2025.
The lead applicant must be a registered nurse working in England or Wales, and the proposed research study must be undertaken in England and/or Wales.
Decision Timeline
The Board of Trustees reviews applications with support from independent peer reviewers. Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed, but the review process involves:
- Initial screening for eligibility
- Independent peer review of eligible applications
- Trustee board consideration based on reviewer recommendations
- Award allocation decisions
Success Rates
The Trust does not publicly disclose application numbers or success rates. However, with annual grant expenditure of approximately £100,000-£150,000 and individual grants up to £40,000, the Trust typically funds 2-4 projects per year.
Reapplication Policy
The Trust's reapplication policy is not publicly documented on their website.
Application Success Factors
Based on the Trust's stated priorities and funded projects, successful applications demonstrate:
Clear nursing focus: Projects must clearly identify how a nursing perspective shapes the research and innovation. The GNCT emphasizes that “nursing must play a central role in all proposals” and “evidence of how a nursing perspective has shaped the innovation must be clearly identified.”
Alignment with annual theme: The 2025 theme focuses on “evidence-based innovations that identify the role played by nurses in improving care.” Successful applications will explicitly address this theme and demonstrate how their project enhances understanding of nurses' roles as innovators.
Practical impact: The Trust funds research that enhances professional practice and improves patient care outcomes. Projects should demonstrate clear potential to benefit nursing practice, education, or policy.
Strong methodological approach: While any methodological approach is welcome, applications must demonstrate rigorous research design appropriate to the research question.
Examples of Funded Research
Recent funded projects include:
- Enhanced Health and Wellbeing Check for Care Leavers (Dr Philippa Olive, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust): Designing an enhanced health and wellbeing check for care leavers deliverable by specialist general practice nurses
- Neonatal Nursing Workforce Study: Exploring job satisfaction and intent to stay in neonatal nursing across England and Wales to generate evidence supporting workforce retention initiatives
- Community Nursing Retention: Identifying strategies for successful retention of nurses in NHS home visiting services
- COVID-19 Impact on General Practice Nurses (funded June 2021): Exploring how general practice nurses experienced implementing change during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Retention of Nurses in General Practice (GenRet Study): Understanding factors that challenge retention and support nurses to stay in general practice
These examples demonstrate the Trust's focus on workforce sustainability, primary care nursing, vulnerable populations, and practical innovations in care delivery.
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- Eligibility is strict: You must be a registered nurse working in England or Wales, and research must be conducted in England and/or Wales
- Theme alignment is essential: Each year has a specific theme; your application must explicitly address it
- Demonstrate nursing's unique contribution: Clearly articulate how a nursing perspective shapes your research and how it advances nursing as a profession
- Leverage NIHR partnership: Mention potential for NIHR Clinical Research Network support, as the Trust's NIHR non-commercial partner status makes funded studies eligible
- Focus on practical impact: Emphasize how your research will enhance nursing practice, education, or policy and improve patient care outcomes
- Use the guidance documents: Download and carefully review the annual Grant Application Form and Guidance Document from the website
- Allow time for peer review: The decision process involves independent reviewers and trustee deliberation, so expect a thorough evaluation process
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References
- General Nursing Council Trust official website: www.gnctrust.org.uk
- Charity Commission Register, Charity Number 288068: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/constituency-search/-/charity-details/288068
- NIHR RDN Non-commercial Partner List: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/nihr-rdn-non-commercial-partner-list
- Anderson et al. (2022). "General Practice Nurses' experiences of changing care delivery during COVID-19." Journal of Advanced Nursing. DOI: 10.1111/jan.15312 (funded by GNCT June 2021)
- Anderson et al. (2024). “Exploring the relationship between cultural and structural workforce issues and retention of nurses in general practice: A qualitative study protocol.” Journal of Advanced Nursing. DOI: 10.1111/jan.16313 (funded by GNCT)
- NIHR RDS West Midlands: “The General Nursing Council for England and Wales Trust: Research Grants” https://www.rds-wm.nihr.ac.uk/the-general-nursing-council-for-england-and-wales-trust-research-grants1