The Little Princess Trust

Charity Number: 1176160

Annual Expenditure: £35.0M
Geographic Focus: Bulgaria, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Scotland ... [1 more]

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £35 million+ committed since 2016 (research)
  • Success Rate: Highly competitive (specific % not published)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 12-14 weeks from deadline
  • Grant Range: £40,000 - £250,000 (Project Grants); up to £50,000 (New Ideas Grants)
  • Geographic Focus: UK and Ireland

Contact Details

Website: https://www.littleprincesses.org.uk/

Email: info@littleprincesses.org.uk

Phone: 01432 352359

Address: The Hannah Tarplee Building, 22-25 Berrington Street, Hereford, HR4 0BJ

Research Grant Enquiries: Applications administered through CCLG at LPT@cclg.org.uk

Overview

Founded in 2006 by Wendy Tarplee-Morris and Simon Tarplee in memory of their daughter Hannah, The Little Princess Trust provides free real-hair wigs to children and young people up to age 24 who have lost their hair through cancer treatment or other conditions. Since 2016, the charity has expanded significantly into research funding, becoming one of the largest charity funders of childhood cancer research in the UK. The Trust has committed more than £35 million across 152 projects covering all childhood cancers, with a mission to find “kinder, more targeted, less toxic and more effective treatments.” Operating from their purpose-built headquarters in Hereford, they have provided nearly 20,000 wigs and funded 158 research projects. The charity's vision is to “Give Hair and Hope to every young person with cancer until there is no longer a need for what we do.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Project Grants: £40,000 - £250,000 (average award £200,000)

  • Support for basic science with clear translational benefit, translational research, and clinical research
  • Focus on projects that will lead to better outcomes for children and young people with cancer
  • Applications submitted through CCLG online portal
  • Fixed deadline (typically October, with decisions by end of January)

New Ideas Grants: Up to £50,000

  • Duration up to 12 months
  • For impactful, 'thinking outside the box' ideas
  • Supports innovative research that may be challenging to fund through traditional sources
  • In 2024, funded more than twice the number of projects compared to 2023
  • Requires lay summary (video, slide deck, or document)

Innovation Grants: Variable amounts

  • Ground-breaking research projects
  • New and inspired treatments for children with cancer
  • Specific focus on improving patient outcomes

Priority Areas

  • Childhood cancers affecting patient outcomes
  • Development of less aggressive and less toxic cancer treatments
  • Research that broadens and deepens knowledge of children and young people's cancers
  • Projects with clear plan for translation to patient benefit
  • Novel hypotheses and innovative approaches
  • Research that must ultimately benefit children

What They Don't Fund

  • Research without clear patient benefit or translational plan
  • Research types outside of: basic science (with translational plan), translational research, or clinical research
  • Organizations based outside UK and Ireland
  • Applicants that are not universities or hospitals
  • Projects without strong focus on innovation
  • Research not related to childhood and young people's cancers
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Governance and Leadership

Founders & Key Trustees:

  • Wendy Tarplee-Morris MBE - Co-founder and Director of Services and Impact
  • Simon Tarplee - Co-founder and Lead Trustee for Research Grants
  • Tim Lowe - Co-founder, served as Chair during formative years
  • Phil Brace - Chief Executive Officer

The Board of Trustees has responsibility for oversight and good governance of the charity's finances, property, and administration. The charity has recently expanded its voluntary board to introduce new skill sets and improve governance processes.

Phil Brace on the charity's approach: “Charities like The Little Princess Trust can not only survive but thrive if they put the correct strategies in place,” demonstrating his commitment to using "30 years' commercial experience in senior directorships in sales and marketing" to ensure the charity's continued impact.

The charity works in partnership with CCLG (Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group), which provides expertise in selecting and funding the highest quality research through their Research Advisory Group (RAG).

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Check eligibility: Funding available only to UK and Ireland based research organizations (universities and hospitals)
  1. Read guidance documents: Review full guidance for applicants before starting application
  1. Register for CCLG portal: Sign up for account at www.cclg.org.uk/research/funding-opportunities
  1. Submit application: Complete online application through CCLG portal by 17:00 on deadline day (typically October for Project Grants)
  1. Prepare lay summary: Create accessible summary in video, slide deck, or document format. For New Ideas Grants, email immediately after submission to LPT@cclg.org.uk with subject line 'LPT New Ideas Grant Submission'
  1. Applications after deadline will not be accepted

Decision Timeline

  • Application deadline: Typically mid-October (e.g., Wednesday 16 October 2024)
  • Initial review: Lay summaries reviewed by Little Princess Trust Research Subcommittee
  • Peer review: Selected applications undergo rigorous independent peer review following AMRC principles
  • RAG discussion: Research Advisory Group discusses and ranks applications
  • Final decision: Little Princess Trust trustees make final funding decisions
  • Notification: By end of January (approximately 12-14 weeks from deadline)

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not published. However, the process is described as “highly competitive” with rigorous peer review ensuring only the highest quality research is funded. Since 2016, 152 projects have been funded across all grant schemes.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly detailed in available guidance documents. Applicants should contact CCLG or The Little Princess Trust directly for guidance on resubmission.

Application Success Factors

Critical Requirements

Plain language is paramount: “This grant round has a greater focus on the provision of information which is accessible for patients, families and the general public. Applicants are encouraged to write their responses in a form which can be easily understood by a lay audience.”

Video submissions preferred: For lay summaries, video format is preferred over slide decks or documents. The lay summary is used by the Research Subcommittee to decide which applications advance to peer review.

Innovation focus: The Trust specifically looks for "impactful, 'thinking outside the box' ideas" and novel hypotheses. They support promising ideas which may be challenging to find funding from traditional research funders.

Clear patient benefit: All funded work must have direct impact on outcomes for children and young people. Basic science applications must include a clear plan for translation to patient benefit.

Recent Funded Projects (2023-2024 Examples)

  • Professor Karim Malik (University of Bristol): Rewriting cancer cell messages to slow down tumour growth
  • Dr Igor Vivanco (King's College London): Understanding how a new drug can selectively fight childhood cancer cells
  • Dr Elizabeth Cooper (University of Cambridge): Understanding how immune cells around the brain protect childhood ependymoma tumours

Funder's Language and Priorities

The Trust emphasizes:

  • “Kinder and more effective treatments”
  • “Less toxic” approaches
  • “Novel” and “innovative” research
  • “Direct impact on outcomes”
  • “Thinking outside the box”

What Sets Applications Apart

  1. Excellent lay communication: The ability to explain complex science accessibly to patients and families is weighted heavily in initial screening
  1. Strong innovation case: Demonstrating why this idea is novel and why traditional funders might not support it
  1. Clear translational pathway: Even basic science must show how it will ultimately benefit young patients
  1. Scientific rigor: Applications undergo independent peer review by relevant experts, so scientific quality is paramount
  1. Focus on children: Research must specifically address childhood cancers, not adult cancers that also affect children

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Master plain language communication first: Your lay summary determines whether you advance to peer review. Invest significant effort in making complex science accessible - video format is preferred.
  1. Emphasize innovation and novelty: The Trust actively seeks “thinking outside the box” ideas that traditional funders might overlook. Articulate clearly why your approach is novel and why it needs their support.
  1. Connect to patient benefit: Every aspect of your application should link back to improved outcomes for children and young people. Even basic science needs a clear translational plan.
  1. Follow AMRC peer review standards: Applications undergo rigorous independent scientific review. Ensure scientific excellence alongside accessible communication.
  1. Align with “kinder, less toxic” mission: Frame your research in terms of reducing treatment toxicity and developing more targeted approaches - this resonates with the Trust's founding mission.
  1. Submit to correct grant stream: Project Grants (£40,000-£250,000) for larger studies; New Ideas Grants (up to £50,000) for pilot work and innovative concepts that need proof-of-concept data.
  1. Never miss deadlines: Applications submitted after 17:00 on deadline day will not be accepted. Plan submission well in advance.

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