The Tuberous Sclerosis Association
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The work fits best if your organisation supports people and families affected by tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) or carries out TSC research in the UK.
- The support fund pays individuals, not organisations, and grants are up to £400, so an organisation's request would need to be for research.
- Research applications are accepted in formal award rounds, which run every two years, and you should contact the research team for an application form first.
- The annual report says applications are assessed through external and internal peer review, and a decision takes within six weeks of receipt, so get in touch early, especially if you need co-funding.
- Do not apply for research that falls outside the charity's current research strategy or for projects taking place outside the UK, and note that the PhD studentship needs secured match funding.
Overview
The Tuberous Sclerosis Association is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1039549).
The Tuberous Sclerosis Association exists to promote the care, welfare, treatment, interest, education and advancement of people with tuberous sclerosis and research into its cause and cure. It supports individuals affected by TSC, funds research and campaigns, and offers professional development, and it gives education, publicity and information on the problems TSC causes. Its annual giving was £34,200 according to the annual report, and its TSA Support Fund gives up to £400 to individuals, with around 30 grants a year.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The TSA supports people affected by tuberous sclerosis complex and their families, including through financial assistance for people in the TSC community experiencing hardship. It also funds research into TSC and associated conditions, covering causes, diagnosis, management and treatment, and offers PhD studentships, fellowships and project grants for researchers. Its project grants support studies in the UK. Research funding is intended to improve the lives of people affected by TSC and follows the association’s research priorities. Applications are checked for eligibility and strategic fit, then reviewed by external and internal peers before committee members rank them and make recommendations. The charity combines direct support with research to improve understanding, treatment and care for people and families living with TSC.
Themes
- TSC research
- Financial hardship support
Geographic Focus
The UK.
What they don't fund
- TSA Support Fund only:
- Travel costs to attend a TSA event
- Where a statutory authority has a responsibility to pay for the item needed
- Something you’ve already paid for, booked or ordered
- Costs associated with debt
- People who do not have TSC, live with a loved one with TSC, or are directly affected by a loved one’s diagnosis
- People who do not live in the UK
- People who are not in financial hardship and would otherwise be able to fund the thing they’re applying for
- Applications made within 24 months of a successful application
- Ongoing or additional costs from the thing we’ve helped you fund
- TSA research funding only:
- Research that does not fall within the TSA’s current research strategy
- Indirect or directly allocated costs
- Projects taking place outside the UK
- TSC Registry and Longitudinal Data PhD Studentship only: Applications without secured match funding
- Seedcorn Awards only: Research applications that are not aligned with the TSA Research Strategy
How to apply
Organisations can apply for research funding through the PhD studentships, Fellowship Awards and Project grants. During award rounds, applicants contact the research team to request an application form and submit a full proposal or protocol and a biography for each project worker.
Deadlines: Formal research award rounds take place every two years.
Who can apply:
- TSA Support Fund: Have TSC; live with a loved one with TSC, or the condition directly affects you because of a loved one’s diagnosis; live in the UK; and be in financial hardship and otherwise unable to fund the thing you’re applying for.
What to send:
- TSA Support Fund
- Proof of either your TSC diagnosis or the diagnosis of a loved one.
- A quote for the item(s) the grant will go towards.
- Research grants: Application form, full proposal/protocol for the study, biography for each person who will work on the project, relevant ethical or other regulatory approval letters, and, if applicable, a use of animals in research form.
- TSC Registry and Longitudinal Data PhD Studentship: Secured match funding is required for applications to be considered.
- TSA Grant Round Seedcorn Awards: All applications must be aligned with the TSA Research Strategy.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Research applications should fit the TSA’s research strategy and the interests of people living with TSC and their families.
- Research applications are assessed through external and internal peer review, and applicants can respond to reviewers’ questions.
- For co-funding, applicants should contact the research team in advance and as early as possible.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Tuberous Sclerosis Association.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Epilepsy Research Institute UK£32,556year to 31 December 2025
- University of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust · Randomised Controlled Trial of ACT in TSC£1,644year to 31 December 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £443,454 | £476,367 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £284,640 | £359,049 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £361,627 | £325,334 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £656,551 | £468,469 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £477,773 | £539,086 | £34,200 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.
— No grants figure for that year.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- tuberous-sclerosis.org
- tuberous-sclerosis.org/information-and-support/tsa-support-fund · read on 31 October 2026
- tuberous-sclerosis.org/research/tsa-funded-research · read on 31 October 2026
- tuberous-sclerosis.org/research/research-governance-and-policies · read on 31 October 2026
- tuberous-sclerosis.org/for-professionals/tsa-grant-round-25-26 · read on 31 October 2026
- tuberous-sclerosis.org/contact-our-support-team · read on 31 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 31 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Tuberous Sclerosis Association?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Applying to The Tuberous Sclerosis Association?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required