World Cancer Research Fund

Charity Number: 1000739

Annual Expenditure: £11.1M
Throughout England And Wales

Contact Info

Website: www.wcrf.org / www.wcrf-uk.org

Phone: 020 7343 4200

Email: wcrf@wcrf.org

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £4-5 million (in research grants)
  • Success Rate: Not published (but receives hundreds of applications annually; if shortlisted, ~30% of Investigator Initiated Grants and ~20% of Pilot & Feasibility Grants are funded)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 10 months (November outline deadline to September funding announcement)
  • Grant Range: £60,000 - £500,000
  • Geographic Focus: International (except Americas)
  • Total Research Funded: Over £145 million since 1991

Contact Details

Website: www.wcrf.org / www.wcrf-uk.org

Email: wcrf@wcrf.org

Phone: 020 7343 4200

Research enquiries: research@wcrf.org

Overview

World Cancer Research Fund UK (charity number 1000739) was incorporated on 3rd September 1990 and is registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales. Since 1991, WCRF has funded more than £145 million of research investigating the effects of diet, nutrition, body composition and physical activity on cancer prevention and survivorship. The organization receives around 95% of its funding from the UK public, with the remainder from business, trusts and foundations. In recent years, WCRF announced record-breaking grant funding of £4.4 million to 19 projects (2023) and £5.1 million (2022), demonstrating their commitment to expanding support for groundbreaking research. WCRF was nominated for the Outstanding Contribution to Cancer Control Award, recognising their global impact in cancer prevention research.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Regular Grant Programme (applications open September, deadline November)

  • Budget should be allocated approximately equally across each year
  • Applications accepted via online Grants Management System
  1. Pilot and Feasibility Grants (PFGs): Up to £60,000 for up to two years for preliminary studies and feasibility work

INSPIRE Research Challenge: For early career researchers (2-7 years post-PhD) with 12-month projects exploring innovative approaches

Priority Areas

WCRF exclusively funds research addressing the role of:

  • Diet and nutrition (including body composition)
  • Physical activity

In relation to:

  • Cancer prevention (primary focus on lifestyle factors that reduce cancer risk)
  • Cancer survivorship (improving outcomes and quality of life for cancer survivors)

Recent funded projects include: metabolic profiling linking obesity and colorectal cancer, lifestyle factors in childhood cancer survivors, exercise outcomes in advanced oesophageal cancer, yoga effects on breast cancer patients, and the relationship between sleep, immune system, stress and cancer risk.

What They Don't Fund

  • Geographic exclusions: Research from the Americas (North America, Central America including the Caribbean, South America)
  • Commercial organisations: Research for commercial entities is not eligible
  • Research outside core remit: Projects not addressing diet, nutrition, body composition or physical activity in relation to cancer
  • Multiple applications: Maximum one application as Principal Investigator per grant cycle (can be co-applicant on maximum four additional applications)
  • Institutional limit: Maximum five applications from one institution per grant cycle

Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive Officer: Rachael Gormley (since 2019) - has worked with WCRF for over 15 years, previously serving as Executive Director of WCRF International and Executive Director of Network Operations. She leads WCRF's UK presence and drives overall strategic development.

Director of Research and Innovation: Dr Panagiota (Giota) Mitrou - holds a PhD in genetic epidemiology from the University of Cambridge, previously worked at the National Cancer Institute (US) and University of Cambridge, and has been with WCRF for over 15 years in senior positions. She has overall responsibility for science and policy programmes.

The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees who make final funding decisions for grant awards. WCRF's grant panel comprises around 15 experts in diet, nutrition, physical activity and cancer research.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  • Applications open: 8th September (08:00 GMT/UTC)
  • Deadline: 4th November (17:00 GMT/UTC)
  • Submitted via online Grants Management System
  • Applications must be in English
  • Lead applicants must hold a research position at host institution for project duration
  • Opens: February (following year)
  • Invited applications undergo detailed panel review and external peer review
  • Lead applicants must hold research positions at host institutions
  • Eligible institutions: universities, medical schools, hospitals, research institutes, academic centres
  • One application per PI per cycle (can be co-applicant on up to four others)
  • Must demonstrate PPIE (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement) throughout research process

Decision Timeline

  • Outline deadline: 4th November 2025
  • Full applications open: February 2026
  • Funding decisions announced: End of September 2026
  • Total timeline: Approximately 10 months from outline submission to decision

Applicants receive feedback once applications are reviewed.

Success Rates

  • WCRF receives hundreds of applications annually but does not publish overall success rates
  • If shortlisted to full application stage: approximately 30% of Investigator Initiated Grants and 20% of Pilot & Feasibility Grants receive funding
  • Recent funding rounds: 16-22 Regular Grant Programme awards plus 6 INSPIRE grants

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policy not publicly detailed. Contact research@wcrf.org for guidance on resubmitting unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

What the Grant Panel Evaluates

Applications are scored on two main criteria:

  1. Scientific Merit: Hypothesis, study design, and statistical analysis
  2. Feasibility: Budget, timescale, expertise, and methodology

Key Success Factors

Essential Requirements:

  • PPIE Integration: “WCRF expects applicants to actively involve people with lived experience throughout the research process from shaping research questions to sharing findings, and to demonstrate how PPIE has informed the design, delivery and impact of their work”
  • Clear relevance: Research must clearly address diet, nutrition, body composition or physical activity in relation to cancer prevention or survivorship
  • Research principles alignment: Proposed research must have relevant exposure and cancer-related outcomes as described in WCRF research principles

Application Guidance:

  • Carefully read through instructions, guidelines and FAQs when developing proposals
  • Refer closely to guidance documents throughout application development
  • Applications reviewed by ~15-member expert panel, with at least 5 scientific panel members providing input on each application
  • Successful full applications sent to external peer reviewers
  • Panel members present applications followed by full panel discussion

Review Process:

  • Initial panel scoring of approximately one-third of applications
  • Detailed review using forms similar to external peer reviewer forms
  • Panel meeting presentation and discussion
  • External peer review for shortlisted applications

Recent Funded Projects as Examples

  • Dr Pekka Keski-Rahkonen (France, £349,807): Understanding colorectal cancer and obesity through metabolic profiling
  • Dr Raoul Reulen (UK, £349,792): Investigating lifestyle factors in childhood cancer survivors
  • Prof Adam Frampton (UK, £348,030): Exercise and outcomes in advanced oesophageal cancer
  • Studies on yoga effects for women with breast cancer
  • Research on sleep, immune system and stress effects on cancer risk

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Narrow but deep focus: Applications must directly address diet, nutrition, body composition or physical activity in cancer prevention or survivorship - this is non-negotiable
  1. PPIE is mandatory: Demonstrate meaningful involvement of people with lived experience throughout the entire research lifecycle, not just consultation
  1. Highly competitive: With hundreds of applications and 16-22 awards in Regular Grant Programme, success rates are low - ensure your application is exceptional and perfectly aligned with WCRF's specific remit
  1. Two-stage process: Invest time in a compelling outline application as only shortlisted projects proceed to full application stage (where success rates improve to 20-30%)
  1. International reach with exclusions: Open to global applications except from the Americas - check geographic eligibility carefully
  1. Review guidance thoroughly: WCRF emphasizes the importance of carefully reading instructions, guidelines and FAQs - panel members look for evidence that applicants understand requirements
  1. Long timeline: Plan for approximately 10 months from outline submission to funding decision - factor this into your research planning and other funding applications

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References