Yorkshire Cancer Research

Charity Number: 516898

Annual Expenditure: £17.7M

Stay updated on changes from Yorkshire Cancer Research and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £17.7m (current year)
  • Success Rate: 21% (average over 6 years)
  • Decision Time: Several months (multi-stage process)
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £5,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Yorkshire region and beyond

Contact Details

  • Website: www.yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk
  • Email: hq@ycr.org.uk
  • Phone: 01423 501269
  • Research Funding Team: research@ycr.org.uk / 01423 613483

Overview

Yorkshire Cancer Research, established as registered charity 516898, is the UK's largest regional medical charity with a mission to advance health and save lives through cancer research and related activities in Yorkshire and beyond. Founded with charitable objects “the advancement of health or the saving of lives by undertaking research and other relevant activities in the Yorkshire region or elsewhere to help people avoid, survive or cope with cancer,” the organization currently funds 59 life-saving programmes across the region. Under CEO Kathryn's leadership since 2017, and with new Chair of Trustees Sir Alan Langlands appointed in 2024, the charity has committed to investing £100 million in ground-breaking research. The organization recently received recognition through major funding partnerships, including £10 million with the University of Sheffield announced in April 2025.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • Research Awards: £80,000 - £1,000,000 (clinical/non-clinical projects)
  • Clinical Trials: Up to £2,000,000 (with prior approval)
  • Clinical Doctoral Fellowships: Up to £350,000 for 3.5 years
  • Transition Fellowships: Up to £350,000 for 3 years
  • Advanced Fellowships: Up to £1,250,000 for 5 years
  • Transformational Capital Investment Awards: £100,000 - £5,000,000 (up to 5 years)
  • Travel Awards: Up to £2,000
  • Publication Awards: Up to £3,000

All applications accepted from UK organizations via rolling/annual funding rounds with two-stage application process.

Priority Areas

  • Reducing the risk of developing cancer (addressing 30,000+ annual Yorkshire cases)
  • Early diagnosis and cancer screening to improve survival rates
  • Improving treatments through testing new interventions
  • Reducing cancer-related health inequalities
  • Testing interventions with emphasis on solving problems rather than describing them

What They Don't Fund

Research that merely describes problems without testing interventions; projects that cannot demonstrate majority recruitment from Yorkshire region.

Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for Yorkshire Cancer Research?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

CEO: Kathryn (PhD in molecular biology, joined 2017) has overall responsibility for strategy and delivery. Prior to her appointment, she spent three years developing a new research strategy and worked as a post-doctoral scientist for ten years.

Chair of Trustees: Sir Alan Langlands, appointed 2024, brings nearly 50 years of experience across research universities, NHS, and health charities. Previously served as Chief Executive of HEFCE, NHS England, and Vice-Chancellor of University of Leeds and University of Dundee. Sir Alan states: "I feel privileged to take on the position of Chair of Yorkshire Cancer Research... I have admired the charity's work as it continues to tackle cancer inequalities, and to keep a spotlight on the importance of effective prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care."

Executive Team: Includes Juliet (Fundraising, Marketing & Communication), Joanne (Finance, qualified Chartered Accountant), and Stuart (Research, Policy & Impact, former Assistant Director at Breast Cancer Now).

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Two-stage online application process:

  1. Preliminary application assessed by Strategic Fit Panel (lay stakeholders from Research Advisory Panel)
  2. Successful applicants invited to submit detailed full applications
  3. External peer review by international experts
  4. Rebuttal period for applicant responses
  5. Research Advisory Meeting assessment
  6. Final decision by Board of Trustees

Decision Timeline

Multi-stage process takes several months from initial submission to final decision. Award holders must start within four months of award letter or risk cancellation.

Success Rates

21% average success rate over the last six years with £10 million available annually for funding.

Reapplication Policy

Specific waiting periods for unsuccessful applications not publicly available - contact research team for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Key Strategic Alignment Requirements:

  • Projects must test interventions, not merely describe problems
  • Goal must be to save or extend lives with majority recruitment from Yorkshire
  • Must address at least one priority area (risk reduction, early diagnosis, treatment improvement, health inequalities)
  • Interventions must be sufficiently developed/evidence-based for population testing

Standing Out Strategies:

  • Demonstrate clear Yorkshire population impact and regional health inequality reduction
  • Include robust diversity and inclusion plans for underrepresented populations (minority ethnic groups, deprived communities)
  • Provide detailed recruitment strategies reflecting Yorkshire demographics
  • Obtain letters of support from relevant local organizations
  • For feasibility studies: describe clear future research pathways with stop/go criteria
  • Consider engagement with national/local panels that could support or be impacted by research

Recent Successful Projects:

  • £4.1m imaging project using state-of-the-art equipment for early detection and personalized therapies
  • Mobile screening units for hard-to-reach communities
  • Research-backed exercise services proven to help cancer survival

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Strategic Focus Essential: All projects must align with solving cancer problems in Yorkshire through tested interventions
  • Demographics Matter: Strong emphasis on including underrepresented populations and addressing health inequalities
  • Local Impact Priority: Majority recruitment must be from Yorkshire region with clear regional benefit
  • Multi-Stage Commitment: Prepare for lengthy application process with external peer review and rebuttal opportunities
  • Relationship Building: Engage with local healthcare bodies and obtain support letters
  • Success Rate Reality: With 21% success rate and £10m annual funding, competition is significant
  • Expert Review Process: Applications undergo rigorous international expert review - ensure robust methodology

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References