Wellcome Trust Foundation

The Wellcome Trust Foundation supports science to solve worldwide urgent health challenges. The goal of the foundation is to improve discovery research into life, health and wellbeing across a wide range of disciplines via major initiatives in the areas of:

• Mental health: Improving research, understanding and treatments to find more effective mental health solutions by working with people who have lived experience of mental health issues.
• Infectious disease: Preventing and stopping future epidemics and bringing infectious diseases under control by working with communities affected by escalating infectious diseases.
• Climate and health: Protecting people’s health from the harmful effects of global heating by working with the communities most affected by climate change to explore the harmful effects of climate change on health, and to use research to develop new ways of protecting people’s health.

Besides taking on world’s biggest health challenges, the foundation aims to create the best possible environment for researchers to thrive and grow!

The origins of Wellcome

The Wellcome Trust Foundation was founded in 1936, in accordance with the will of pharmaceutical entrepreneur Henry Wellcome. Wellcome is an independent foundation. This means that all the work is funded from an investment portfolio. Funding comes from a wide range of financial assets around the world, such as publicly listed stocks and shares, private equity, venture capital, property, hedge funds and other investments. The investment portfolio currently stands at £ 29.1 billion (approximately € 32.8 billion).

Applying for a Wellcome grant

Wellcome supports researchers through three schemes that are designed to give researchers more freedom, time and resource to pursue their ideas and build a better research culture:

• Early-Career Awards for early-career researchers who want to develop their research identity and capabilities, carry out innovative research, advance understanding in their field, and build links with other researchers. By the end of the award, these researchers will be ready to lead their own independent research programme. The level of funding is the researcher’s salary usually for 5 years and up to £ 400,000 for research expenses.
• Career Development Awards for mid-career researchers who have the potential to become international research leaders. With the award they will develop their independence and leadership skills, run their own research programme or project, and make a key contribution to their field. Funding can be asked for the salary (if required) and the resources needed for the research programme usually for a duration of 8 years.
• Discovery Awards for established researchers and teams who want to pursue bold and innovative research, tool or technology development.Funding can be requested for the resources needed for the research programme usually for a duration of 8 years.

Disciplines

The three schemes are open to researchers from any discipline that aim to deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing. Disciplines include but are not limited to:

• Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM);
• Humanities and social science;
• Clinical/allied health sciences;
• Experimental medicine;
• Public health.

The host organisation of the applicant should be based in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, low- or middle-income countries (apart from India and mainland China), and applicants from the rest of the world if applying as part of a team.

Type of grants

In addition to the three main schemes, Wellcome offers many different grants and funding throughout the year that may fit your needs, such as:

• Fellowship/personal support
• Seed or starter grants
• Collaborative/team research
• PhD or Master’s
• Undergraduate scholarship
• Research enrichment

More information or need support?

Our specialists have ample of experience in writing proposals and reviewing applications for research grants. Our excellent track record shows we have been able to support many researchers in applying for and successfully receiving the funding needed to realise their research ambitions. We would be pleased to support you as well in applying for a Wellcome grant! Contact us via 088 495 20 00 or info@hezelburcht.com for an introductory meeting.