Guidelines for Applicants: Changing Policy and Practice Award (Renewal)

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Summary

This document guides you through the preparation and submission of an application for the Medical Research Foundation’s Changing Policy and Practice Renewal Award.

Submissions will take place via a two-stage process. Expression of Interest (EoI) applications will be accepted from eligible researchers who will be asked to provide a short overview of planned dissemination activities.

Full applications will be by invitation only. Applicants who have not submitted an EoI application will not be able to submit a full application.

Additional Co-Investigators and Collaborators can be added at the full application stage, including those listed in the EoI application, by invitation from the Lead Applicant.

Full applications must be submitted and approved by all signatories and the application received in its entirety by this deadline. All applications must be submitted via our online grants management system. Paper application forms will not be accepted.

Deadline for full submission:

12:00 Thursday 18 June 2026

We advise that you prepare your application in good time to allow for your Research Organisation’s checks and approvals to take place in accordance with its internal timelines. You will not be able to submit applications after this deadline. We recommend that you submit your application in advance of the deadline so that any technical issues can be resolved in good time.

The Medical Research Foundation is committed to making this application process accessible to all and will provide assistance where needed. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Research Team if you have any questions or concerns about the application process.

Email: research@medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk

Tel: +4420 4581 2403

Overview

The Medical Research Foundation invites renewal applications from MRC and Foundation-funded researchers who have previously received a Changing Policy and Practice Award. This scheme is designed to support the dissemination of research findings beyond the scientific peer reviewed press, with the aim of maximising the impact of medical research by taking the results directly to the patients, healthcare practitioners and policy makers intended to benefit.

Researchers should aim to disseminate a specific research finding/message to a specific audience to inform and influence healthcare policy or practice, or to change patient and public behaviour and opinion, building on the work in their previous Changing Policy and Practice Award.

All areas of medical research will be considered in this funding competition, and applications can focus on any justified target group outside of the scientific press.

The Funder

The Medical Research Foundation is an independent charitable foundation. Formed by the Medical Research Council (MRC) over 100 years ago, we grow and nurture people and ideas wherever we see research opportunities with great potential.

Support for this funding competition comes from the Fleming Memorial Fund for Medical Research, which was established in 1959 in memory of Sir Alexander Fleming.

The Funding

Applicants may apply for up to £30,000 over a flexible time period, usually up to two years.

What is a renewal application?

A renewal application should build upon an existing programme of work which was funded through the Medical Research Foundation’s Changing Policy and Practice Award.

A renewal application could be:

• to advance the dissemination activities from your original application
• to target a different audience identified either through your original research or your Changing Policy and Practice activities
• to continue a programme of dissemination from your original application that has shown proven impact to further that impact in terms of influencing policy, practice or behaviour.

The continuation of activities should enable you to develop the long-term sustainability of your programme or to reach a defined milestone whereby the activities funded through the award will no longer be necessary.

Who can apply?

This competition will run twice a year and is open to MRC and Foundation-funded grant and fellowship holders based at eligible institutions, as well as MRC-funded and MRC core-funded researchers in MRC research institutes, units and centres who have previously received a Changing Policy and Practice Award. To be eligible, the renewal application should be submitted within two years of the completion of the previous Changing Policy and Practice Award. This time restriction may be reconsidered in exceptional circumstances. Those with an active Changing Policy and Practice Award are eligible to apply. Applicants must hold a PhD, DPhil or MD.

The specific research finding forming the basis of the dissemination work must have been published in a peer reviewed journal prior to applying to the scheme and must have been funded by their MRC or Medical Research Foundation grant. The MRC or Medical Research Foundation funding supporting the research should be acknowledged in the publication.

To be eligible for funding the applicant should be listed as either the PI or as a Co-Investigator on the original MRC or Medical Research Foundation grant forming the basis of the research.

To assess eligibility, applicants are required to complete a short Expression of Interest application enquiry form. Applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be invited to submit a full application.

Only one application will be accepted per applicant per funding round, though individuals can hold more than one Medical Research Foundation grant at any one time.

Applicants who had their eligibility for a renewal award confirmed in a previous round but did not apply should contact the Medical Research Foundation Research Team to check whether they are eligible to apply for this round.

Please note applicants who previously applied but were not successful may not re-apply unless invited by the Expert Review Panel. Resubmissions should be a substantially revised proposal and applicants should submit a list of changes made.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Medical Research Foundation is committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants and aims to create an inclusive environment that encourages excellence in research through good equalities practice. Diversity is important to the Medical Research Foundation, and we are working to ensure that the ways in which we fund research embraces a diversity of thought, people, geographical locations and ideas.

We strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups including female and ethnic minority researchers, and researchers with disabilities or long-term health conditions. We will support our researchers and their teams to work flexibly and in a way that meets their personal circumstances. Guidance on the Medical Research Foundation’s flexible working policies can be found in our Terms and Conditions. Please contact the Research Team if you have any questions about flexible working: research@medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk.

The Medical Research Foundation encourages lead applicants to consider the diversity of the research team, as well as area of expertise, when inviting Collaborators to support their application.

Environmental Sustainability

At the Medical Research Foundation we know that we need to protect planetary health if we are to deliver our vision of a world with better health. We aim to reach net-zero in our activities as soon as possible and influence the activities of others whom we work with and fund.

As supporters of the concordat for Environmental Sustainability in Research and Innovation Practice we recognise the need to change how the research and innovation we fund is conducted and our part in promoting solutions. We are taking shared action now and into the future to reduce and eliminate our own environmental impacts and emissions, and achieve the transition to sustainable practices.

Applicants are encouraged to design their dissemination activities to use the most sustainable approaches available to them, describe these measures within their grant application and provide a rationale for the choices made. For example, if you are considering attending an event, outline whether you plan to participate online to reduce travel or attend in person and explain why this option is the most appropriate and worthwhile for your research or professional development. Please see our tips and resources for improving the environmental impact of your research for further suggestions.

Applicants may include direct costs in their budget to support the adoption of sustainable practices, where relevant. All costs associated with environmentally sustainable options such as purchasing more sustainable materials or equipment, or choosing lower-carbon travel options should be fully justified within the application, even if these options incur a higher upfront cost.

We recognise that researchers based in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) may face infrastructure and resource constraints which make it more challenging to meet the same sustainability standards as those in high-income settings. However, we still expect LMIC-based applicants to consider environmental sustainability in their design, adapted appropriately to their local context and available resources.

Responsibilities of the Lead Research Organisation and the Principal Investigator

Principal Investigator (PI)

The PI is responsible for the intellectual leadership of the dissemination project and for the overall management of the dissemination activities. They will be the Medical Research Foundation’s main contact for the proposal. There can only be one PI on any proposal.

The PI must be based at the RO at which the award will be administered.

Lead Research Organisation

Head of Department and Administrative Authority declarations are not required for the Expression of Interest application but will be required for the full application.

By submitting a full application, a Lead Research Organisation (RO) indicates their formal acceptance of the proposal, approval of the salaries and resources sought and, if the application is successful, acceptance of the terms and conditions of a Medical Research Foundation award.

Administrative authorities have responsibility for ensuring that salaries and resources cited in the proposal are sufficient to undertake the proposed research, attract sufficiently experienced and skilled staff and represent good value-for-money.

Head of Department and Administrative Authority declarations will need to be signed at the full application stage.

Application process

Full applications will be assessed by a panel of independent experts against four core criteria; the need for the continued work following your Changing Policy and Practice award, the significance of the research finding, the merit of the dissemination plan and the implementation of the findings. Applicants are encouraged to consult or include a science communications professional (i.e. from their university) on the application, although this is not a requirement. Applicants are also encouraged to consider how the progress made in the award will be sustained beyond the lifetime of the project.

Progress from your original Changing Policy and Practice award

• Achievement of aims from the original award
• Evidence of insight in the progress of the activities from the original award
• Appropriate management of resources from the original award
• Relevance of activities from the original award to the renewal activities
• Justification of the need for the continuation of the project
• How the work remains original or valuable in their field.

Significance of Research Finding

• Prevalence of condition (if disease-related)
• Potential impact of findings for public health or on healthcare policy/practice.
• Contribution of results to current practice or knowledge
• Consideration of other relevant research
• Publication of findings in peer-reviewed journal(s)

Dissemination

• Need for wider dissemination beyond the scientific community
• Appropriateness of the target audience and method of delivery
• The value-for-money of the individual elements of the dissemination activities
• Effectiveness of the proposed activities and likelihood of reaching the target audience

Implementation

• Impact of the dissemination plan on the target audience
• Potential of the dissemination activities to change behaviour, policy and practice
• Plans to evaluate your dissemination activities and change in behaviour, practice and policy

What makes a successful application?

• A clear understanding of the continued significance of the research findings and the need for dissemination beyond the normal scientific press to the target audience
• A clear justification of the continuation of work and further development of the activities from the original award and consideration of the long-term value of work to the field.
• A strong consideration of how disseminating the finding will influence behaviour, healthcare policy or practice
• Appropriateness and suitability of the target audience
• Justified and appropriate methods for disseminating the research findings that are effective and likely to reach the target audience.
• Clearly defined objectives that help to guide project activity and facilitate effective evaluation.
• Detail of the longevity of developed dissemination resources (if applicable).
• Considered or defined expected outcomes, influence or impact from disseminating the key finding to the target audience.
• A clear plan to evaluate the proposed dissemination activities including detail of the planned methods of assessing, recording and evaluating the impact of the results on the target audience.

What is not within remit for this scheme?

• Applications requesting funding to continue existing research or conduct new research.
• Dissemination plans that are too broad and incorporate multiple messages or are not targeted to a specific audience.
• Applications focussing on disseminating research findings to other researchers (for example requests for academic conference travel).
• Applications that request funding for Public Engagement with Science activities without a target outcome.
• Applications that are principally educational in nature.
• Applications focussing on increasing participation in research.
• Funding for activities which should have been completed within the scope of the original award but were not achieved in the initial funding period (unless explicitly approved by the Medical Research Foundation)
• Shortfall funding for activities costed in the original application.
• A new project that is either funded by a different grant than the one used for your original application, or focused on a different theme within the same grant
• Dissemination of related findings from a different paper (not related to the funding on which your original application was based)

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted and approved by all signatories and the application received in its entirety by the deadline. All applications must be submitted via our online grants management system. Paper application forms will not be accepted.

Queries

Any queries on the competition, the application process, or eligibility should be addressed to Rebecca Milton at research@medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk.

Please refer to the sections below to complete your application form.

Terms and Conditions of Award

Awards made through this competition will follow standard Medical Research Foundation Terms and Conditions. The Medical Research Foundation Terms and Conditions spell out the responsibilities of the joint Principal Investigator and the Lead Research Organisation. The Principal Investigator and the Lead Research Organisation are required to indicate their formal acceptance of the application, their acceptance of the terms and conditions of a Medical Research Foundation award, and the approval of the salaries and resources sought in the application. The Medical Research Foundation may add additional conditions to an award to reflect the particular circumstances and requirements of the funding, or the nature of a particular award. Acceptance of an award constitutes acceptance of both the core conditions and any additional conditions. The Medical Research Foundation reserves the right to vary these Terms and Conditions.

Application form question guidance

Section 1: Lead Applicant details

There can only be one lead applicant. Additional project Co-Investigators can be included in the sections 2-5. A maximum of four Co-Investigators can be included.

Any other individuals involved in the application can be listed as collaborators in section 7, unless they will be employed on the grant, in which case they should be named as staff members. Collaborators will need to provide a signed declaration on letter-headed paper confirming that they have consented to co-operate in the research project and explaining the role they will play.

Additional Co-Investigators and Collaborators can be added at the Full application stage, in addition to those included in the Expression of Interest application, by invite from the Lead Applicant.

Section 2-5: Co-Investigator details and career summary

Please provide career history details of up to four Co-Investigators. A Co-Investigator is a person who assists the Principal Investigators in the management and leadership of the research and is named as such in the application.

Please note that Co-Investigators must also upload their CVs using the Résumé for Researchers template which can be found on our website.

Section 6: Medical Research Foundation/MRC funding

Published research findings

Applications should be based on research findings from a Medical Research Foundation or MRC grant. This includes awards funded solely by the Foundation or the MRC, as well as co-funded awards.

Please provide details of the grant that supported the research to be disseminated in this proposal.

The research finding to be disseminated must have been published in a peer reviewed journal prior to submission of an application. Please detail the journal reference of the published article include a DOI where possible. Publications must be full, peer-reviewed articles. Pre-prints are not eligible.

While the publication list can include publications that were published after the commencement of the original Changing Policy and Practice award, the list must include the same publication as that provided in the Changing Policy and Practice Award project to be renewed.

Please only reference the publications that have contributed the research basis for the specific dissemination activities proposed. Only publications acknowledging the original award should be included in the application. Other related publications are not eligible and will not be considered. A larger number of publications will not benefit your application.

Lay description of published research

The lay description should be written in a form understandable by members of the public (e.g. current or potential supporters) who are not specialists in the research field.

Please provide a summary of the research findings to be disseminated, highlighting key findings to be disseminated and indicating the research significance.

We may use this section for external communications associated with the Changing Policy and Practice Award and we aim to publish the lay summary of successful applicants on our website. The text style should be suitable to a lay audience and not contain specific details of any sensitive information.

The MRC or Medical Research Foundation funding supporting the research should be acknowledged in the publication.

Section 7: Dissemination Activities

Previous dissemination activities

Please provide a detailed summary of your dissemination activities carried out as part of your previous Changing Policy & Practice Award. This summary should not exceed 2 A4 pages (size 12 Arial font). References, diagrams, tables or charts can be included within the text or as an appendix and are included in the page limit.

The detailed summary should include the following information:

1. Key message

• The key message or implication from the previous award.

2. Target audience

• The specific target group that was the focus of the previous award.

3. Aims and Objectives

• Detail the original aims of the MRC/Foundation-funded research and the subsequent published research result.
• Outline the changes in practice, policy or behaviour that the dissemination plan aimed to achieve.

4. Previous Dissemination Award

• Outline the approaches taken in the previous award and why they were chosen
• Detail the activities that were undertaken and whether there were any activities that could not go ahead

5. Outputs and Evaluation

• What did the previous award create/ produce/ achieve?
• Detail the impact of the dissemination programme and how it was assessed.
• A strong application will clearly define how successful the previous award was and the impact it had in changing behaviour/practice/policy

6. Justification for the renewal of the award

• Detail why a renewal award is appropriate
• Provide an explanation about how the previous activities have led to the renewal proposal
• Explain any key changes or updates that have influenced the renewal award application

Dissemination plan

The detailed Dissemination Plan should not exceed 3 A4 pages (size 12 Arial font). References, diagrams, tables or charts can be included within the text or as an appendix and are included in the 3-page limit.

The detailed Dissemination Plan should include the following information:

1. Key message – The key message or implication from the research finding that is to be disseminated.
2. Target audience – The specific target group that can act upon the research finding.
3. Background – Provide relevant background information that is needed to understand the wider context of your application.

• Explain the need for continued dissemination of the research finding and the rationale of the dissemination methods and approach planned.
• Place the published research finding in the context of existing evidence.
• Justify the significance of the research finding to be disseminated, in terms of its potential to improve health in the target group, effect a behaviour change or impact on healthcare practice and/or policy.

4. Aims and Objectives – Outline the changes in practice, policy or behaviour that the renewed dissemination plan is aiming to achieve.
5. Dissemination Programme – Indicate the proposed methods of dissemination. Include information about:

• Who will deliver the programme,
• How the activities will be undertaken,
• Where the activities will take place and the timeframe in which the programme will be completed,
• The numbers of the target audience that the dissemination method or approach is expected to reach,
  
• What the expected outcomes would be from these activities,
• If applicable, outline any expert advice sought in preparation of, or involved in, the dissemination programme.

6. Evaluation Plan – Identify how the impact of the dissemination programme will be assessed.

• Provide details of how the behaviour/practice/policy change will be measured and evaluated. A strong evaluation plan will clearly define what success will look like for this programme of work.

7. Justification for support – Justify the resources requested. This can be expanded in the Justification of Costs in Section 8.

The Medical Research Foundation expects that before work commences, the Principal Investigator will have ensured, in collaboration with the lead research organisation, that all appropriate regulatory approvals are in place. These could include those relating to human participation, personal safety and health and safety.

Collaborators

Please provide details of any additional collaborators on the project. Collaborators will need to provide a signed declaration on letter-headed paper confirming that they have consented to co-operate in the programme of work and explaining the role they will play. Please note, if there are multiple collaborators from the same institution, they will all still need to provide individual letters.

Data Management Plan

The Medical Research Foundation is committed to ensuring that the knowledge and discoveries which result from our funded projects are available freely and immediately to everyone. A Data Management Plan (DMP) is required to detail how you will collect, store, curate, and manage data, including how it will be shared and any open access requirements.

Where substantial data is being used, the DMP will be more in depth and therefore likely to be up to 1000 words long, for studies using smaller amounts of data, DMPs will be short i.e. 200-500 word in total.

The MRC Policy and Guidance on Sharing of Research Data from Population and Patient Studies is a useful reference for data relating to studies involving human participation.

Section 8: Funding requested

The Medical Research Foundation will meet the full direct costs of the dissemination activities.

Direct costs are those that will arise from the conduct of the research project and can be charged as the cash value spent and can be supported by an auditable record. In line with other UK medical research charities, the Medical Research Foundation will not meet directly allocated or indirect costs as standard.

If the planned dissemination activities are to be carried out outside of the UK, and cannot be facilitated without the inclusion of indirect costs, up to 15% of the total budget can be attributed to reasonable directly allocated and/or indirect costs. Please contact the Research Team prior to submission research@medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk if you require further advice. Indirect/directly allocated costs should be clearly detailed in the justification of costs.

Applications should be costed at today’s prices and inflation should not be included.

Dissemination activities will be dependent on the nature of the research finding and the target audience.

Applications could include requests for the costs of:

• Writing, publicising and disseminating non-specialist reports for a target public audience or wider network of healthcare practitioners
• Developing online resources or posters for target audiences
• Organising events, policy working groups or seminars
• Professionals key to dissemination i.e. science communicators, educators or health professionals, as long as this is in relation to a specific research finding and appropriate for the target audience.
• Travel and subsistence
• Research staff (who will directly support the dissemination project, but not the salary of the PI)
• Access charges for specialist equipment or services
• Any other direct costs of dissemination
• Direct costs for sustainability measures. This includes:
  - Environmentally sustainable consumables and materials, including those with a higher upfront cost where they offer demonstrable environmental benefits.
  - Refurbished, second-hand, or shared equipment, or costs associated with the maintenance and repair of existing equipment to extend its usable life for the purpose of the project.
  - Training and capacity-building activities that support the adoption of sustainable dissemination practices within the team for the purpose of the dissemination project.
  - Travel costs that reduce the carbon footprint of the dissemination, including the use of lower-emission transport options (e.g. rail travel in place of flights), even where these incur higher costs.
  - Costs related to sustainable data management and dissemination, including infrastructure that supports low-impact data storage and sharing.

Medical Research Foundation Changing Policy and Practice Awards will not fund:

• Any directly allocated costs i.e. estate costs and costs of shared resources such as staff and equipment
• The salary of the PI
• Any indirect costs which cannot be allocated to individual projects (including but not limited to computing and information support, general maintenance and other infrastructure costs, HR and recruitment costs etc.)
• Cost of general public engagement in science work

Applicants should justify the budget requested and provide details of any costs to be met through other funding sources.

Direct environmental sustainability costs are specific, project-related expenses that directly support the reduction of your research’s environmental impact. Examples include:

• Purchasing sustainable or recycled consumables and materials.
• Upgrading to energy-efficient equipment which will be necessary for your project.
• Costs for sustainable travel (e.g. train instead of air travel).
• Costs for recycling or waste reduction initiatives directly linked to your project.
  

Applicants should clearly explain how each cost contributes to environmental sustainability and why it is necessary for the proposed research.

Applicants are encouraged to minimise the environmental impact of equipment purchases by:

• Using existing equipment or shared facilities where possible.
• Leasing equipment for short-term needs.
• Collaborating with other research groups to share resources.
  

If new equipment is essential, applicants should justify why alternatives were not feasible and describe any steps taken to ensure the purchase is as sustainable as possible (e.g. choosing energy-efficient models, considering lifecycle impacts).

Section 9: Human participation and ethical approval

If the project involves the use of human participants and/or organs, tissues or cells relevant to The Human Tissue Act 2004 (England, Wales and N. Ireland) and The Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 in the UK, please detail the relevant ethical approvals. SSA Human use ethics, Ethical approval justification.

If ethical approval is required for the research proposal, please provide details of the relevant approvals.

If your research involves the use of human participants and/or organs, tissues or cells outside the UK, please provide details in the relevant questions. Describe how your research complies with relevant UK regulations. Applications involving human participants in counties outside of the UK may be subject to additional ethical implications.

Please see the MRC guidance related to Using human samples in research and Human Participants in Research for further direction on research involving human participants in countries outside of the UK.

Section 10: Intellectual property

Please detail any intellectual property that this project will generate, either during or beyond the lifetime of the award. Please include details of any existing background intellectual property that will need to be used and/or modified and plans for ownership of this intellectual property.

Section 11: Environmental sustainability

We ask you to confirm whether reducing the environmental impact of your research has been considered in your application and if so to describe how it has been considered. You may include measures that you will take in practicing your research to reduce environmental impact. Please see our tips and resources about environmental sustainability in research.

We understand that sustainability practices vary between organisations. Please indicate that you have designed your research using the most sustainable approach available at your organisation that you can access and describe the support, resources and/or initiatives at your organisation to support you with environmental sustainability in your research. When planning, please use the expanded guidance in the appendices at the end of this document.

Section 12-14: Declaration

Authorisations and/or declarations are needed from the following application participants:

• Principal Investigator
• Research Administrator
• Head of Department
  

Participants should be invited to complete their sections of the application by following the instructions under the participants tab on the Application Summary page. Please check which email address they would like to use, as they may already be registered on Flexi-Grant and mistakes may lead to a delay in processing the application.

Applicants can keep track of the progress of submission completion status on the Application Summary page. Applicants can issue a reminder email to the invited participants through the participants tab on the Application Summary page. If the instruction email from the Medical Research Foundation has not been received please: a) double check the accuracy of the email address supplied on the application form; b) advise the intended recipient to check their spam filters/junk folders; c) contact the Medical Research Foundation with an alternative email address for the recipient. The Medical Research Foundation is happy to help where possible but cannot be held responsible for automated emails that are not received due to address errors or spam filters.

All declarations must be signed by the appropriate persons prior to the submission of the application. It is the applicants’ responsibility to ensure that approval of the application by the Lead Research Organisations is completed before the closing date.