Child Development - Research

SHOULD I APPLY?

Understandably, we often get asked whether specific proposal topics would be considered under our research calls. Unfortunately, in 2021 we will not be able to provide feedback on abstracts as to their fit with our research calls, so we have tried to provide more information on the website to enable researchers to decide on whether to apply or not. Our FAQs page should hopefully address any practical questions you might have regarding eligibility. Please do read all the information available to get a good feel for our fund!

We like to keep our research calls as open as possible to ensure we are keeping on top of the most relevant research within each area. With this in mind we will happily receive applications that are related to the specific topic areas mentioned below and that align well with our broader research interests (please visit our research page to get a good feel for the type of research in which we are interested). However, we do also have Topic-specific funding priorities, about which we are particularly keen to see more research; we have highlighted these in the application deadline table, under each of the five research calls

We appreciate that a full detailed research design can take a lot of time to put together and understandably this might not be an appealing option for proposals that do not appear to fit our topic-specific funding priorities. We therefore now ask for a shorter initial application, as an expression of interest, which we hope will help make applying to the calls quicker and easier for researchers and enable us to receive a broad range of research plans.

Our scientific strategy therefore consists of three layers of research interest:

1. Broad interest: First and foremost, as outlined here, we have an overarching interest in children’s neurodevelopment and the co-occurrence of neurodevelopmental conditions. While we are happy to receive applications on this broader topic that do not align with any of our more specific areas of interest (as outlined below in points two and three), they are less likely to be successful than those that also align with our more specific topics and/or our current funding priorities. 
   
   Please note that if your project does not align with this basic interest (i.e. it does not relate back to neurodevelopmental outcomes) it is very unlikely an application would be successful. 
   
   
2. Specific topic areas: Within this broad area of interest, we have five specific topic areas within which we are particularly active, and upon which we have based our discrete research calls:
   
   
   1. Rolandic Epilepsy
   2. ADHD
   3. Sleep and/or exercise
   4. Motor impairments
   5. Diet and/or the Microbiome
      
      
   If your project relates back to neurodevelopmental outcomes, and aligns with one of these specific areas of research activity, please do apply to the relevant call deadline as outlined here. While we are happy to receive applications which align with these interests but which are not related to our particular funding priorities for this year (as outlined in point three below), they are less likely to be successful than those which also align with our current funding priorities.
   
   
3. Topic-specific funding priorities: Within each of the five areas of interest, every year we detail the specific approaches, topics and methodologies in which we are particularly interested. These are listed in the application deadline table under each of the five research calls.
   
   Research proposals which focus on one or more of our current topic-specific priorities have the greatest chance of funding success. If this sounds like your project, then please do apply!
   
   Research proposals which do not align with our current topic-specific priorities but which are related to one of our five calls and relate back to neurodevelopmental outcomes are still very much welcomed.
   
   
   
   

Applications: Funding success relative to topic/focus:

* The diagram/information have been provided to help potential applicants understand part of our decision-making processes and is by no means designed to discourage applicants.