Collaboration Innovation Fund

We actively encourage inter-professional project teams and strongly promote collaboration among professional services. We particularly welcome applications from new teams, professions, and collaborations, especially those without prior funding. We expect CIF-funded projects to demonstrate a clear plan for long-term impact, including securing larger-scale external funding, enrolling new student cohorts, implementing more sustainable working practices, and enhancing patient outcomes.

CIF projects are required to showcase either existing or potential collaboration between RBFT and UoR, and we offer support to applicants in finding suitable collaborators before the application process. This scheme is open to staff from all professional groups and levels within both RBFT and UoR. To apply, at least one Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator (CoI) from each organisation must be included in the application. Projects with match funding from external awards are welcome to apply.

Project applications are scored against this criteria:

What we will fund

The fund exclusively covers directly incurred expenses, such as employing fixed term staff members, consumables and small equipment, excluding directly allocated costs such as investigator time and overheads. Ongoing recurrent project costs are ineligible.

Applications are capped at £60k for up to 24 months, with an average project cost historically at £24.6k, spanning from £2.5k to £60k.

Application and important information

For the most current CIF funding call, please look out for communications via the News and Events pages.

A list of helpful documents, including the application form, can be found here.

Should your project require it, provide an appendix detailing publication strategies, data specifics, storage protocols, sharing plans, and open research goals. Highlight any ethical clearance needs, specifying IRAS or relevant review panels. You can refer to data management plan examples and the Concordat on Open Research.

How we will assess your application

Each of the three categories will have its own panel of experts drawn from both organisations and who have demonstrable expertise in the relevant area. Each panel will also include a patient leader. These panels will score each application under the seven criteria listed above. For more details on assessment please read the application form.

Feedback will be given to all unsuccessful applicants as soon as practical after the funding decision have been taken. For promising unfunded projects within scope, HIP members are happy to meet with unsuccessful applicants to improve future bids.

Post award

Co-applicants are required to sign the HIPs terms and conditions to funding, similar to large grant funders, which include good project management, communication and spending against the proposal. All successful proposals will be supported by the HIP Facilitator for project management.

Project Amendments: Any requests to change the start or end date of a project, or to change any objectives, milestones or methods used in the project must be the subject of a formal request that will be considered by the HIP Board.

Reporting: All funded projects will be required to complete a final report, and will also be contacted in subsequent years by the HIP facilitator to establish the legacy impact of the project.

Documents for amendments and reporting can be found, here.

Research Projects

We want to make your research journey as smooth as possible. For research projects, regulatory and accompanying local approvals are essential, and this will be coordinated through the HIP Facilitator.

HIP Facilitator involvement is required for all aspects of research governance, including preparations for REC/HRA applications, and they will guide you through the roadmap process. You should not submit an IRAS document without first sending documents to the HIP facilitator. To understand how collaborative research involving the NHS is done please click on the roadmap link.

‘Collaborative Research involving the NHS’ Roadmap

The ‘Collaborative Research involving the NHS’ Roadmap provides a detailed guide as to the process of initiating and conducting research involving the NHS between the University of Reading and Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

It outlines critical steps and also covers submission procedures for ethical approvals and obtaining capacity and capability confirmations. This comprehensive framework ensures that all regulatory and ethical standards are met, facilitating a smooth research journey from inception to completion.

The roadmap is designed to support researchers by providing clear instructions and may be updated from time to time, as new policies and guidance is released.

CIF Contact details

For any queries regarding eligibility or further support, please email the HIP in the first instance: HIP@reading.ac.uk

You can find and contact HIP board members (relevant to your query) here