The NIHR Schools for Primary Care Research (SPCR), Public Health Research (SPHR), and Social Care Research (SSCR) – collectively known as the “Three Schools” – have forged a unique collaboration among leading academic centres in England. This collaboration is dedicated to three distinct programmes funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR): one on mental health hosted by SPCR, the second on dementia hosted by SSCR, and the third on prevention hosted by SPHR. This research call specifically pertains to the Prevention Research Programme.
The primary goal of each of the Three Schools is to enhance the evidence base for practice in their respective fields, ensuring that their research remains both timely and relevant. Within the Prevention Research Programme, we leverage expertise from across the Three Schools to conduct research targeting the upstream determinants of health and wellbeing (including physical, mental and social aspects). This refers to primary and secondary research across the spectrum of prevention-related practice, across different groups, settings and using a range of methodologies. Research could involve any aspect of prevention support or care in related health and social care services. This research aims to support communities, families, and individuals, not only in adopting healthier behaviours, but also in maintaining independence, safety, reducing loneliness and isolation, and reducing the impacts of disability, leading to improvements in public, patient, service user, and carer outcomes. Examples of these outcomes include:
- Enhanced access to and experience of health and social care services
- Improved physical and mental health, social well-being
- Improved quality of life
- Ability to work
- Decreased premature mortality
- Mitigation of health and well-being inequalities
The NIHR Three Schools Prevention Research Programme was granted £10m to implement a comprehensive prevention research programme and conduct capacity-building activities from 2023 to 2027. The programme’s overarching objectives are to develop, evaluate, and understand how to implement interventions that promote health, independence and well-being, treat conditions early, and manage health problems to prevent severe diseases.
As part of the programme’s commitment to developing research capacity in prevention research, we are seeking applications for individual Prevention Career Development Awards from individuals who are committed to developing an evidence base and improving prevention research in England.
Who is a Career Development Award for?
We are seeking high-quality applications from individuals committed to developing the evidence base to improve prevention-related practice in England. This opportunity is open to:
- Individuals already working in prevention research, education, or practice at any career stage
- Public health, primary care, or social care professionals with limited research experience who want to develop their skills in prevention research
- Individuals (pre-docs through to post-docs) already in research careers who wish to strengthen or expand their expertise in prevention
We encourage you to apply if:
- You are a member of, or affiliated with, one of the NIHR Three Research Schools and work in prevention research or practice at any career stage
- You have expertise in a related field and want to transition into prevention research
- You work in prevention but have limited research experience and wish to build your research skills
- You are already involved in prevention research and want to further develop your research capacity
We support a variety of career pathways, including developing existing prevention researchers, facilitating movement between practice and academic settings, and encouraging cross-disciplinary work. Applicants should describe and justify the pathway most relevant to their goals.
What a Career Development Award offers you
We are committed to equipping researchers and practitioners with the skills and experience to build a strong, sustainable career in prevention research. A Three Schools Career Development Award is a unique opportunity to support valuable career development activities to assist you to move to the next stage of your career in prevention research.
Each award is supported by the programme’s dedicated research Capacity Building Team, including mentoring, group training and events, and links with a peer support network of Career Development Awardees and alumni across the Three Schools. If successful, you may also become a member of NIHR Academy.
These awards focus on individual career development and are not suitable for substantial research projects.
What we are looking for
We want to support applications that show a clear commitment to establishing or consolidating a long-term career in prevention research or as a practitioner-researcher. We expect that successful applicants will have clearly outlined:
- Their career development objectives
- The training and activities they plan to complete during their award
- The anticipated award outcomes
- How this funding will help them take the next step in their career
Applicants should also demonstrate fit with the remit of the prevention programme and show evidence of engaging with our research priorities.
Scope
‘Training’ can and should be interpreted creatively; applications should consist of a personalised training and development plan which may cover (but is not limited to) some of the following activities:
- A development fund for early career researchers (ECR’s) for pump priming of ECR-led collaborative research e.g. pilot data collection, preparing data access agreements, involvement/engagement, stakeholder consultation, focused evidence synthesis, small-scale qualitative research
- An opportunity for ECR’s to gain experience in developing and leading their own small-scale research project, which is linked to a training objective
- Building networks within prevention research and with other stakeholders
- Dedicated time for development activities (for both the project and the person) to build and support a future NIHR research proposal or fellowship application to a funder of prevention research
- Undertaking formal training relevant to prevention research
- Enhancing research skills to support evidence-informed practice
- Transitioning from a relevant professional career to develop research skills and experience in prevention-related practice over the longer term
- Adapting expertise in areas outside prevention with a view to their future application in prevention research. For example, this may be to explore applying existing methodological expertise in prevention research
- Spending time in different settings, such as academics spending time in policy or practice and or practitioners spending time in academic settings, although this should not be the sole purpose of the CDA
It is also important to note that these awards are not suitable for:
- Funding substantive research projects with no clear career development remit. If funding for a small project is requested it needs to be clear why this is essential for career development, and that this can be demonstrated
- Buying-out time solely to write grant applications
- Funding activity that you would be expected to carry out in your day job.
- Funding or topping-up PhD fees or stipends or MSc course fees, although module costs will be considered
- Funding activities with a substantive focus on other UK countries. Elements of comparative work and career development with other UK countries may be considered, but the focus of the Three Schools Prevention Programme is on England
Expectations
Successful award holders will be required to:
- Complete a detailed training and development plan within three months of the award start date
- Engage with the programmes cohort of award holders
- Contribute to the programme research activities (i.e. website profile, writing a blog, speaking at an event, mentoring)
- Attend the annual programme showcase meeting and present, at minimum, a poster of their work
- Attend the most appropriate of the Three Schools annual trainee meetings, which brings together current and past career development award holders, School-funded PhD students and Research Trainees
Awards will be monitored six monthly at minimum but monitoring will be adapted to award aims and length.
Award duration
Career Development Awards are expected to start from 1st January 2026 and to last between 12-15 months, the must be complete by 31st March 2027. The duration of the award should reflect the nature of the development plan and be fully justified. There is some flexibility with start date and duration.
Funding available
The Programme expects to commission a range of applications, the total budget for a project is not expected to exceed £35,000. Staff and non-staff costs will be funded at 100%, with an overhead rate of 30% applied to staff costs. Costs for the applicant’s salary, training (formal or short) courses and events, direct costs associated with network building or small-scale project work with clear links to training and development objectives are eligible.
The costs for attending both the programme showcase and School meetings should be included in the costings of your proposal.
The Programme does not fund supervision costs. The Programme will also not fund international travel or international conference attendance, except in very exceptional circumstances and accompanied by a sufficiently robust rationale.
All applications will be expected to demonstrate value for money, be fully justified and the requested value of the award should be proportional to the planned activity. On review of applications, the Review Panel may query or reject costs that are insufficiently justified. Applications should therefore include a thorough, realistic and accurate costing of proposed activities.
Please cost your application using the costing template provided. A full justification of resources is required as part of the application.
Eligibility criteria
It is essential that the applicant is linked to one of the Three Schools member institutions and that their work plans to span across more than one of the Three Schools research areas (Public Health, Primary Care, Social Care). Applications will need to:
- Make a strong case to the NIHR Three Schools Prevention Research Programme for the proposed plan for their career development, with a clear commitment to establishing or consolidating a long-term career in prevention-related research, including the organisational support they will receive, any training they will undertake as part of their work plan, and how this package will help them take the next steps in their research career or develop their research capacity.
- Fit with the remit of the NIHR Three Schools Prevention Research Programme and show evidence of engaging with our priorities, as set out in our programme of work. Elements of comparative work and career development with other UK countries may be considered, but the focus of the research capacity development is on England.
Contract of employment
All applicants must have a contract of employment with a Three Schools member institution which is able to act as host for the award for the duration of the award.
Pre- doctoral applications are welcome. PhD students are eligible to apply if they have submitted their thesis and have an employment contract with the host organisation for the duration of the CDA.
Strong academic support
Applicants are required to name a supervisor and or mentor who will support them during their award.
It is expected that this individual will have a strong and reputable academic background in prevention research; a supporter may or may not have existing links with the programme, however we encourage all applicants to explore future relationships within the Three School membership within their award if they do not have current links. Applications without named academic support will not be progressed to panel.
Existing CDA funding
Applicants who have previously received CDA funding will need to include sufficient rationale for a further award. A strong justification for accessing programme resources is required and will be factored into decision making during the review of applications.
How to apply
Please send your completed application form along with CV, Gantt chart and costing template to sphr.prevention@ncl.ac.uk before the deadline 5pm, Tuesday 30th September 2025.
Please note the application must be endorsed and signed by the applicant, supervisor/line manager and the Three Schools member training lead.
We expect to receive more applications than we can fund. Following the cross-School review panel, unsuccessful applicants will receive constructive feedback on their proposals within four weeks of the decision, and, where appropriate, information on other sources of funding may be provided.
Selection criteria
Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:
A strong applicant research and/or practice profile, with clear proposed alignment to the remit of the NIHR Three Schools Prevention Research Programme. The application should demonstrate:
- Evidence of a strong professional or academic career in prevention or a related field
- Good understanding of the mission of the Three Schools Prevention Research Programme
- Strong consideration of EDI and public and practice involvement in the context of their award
A well-rounded case for personal and professional development. This should encompass:
- A strong case for personal development through the award
- A proposal clearly in line with the applicant’s current career stage
- A clear training/development plan that is integral to the award
- A clear endpoint and objectives for the research career development award
- A longer-term commitment to a research career in prevention research
Strong support and commitment to the applicant’s career development, from both the host organisation and named career development supporter. This should include:
- An academic career supporter who is well-situated in the field of prevention research and demonstrates commitment to helping the applicant expand their skills and network further
- A tangible package of support that is well-thought out and linked to the applicant’s award plans
Value for money. This should include:
- Accurate and well-thought-out costs
- A proportionate award value that is clearly linked to the plan of activity and duration of award
Timeline and commissioning process
- Stage 1 – Work collaboratively with your supervisors/mentors in SPCR, SSCR, SPHR, practice and public partners to develop and complete the application form
- Stage 2 – Completed proposal applications are reviewed, ranked and prioritised by the Three Schools prevention research review panel
A small number of projects will be selected and the successful applicants will be informed. Unsuccessful applicants will receive feedback
- Stage 3 – Award letters will be issued and contract arrangements begin, with successful prevention Career Development Awards to start 1st January 2026
2025 Timeline
- June 2025: Call launches
- 5pm, 30th September 2025: Deadline for applications
- October 2025: National-level peer (academic, practice, public) review of applications. Expert panel to rank and prioritise for funding
- October/November 2025: Outcomes communicated to applicants and feedback to those unsuccessful
- November 2025: Contracting with host institutions; Research agreements will be between the NIHR School for Public Health Research on behalf of the Three Schools and the host organisation. NIHR SPHR terms and conditions will apply
- 1st January 2026: Successful prevention Career Development Awards begin
Visit funding web page
(https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/research/prevention-programme/career-development-awards-round-3/)
