MRC Partnership Grant: Applicant-Led

MRC Partnership Grant

Supports collaborative United Kingdom biomedical infrastructure through grants for shared capacity, data, and developmental activities.

The MRC Partnership Grant (Applicant-Led) is a continuously open scheme that funds novel collaborative activities between diverse groups of researchers, with no fixed application deadline. Unlike MRC's research grant schemes, the Partnership Grant is explicitly not designed to primarily fund research; its purpose is to establish collaborative capabilities, platforms, and capacity. Eligible activities include networking and multidisciplinary partnership formation, shared infrastructure and specialist platforms (data, software), training and capacity building, and small-scale pump-priming projects that demonstrate new partnership capabilities. Research-focused applications, networking-only proposals without defined related activities, and inward-looking initiatives are out of scope. UKRI funds 80% of full economic costs with 100% for permitted exceptions; there is no stated award cap and projects may run for up to five years. Shortlisting is expected to occur twice yearly, with first interviews anticipated November to December 2026.

Eligibility is restricted to researchers employed by eligible UK research organisations. Businesses, charities, and third-sector organisations may participate as project partners but cannot lead unless they hold UKRI-approved Independent Research Organisation (IRO) status. International project leads are ineligible with limited MRC unit exceptions. Applications submitted via the UKRI Funding Service must include a summary (550 words), vision (550 words), approach (3,300 words), a data management plan (up to 1,500 words), team capability statement (2,000 words), and resource justification (1,000 words), plus partner letters of support and any required ethics or clinical documentation.

The scheme is best suited to multi-institutional teams seeking to formalise a collaboration, build a shared resource, or develop training capacity that will underpin future research rather than directly generate new scientific findings. The requirement for partner letters of support and the breadth of application documents means that preparation time is substantial; applicants should engage potential partners and their institutions well ahead of submission.