Funding opportunities
Childhood cancer research grant funding round 2026 to 2027 - Applications open
The Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust is offering a project grant of up to £100,000, over three years.
This grant is available for a clearly defined research project that addresses a key question in one of the following research priorities for children and young people:
- Patients with poor outcomes from diagnosis
- Research supporting trials or biomarker studies
Our project grants may support stand-alone projects, research that is part of a wider project or trial, or research that is likely to lead to a further, larger grant application to a major funder of research.
Our priorities
Patients with poor outcomes from diagnosis:
Cancers that present with a poor prognosis at diagnosis (less than 50% 5-year survival rate). This includes cases where diagnosis occurs at a later stage and cancer subtypes with poor prognosis from the outset, such as rhabdoid tumours.
Certain cancer types, such as rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma and bone tumours are well funded by other charities, so we are seeking proposals that target other underfunded cancer types with poor outcomes.
Research Supporting Trials or Biomarker Studies:
Projects that support clinical trials, including those focused on biological biomarkers as part of early or late-phase trials. This priority area encompasses studies on radiological biomarkers, quality of life studies, and liquid biopsies within clinical trials, and is open to all cancer subtypes.
We aim to fund research with clear potential for translatable outcomes that could significantly imporove treatment options and survival rates for children with cancer.
Eligibility and Key Facts
Funding is available to research organisations based in the UK and Ireland, including universities and hospitals.
Evaluation Criteria:
As an AMRC-registered charity, applications will be evaluated by external reviewers and our Research Advisory Panel based on:
- Scientific quality and impact
- Relevance to the Trust’s research priorities
- Scientific leadership
- Justification of resources
The Research Advisory Panel will rank the applications and make recommendations to the Trust’s Board of Trustees for final approval.
Key Information:
- The research must focus on:
- Patients with a poor prognosis from diagnosis.
- Research supporting clinical trials or biomarker studies.
- Funding of up to £100,000 is available for a project lasting up to three years.
- Please submit expression of interest form below and we will send you a copy of our grant application form.
- Decisions are expected in June, so proposed start dates should reflect this in the application. Late submissions will not be considered.
- Eligibility: Funding is available to research organisations basedin the UK and Ireland, including universities and hospitals.
- Application deadline: Friday 27th November 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Please submit this expression of interest form below to receive a copy of our grant application form.
Application Process
Please submit your expression of interest below and we will send you a copy of our grant application form. The application must be completed by 5:00PM on Friday 27th November 2026 and submitted to research@gkcct.org.
A hard copy of the signature page should be sent within seven working days of this deadline to: Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust, Research Grant Applications, Cowsden Hall, Cowsden Hall Farm, Cowsden, Upton Snodsbury, Worcestershire, WR7 4NZ. Digital copies of signatures will also be accepted.
Awarded grants will be subject to the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust terms and conditions.
Informal enquires can be made to Dr Jennifer Kelly, CEO of the Trust.
Please ensure you read the guidance for applicants and information on the links below before completing your application.
