Research Funders Policy Group

Issue:
Research
 • 
Health
 • 
Activities:
Aligning processes
 • 
Influencing policy or practice
 • 
Peer learning
 • 
Location:
UK-wide
Stage:
Existing collaboration

Aims and activities

Aims and questions

Aims and activities

The Research Funders Policy Group was established in 2019 and brings together senior representatives from the UK’s major science and health research funders to discuss funding policy development and implementation, share best practice, discuss emerging issues and, where possible, achieve alignment across funding policies in the UK.

The purpose of the Research Funders Policy Group is to:

  • support greater alignment of funding policies and implementation
  • reduce bureaucracy and duplication of effort
  • enable funder coordination and collaboration between funders
  • share best practice, expertise and lessons learned
  • pool resources
  • collectively respond to emerging issues (where appropriate) and/or share each organisation’s approach.

The Research Funders Policy Group is an informal group that does not have decision making powers on behalf of all its funder members. Any group recommendations will be handled within each funder’s organisations on an individual basis. Some topics are discussed within a subset of the group which feedback to the main Group.

How to get involved

The Research Funders Policy Group will invite UK science or health research funding organisations to join on a case-by-case basis and where there is alignment with our aims. All invitations will be reviewed and agreed by the Group.

Contact the current Group Secretariat at Cancer Research UK.

Who's involved

Who was involved

Who was involved

The Research Funders Policy Group is predominantly made up of science and health research funders in the UK. The current members are:

  • Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)
  • British Heart Foundation (BHF)
  • Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
  • Royal Academy of Engineering
  • Royal Society
  • UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
  • Wellcome

Learning and Resources

The Research Policy Funders Group has published a joint statement on the use of generative AI tools in funding applications and assessment (September 2023).

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