Diabetes UK Project Grant
Diabetes UK Project Grants fund high-quality, hypothesis-driven diabetes research. Awards are up to £500,000 over up to five years; £500,000 is the maximum, and most applications request less. The lead must be a tenured (or equivalently salaried) researcher at a UK academic institute or NHS Trust. Businesses cannot lead but can join as partners or collaborators; international co-investigators are allowed, with funds paid to the UK host. Applications opened on 31 July 2026 and close on 1 December 2026 (time of day not stated). The funding decision is due in May 2027. This round includes a high…
- Funding
- £250k-£1m
- Up to £500,000 per project over up to five years. £500,000 is the maximum available award, not the expected size; Diabetes UK anticipates that most applications will request less and/or a shorter duration. Applicants applying for £500,000 or more must contact Diabetes UK in the first instance and should already hold substantial funding from Diabetes UK or another funding body.
- Closes
- 1 December 2026
- Applicants
- Collaborative
- The principal investigator must be a researcher at an established UK academic institute or NHS Trust, normally holding a tenured post or an equivalent salary covering the grant's lifetime.
What this competition funds
- High-quality, hypothesis-driven diabetes research, with awards of up to £500,000 per project over up to five years.
- Research staff salaries, including technicians, research assistants and postdoctoral researchers, plus consumables directly attributable to the project.
- Essential equipment and justified clinical or secretarial assistance.
- A proportionate Patient and Public Involvement Co-ordinator salary.
- 100% of eligible directly incurred costs, rather than full economic costs, excluding overheads and indirect costs.
Who can apply?
- Lead applicant
- The principal investigator must be a researcher at an established UK academic institute or NHS Trust, normally holding a tenured post or an equivalent salary covering the grant's lifetime.
- Partners and collaborators
- Applications can be single or collaborative. Businesses cannot lead but can participate as partners or collaborators. International co-investigators are allowed, with all funds paid to the UK host institute.
- Worth checking
- One application per principal investigator per round. PhD students are not eligible to work on a project grant. Confirm any uncertainty about salary eligibility in the official brief.
What assessors look for
01
Research need and challenge
Define the diabetes research question and explain why it needs answering. Build the proposal around a clear, testable hypothesis rather than a broad research ambition.
02
Innovation and scientific quality
Explain what the study could add to existing understanding and how the methods will test the hypothesis. Confirm the formal assessment criteria in the official brief.
03
Impact and value for money
Explain the potential contribution to diabetes research and justify each directly incurred cost. Treat £500,000 as a ceiling, not a target, since most applications are expected to request less and/or a shorter duration.
04
Delivery and team
Show how the research staff, facilities and any collaborators support delivery within the requested duration. Make responsibilities clear, particularly where businesses or international co-investigators are involved.
Where applications usually lose marks
- A broad diabetes research proposal without a clear hypothesis or methods that directly test it.
- A budget that includes overheads, indirect costs, PhD student involvement or investigator salaries without addressing the stated salary exception and required institutional letter.
- Requesting the maximum award without a proportionate justification or without first contacting Diabetes UK as required.
How GrantUp can help
Our specialist bid writers build the scoring case, budget and narrative with you, with an over 82% success rate per engagement and over £190m secured for clients. Grant funding engagements have a minimum upfront setup fee starting from £1,750, plus a success fee payable on award. The scope and success fee are agreed before work starts. We do not take equity.
This competition is also covered by GrantPartner. GrantPartner is a paid six month grant programme with the cost spread in monthly payments, a rolling portfolio of bids and a success fee on award. If no funding is awarded during the programme, we extend it.
Discuss this grantFrequently asked questions
How much funding can a project receive?
Awards cover up to £500,000 over up to five years, funding 100% of eligible directly incurred costs only. Most applications are expected to request less and/or a shorter duration. Applicants seeking £500,000 or more must contact Diabetes UK first and should already hold substantial funding from Diabetes UK or another funding body.
Who is eligible to lead an application?
The lead must be a researcher at an established UK academic institute or NHS Trust, normally with tenure or an equivalent salary covering the grant's lifetime. Only one application per principal investigator per round is allowed. Where a PI or co-applicant's salary depends on grant funding, an institutional letter is required.
Can businesses or international researchers collaborate?
Yes. Businesses can participate as partners or collaborators but cannot lead an application. International co-investigators are also allowed, although all funding is paid to the UK host institute. Single-applicant projects are permitted too. Confirm any collaborator-specific cost or documentation requirements in the official brief.
How do I apply?
This is a single-stage project grant. Prepare a hypothesis-driven diabetes research proposal and a justified budget limited to eligible directly incurred costs. Confirm the submission route, required documents and formal assessment criteria in the official brief. Contact Diabetes UK first if applying for £500,000 or more.
Programme at a glance
- Funding
- £250k-£1m
- Funder
- UK government
- Region
- UK-wide
- Partners required
- Yes
- Next deadline
- 1 December 2026
Why GrantUp
- Over 82% success rate per engagement
- Over £190m secured for clients
- Specialist technical bid writers
Considering Diabetes UK Project Grant?
Talk through your project with a specialist and find out whether this is the right competition before you invest time in an application.