Grants
Programme Award
Grant amount:
Up to £1.5m
Grant deadline:
28 October 2026
Alzheimer’s Research UK Programme Award supports ambitious, integrated programmes of research that bring together diverse expertise across multiple workstreams to address a complex central theme in dementia research. It is designed for established research leaders to deliver sustained, long-term and potential renewable transformative impact in dementia research.
Overview
This scheme offers up to £1.5 million over a maximum of five years to support integrated programmes of work built around a central research theme. Programme Awards are expected to combine complementary approaches, disciplines, and expertise into a cohesive and collaborative team-science research effort.
Awards are structured in two stages: an initial Outline application, followed by invitation to submit a Full application. Successfully shortlisted Outline applications are invited to submit a Full application to a subsequent review meeting. Full applications include an interview stage, reflecting the scale and strategic importance of the Award.
We aim to fund programmes that:
- Tackle major challenges in dementia through ambitious, coordinated and multi-stranded research
- Integrate diverse expertise, methodologies, and technologies
- Deliver long-term impact with clear pathways to translation and patient benefit
- Build critical mass and leadership within the dementia research community
Duration: Up to 5 years
Deadlines
Outline applications open
July 2026
Outline application deadline
28 October 2026
Invitation to submit full application
Spring 2027
Lead Applicants must be based in a UK university, hospital or research institution. However, applications can include Co-applicants (i.e. Co-Investigators and Collaborators) from outside the UK. Co-Investigators and Collaborators from small and medium enterprises are also permitted.
The Lead Applicant is expected to have a contract (fixed term or tenure) which covers the proposed duration of the grant. Alzheimer's Research UK can support the salaries of Co-applicants that do not have tenure or fixed term contracts but not to Lead Applicants. If the Lead Applicant does not hold a tenure appointment, the application must include a Joint Lead Applicant that does.
In addition, Co-applicants can include:
- Joint Lead Applicant(s): Someone who will give equal intellectual input and time as the Lead Applicant to the project. Together with the Lead Applicant, any Joint Lead Applicants will be responsible for the success of the project. Any Joint Lead Applicant(s) and the Lead Applicant will be recognised with equal status
- Co-Investigator(s): Someone who will give substantial intellectual input and time to the project, for example by leading a specific aim or work package, and who is responsible alongside the Lead Applicant and any Joint Lead Applicant(s) for the success of the project
- Collaborator(s): Someone who is important for the completion of the project, for example by supplying specific expertise or special materials, but are not responsible for the success of the project
Administrative Support: One Administrative Support contact may be invited to your application to help provide your budget information.
Applications are considered twice a year and must be submitted through our grants management system, Flexigrant.
The Lead Applicant must assume responsibility for submitting the application on Flexigrant and your Host Institution, via your Administrative Support contact, must be ready to approve the submission before the deadline.
Please read our research guidelines and policies before applying.
Alzheimer’s Research UK Programme Award applications are assessed by the Alzheimer's Research UK Research Committee.
Programme Award applications involve a two-stage review process: Outline and Full. Outline applications are considered by the Research Committee twice a year and must be invited to submit a Full application for consideration at its next meeting. Applicants will receive feedback from the Committee at each stage.
Alzheimer’s Research UK is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities and complies with their guidelines for best practice in expert review.
Grants will be awarded on the basis of open competition with reviewers being asked to assess applications based on three key criteria:
- The excellence of the science, and the potential for impact in the field and people affected by dementia
- The skills and expertise of the applicants, and the suitability of the team and environment that surround them
- How well the proposal meets the scheme criteria, and whether the resources requested are justified
Outline applications are considered directly by the committee.
Full applications must be reviewed at the subsequent meeting of the committee. Full applications receive preliminary review comments.
In addition, Full applications are reviewed our Lived Experience Involvement group, based on three key criteria:
- Potential impact for people with or affect by dementia
- The quality of the Plain English Proposal, including Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Plans
- The quality of the Plain English Summary
During the Full application stage, applicants are invited to interview and will receive preliminary review comments from the committee ahead of meeting with the Committee. The Research Committee makes funding recommendation to Alzheimer’s Research UK based on our Scoring System. Alzheimer’s Research UK make all final funding decisions.
Please note that all Alzheimer’s Research UK funding decisions are final, and Alzheimer’s Research UK does not accept resubmissions, unless invited by the Committee.
Grants are awarded as per our general grant conditions that are updated time to time. In addition, additional conditions may be placed on a grant.
All grant holders are expected to report on the progress of their project on a regular basis. Read more about our reporting requirements on the measuring impact page.
All applications submitted to Alzheimer’s Research UK are subject to the policies found in our research guidelines and policies.
Please ensure you familiarise yourself with these policies and contact research@alzheimersresearchuk.org with any queries.