We will stop cancer by starting new cures.

We look for new research ideas that are exciting and creative, with robust scientific quality and transformative impact. All of the projects we fund have to meet strict criteria, read more about our research strategy and funding criteria.

Our research strategy has five strategic aims that guide our decisions. These are: 

1. We will recognise and support daring and innovative science.
2. We will search for the answers to cancer that are desperately needed.
3. We will aim to invest at least £6 million in research each year.
4. We will fund research that kick-starts clinical trials.
5. We will help to increase cancer survival rates.

Research has already led to some huge breakthroughs, but there is still so much we do not know about cancer.

We are continuously expanding our global search for new ideas, encouraging scientists to ask big, visionary questions that will help to grow our knowledge.

To find the best ideas, we…

• Attend conferences to meet researchers and expand our network.
• Are reviewing our grant making process and removing barriers for people applying from less represented countries.
• Have released a newsletter to let researchers know when the grant round is open.
• Connect with incredible researchers through our network of partners and co-funders.

Every year, we invite researchers at all stages of their career to send us their most exciting and creative ideas. They outline what they hope to achieve, with detailed explanations and a breakdown of costs. 

Our Scientific Advisory Committee - formed by 24 of the world’s best cancer researchers - is key to our rigorous selection process. They review all of the ideas against strict criteria and check them against the aims set out in our research strategy.

Shortlisted ideas are then sent to independent external experts in the relevant field for ‘peer review’. This helps to remove any potential bias or conflict of interest.

At our annual Bold Ideas Gathering, we bring together the Scientific Advisory Committee to choose which projects to fund. Each shortlisted application is discussed in detail, considering comments from the peer review.

We fund research into any cancer and select those with the greatest potential impact. We also co-fund some projects with partner organisations, to make our donations from Curestarters go further.

Every piece of research we fund gives scientists more knowledge that can lead to new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, which means that while research happens worldwide, the findings impact lives locally.

We drive research impact and innovation in our research programme. Every £10 of research you support typically helps scientists secure over £40 of further investment, so that they can take their idea to the next stage. This is also known as ‘downstream’ funding.

Our Impact Report demonstrates the power of bold discovery research and the difference our funding has made to people and families affected by cancer.

With cancer rates increasing, and global discovery research funding decreasing, we need to push forward faster and fund more new projects every year.

To make research investments go further and increase our potential impact, we partner with other organisations to jointly fund projects.