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JDRF has now rebranded to Breakthrough T1D.
Our name has changed, our mission has not.

How to apply for a Breakthrough T1D grant

All Breakthrough T1D grants are reviewed and awarded through our centralised Grant Centre in the US, except for our UK-specific research funding opportunities and those we fund in partnership with other organisations.
Content last reviewed and updated: 27.11.2024

A male researcher studies islets on a computer screen

All Breakthrough T1D grants are reviewed and awarded through our centralised Grant Centre in the US, except for our UK-specific research funding opportunities and those we fund in partnership with other organisations.

How do I use the Breakthrough T1D grant application system?

We use the research management system, RMS360, to receive, process and track applications for Breakthrough T1D funding. You can apply for a grant by registering for an RMS360 account. You will then find the ‘Apply Now’ button under the ‘Funding Opportunities’ section of RMS360 homepage.

How can I get help with my application?

First, take a look at our Breakthrough T1D Operations External FAQs Pre-award and Post-award which contains screenshots to help you resolve your issues.

If you have questions about our grants or administration process, please contact Breakthrough T1D’s Scientific and Grant Administration staff in charge of the Request for Application (funding call). If you are still experiencing difficulties, please email preawardsupport@breakthrought1d.org.

Charity support funding for universities

As a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), Breakthrough T1D is eligible for the Charity Research Support Fund (CRSF). The CRSF is a pot of government funding given to universities to cover the indirect costs of research, such as the administration overheads, library costs, and shared IT.

The CRSF supports our investment in university research across England, and equivalent schemes exist in each of the devolved nations. The Scottish Funding Council provides charity support via its Research Excellence Grant for universities in Scotland. The Welsh Commission for Tertiary Education and Research supports research through its research funding check the research funding method at the bottom of this page. The Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland administers funding for university research through its Dual Support System taking place in universities there.

If you want to know more about the scheme, the AMRC has some helpful FAQs about the CSRF.

How do we choose the research we fund?

We only fund research that is directly relevant to our research strategy to improve lives and cure type 1 diabetes. Find out more about Breakthrough T1D’s research strategy to ensure that your application fits our mission and current priorities.

We always consider the quality and relevance of the proposed research to people with type 1 when making our funding decisions. We encourage researchers to submit innovative, high-risk/high-reward, field-changing research proposals to accelerate our mission.

How do we review research proposals?

Application review process: Admin check: Ensure proposal is complete and fits our needs and strategy. Stage 1: Review by a team of specialist scientists. Stage 2: Review by the research department. Stage 3: Decision by president or board of directors.

First, our scientific and administrative staff carry out an admin check. They ensure the application is complete, meets Breakthrough T1D requirements, and aligns with our overall strategy. Upon request, we can provide feedback at this stage on whether your application has progressed.

What happens in stage 1 of the review?

Next, the proposal moves to stage 1 of the review process where the Core Program Team (CPT), made of scientists focused on the project’s research area, reviews the application. The CPTs call on external reviewers – meaning they are independent of Breakthrough T1D – to advise them on most applications. The external reviewers and CPTs assess the research proposal based on its scientific validity, technical feasibility, innovation and timescale. They also consider the significance of the research funding application. This includes the project’s potential impact on type 1 diabetes treatments, how it is relevant to people with type 1, and whether it addresses a critical gap in our understanding of the condition.

What happens in stage 2 of the review?

Stage 2 of the review process involves the Cure/Improving Lives senior management team assessing the research proposal. This team comprises Breakthrough T1D’s entire research department, who prioritise projects that can be developed into real therapies fastest. The team also considers how relevant the research is to our overall goals, specific research priorities and our existing project portfolio.

What happens in stage 3 of the review?

If the application reaches stage 3, we make a final decision on whether we will fund it. For projects with smaller budgets, this decision rests with the Breakthrough T1D UK Chief Scientific Officer Dr Sanjoy Dutta. For all other projects, the executive research committee of Breakthrough T1D’s International Board of Directors, who are mostly lay people, make the decision.

Is our research application review process fair?

Breakthrough T1D makes every effort to ensure that its decisions are fair, impartial, and transparent. JDRF wishes to ensure that its assessment processes are as objective as possible and free from conflicts of interest (actual or potential) or the appearance of a conflict. As such, every assessment panel member agrees to abide by Breakthrough T1D Conflict of Interest Policy.

Breakthrough T1D has passed the AMRC Peer Review Audit 2020, a hallmark of quality research funding.

How are our other research grants assessed?

Grants funded by Breakthrough T1D in the UK directly follow a different assessment process. Read more about the Breakthrough T1D UK Small Grant Awards.

For the approval of the grants we offer in partnership with other organisations, we work with the partners throughout the process. The final decision is agreed through Breakthrough T1D UK’s governance processes.

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