MSD Improving Equitable Access to Healthcare – Pump Priming Scheme

Notify of intention to apply by: 31 January 2025

Funder Deadline: 26 February 2025

The Improving Equitable Access to Healthcare Pump Priming Scheme is open to researchers from all Oxford Divisions, offering pump-priming grants to build interdisciplinary collaborations in the area of increasing global equitable access to healthcare.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants will have a contract of employment with the University of Oxford or a College to conduct research, and will normally hold a post that includes responsibility for developing their own research agenda. Early Career Researchers and Senior Post-Doctoral Researchers who are not yet independent (e.g. are employed on another PI’s grant) are eligible, provided that the applicant has the support of their line manager and meets the other eligibility criteria. 

Any research project that aims to increase global equitable access to healthcare will be considered. Applicants must describe how their project will improve access to healthcare in one or more countries on the current DAC List of ODA Recipients (Least Developed Countries, Low Income Countries or Lower Middle Income Countries and Territories).

Projects must be interdisciplinary and involve researchers or groups from more than one field of research in the project team. Development of interdisciplinary collaborations within the University of Oxford is encouraged, but applicants can include collaborators from outside the University in their application.

Duration and Value

The Scheme will normally make awards of £10,000 – £50,000, but exceptional applications for up to £100,000 will be considered.

Any direct costs of research are eligible for funding, except PI/Co-I time which is not an eligible cost for this fund. It is not essential to offer match funding but proposals that can leverage funding from other sources will be received favourably.

All projects must start by 01 June 2025 and must be completed by 30 November 2026. Extensions beyond this date will not be granted.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the university IRAMS - Internal Research Award Management System. You need to use your SSO to log into the system and to start an application. The application deadline is Wednesday 26 February 2025, 12 noon. Outcomes will be announced by the end of April 2025.