We will provide funding of up to £100,000 per project for a maximum period of one year.

The seed fund is also underpinned by:

• A lean application process
• Shared decision making via the BHP Executive and supplemental expertise when required
• Accelerated ethics/permissions process where possible.

Provision of mentorship and access to key skills and networks

Applications are welcomed from anyone working within BHP’s member organisations:

• The University of Birmingham
• Aston University
• Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
• University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
• West Midlands Academic Health Science Network

You do not need to be a clinician – colleagues from all healthcare professional backgrounds can apply.

Awards will be actively managed with an expectation that if successful, teams will seek external funding to amplify their work.

The application cycle is currently closed, however the application process is detailed below for future reference.

Interested individuals are invited to express their interest by email, briefly outlining what your innovation is, its current state of development/readiness, what collaborations and expertise you need to access to take it further and how you and any team that you need to assemble would make use of the seed fund if successful.

Sandpit

They will then be invited to a sandpit event to explore ideas and bring together individuals and organisations with complementary aims and expertise.

At the sandpit, run by experienced facilitators, we will explore attendees’ ideas in order to:

• Connect (get to know each other)
• Comprehend (map the territory)
• Create (generate ideas)
• Cultivate (form project teams)
• Contract (agree proposals to take forward)

Sandpit sessions will adhere to the principals of best practice in patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE).

Following the sandpit event, applicants will be asked to submit a formal application form which will be reviewed by a small panel of BHP Executive members.

Indicative timeline:

• Expressions of interest opens: June
• Sandpit event: Aug/Sep
• Formal application deadline: October
• Panel decision: November
• Applicants notified: November

PIs will need to ensure appropriate ethical approval is in place, and appropriate research governance is followed, including management of cross organisational processes and relevant collaboration agreements. Projects which require multi-organisational approvals may require a longer time frame for delivery.

The PI’s employing organisation will be the project sponsor.

PIs will draw on local R&D/R&KT support as required but may wish to ensure that the appropriate academic/professional services resource is in place as part of the bid.

PIs will be required to provide regular updates on progress, as agreed with the BHP Executive, taking into account project length and expected timelines for activity.

PIs will also be required to provide monthly finance spend to the BHP core team.

Appropriate reporting to BHP Board, including presentation of outcomes if required, will also be expected to a timeline agreed on award of funding.

Appropriate communications plans will be required to raise the profile and output of the work.