Research Grants

The following timeline and process applies for applications.

Applications will be invited via the BESS website to an annually updated application form and guidance. A notice will be placed on our website and members will be informed by email once funding has been confirmed by the Treasurer and BESS Council.

Applications are made using the below application form for research grants up to £15,000. Please do not apply for grants above this figure as the Research Committee will not be able to advise Council that the total project funding will be achievable and thus the application will be rejected.

The purpose of these grants is to encourage clinical research into shoulder and elbow disorders. Proposals should be for projects that are intended to be on the NIHR portfolio, as this pump priming grant would then allow the grant holder to access research network support to supplement this funding for completion of their project.

Applications will be scored by members of the research committee and a member of our public and patient involvement (PPI) group with the focus on importance, scientific methodology and justification of the funding request. (See Scoring below for details on the important content that your application will be judged against).

Final application deadline is 5pm, Thursday, 7 May 2026.

Successful applications will be announced at the BESS Annual Scientific Meeting and funds will be expected to have been claimed within a 12-month period following the award of the grant.

The Chair of the Research Committee is happy to be contacted for advice regarding the application process but cannot advise on content of your application. Please email research@bess.ac.uk with any queries or questions.

Research grant applications will be judged and scored with particular emphasis on the following topics:

Importance

How important is this research to BESS members’ patients?

Is there an acceptable scientific rationale and justification of importance?

Will this study lead to improvements in-patient care (including pilot studies for larger clinical trials)?

Science

Design/Method/Power calculation

Outcome measures and data collection

Analysis plan

Realistic recruitment targets

Realistic study timeline

Ethics

Patient and public involvement (PPI)

Infrastructure in place for study success

Justification of resources

Has the applicant justified how the grant will be spent?

Would awarding this grant be value for money?

Would awarding this grant provide an opportunity for further funding or research activity?

Notes

Scoring will be performed by all members of the Research Committee and a member of the Public Patient Involvement (PPI) group. An up-to-date list of the Committee membership can be found on our webpage bess.ac.uk/research-committee. Members of the committee are required to declare any interest in applications they are involved in. If an interest is declared an alternative scorer will be enlisted.