# James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships Rolling Funding Opportunity

**Funder:** NIHR
**Application:** Outline application → Full application
**Frequency:** Continuous
**Eligible countries:** GB
**Official call:** https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/nihr-james-lind-alliance-priority-setting-partnerships-rolling-funding-opportunity/2026422
**Last updated:** 23 Aug 2026

## Eligibility & scope

HTA Programme rolling call for research addressing priorities identified through James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships. Applicants must be UK-based and address NHS or social care populations using PICO framework. Research must demonstrate the intervention is ready for HTA evaluation via evidence synthesis.

## Summary

The James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships Rolling Funding Opportunity through NIHR's EME Programme funds clinical and mechanistic studies directly aligned to patient-defined research priorities. The call is open to UK-based researchers pursuing hypothesis-driven projects with proof of concept in humans and mandatory patient and public involvement from the outset. Clinical trials must meet UK Medicines for Human Use regulations, with support from UKCRC Clinical Trials Units recommended.

## Who should apply

- UK-based clinical and academic researchers with proof-of-concept data in human participants
- Teams including patient and public partners from application design stage onwards
- Researchers working on topics identified in JLA Priority Setting Partnership consultations
- Trialists prepared to engage UKCRC Clinical Trials Units or equivalent governance infrastructure

## Key dates

- Rolling deadline, applications accepted continuously
- Two-stage process: outline application followed by full application
- UK-only eligible sites

## Tips for applicants

- Align your research question explicitly to a published JLA Priority Setting Partnership topic; misalignment is a major rejection driver.
- Patient and public co-applicants or co-investigators strengthen the application; NIHR reviewers verify involvement at outline stage.
- For clinical trials, confirm CTU support or governance route early, absence of a named trials unit weakens competitive position.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership funding for?

It funds clinical and mechanistic research studies directly addressing research questions prioritised by patients and the public through JLA Priority Setting Partnership consultations. Projects must include proof of concept in humans and be hypothesis-driven.

### Do I need patient involvement to apply for NIHR EME?

Yes, patient and public involvement is mandatory from the outset, it must be embedded in the research design, not added later.

### Can I apply if my institution is outside the UK?

No, the James Lind Alliance EME Programme is a domestic UK funding opportunity; all applicants and host institutions must be UK-based.

### What is the application process for NIHR EME funding?

Applications follow a two-stage process: you first submit an outline application, and if successful, you then develop and submit a full application.

### Do clinical trials need ethics and regulatory approval?

Yes, clinical trials must comply with the UK Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004, and involvement of a UKCRC Clinical Trials Unit is recommended to manage governance.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/nihr-james-lind-alliance-priority-setting-partnerships--2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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