The funding scheme, which we run jointly with the Health Research Board (HRB), is an activity we are particularly proud of. It offers the opportunity to medical research charities to support research of relevance to their members and to share the cost of that research with the HRB.

In addition to the obvious benefits of cost sharing, research funded through this scheme must be assessed according to best international standards, in keeping with the HRB's rigorous processes. This helps to ensure that charity-funded research is world class and has strong potential to lead to patient benefit.

This impact of this scheme in terms of influence on healthcare delivery and policy is particularly strong, relative to other research funding schemes. Read more about the Joint Funding Scheme and its impact here.