Funding and opportunities

The latest in funding, opportunities and resources relating to research and evidence-based practice in the speech and language therapy profession.

Last updated: May 2025

Introduction

This page includes the latest in funding, opportunities and resources relating to research and evidence-based practice in the speech and language therapy profession.  

The opportunities listed here will usually be updated bi-monthly, but relevant closing dates and deadlines are included where relevant.  

For feedback on the content of this page, or if you would like to include something on this webpage in the next update please contact elaine.ashton@rcslt.org. 

We also send out a bi-monthly research newsletter with the latest news and updates relevant to research and evidence-based practice. You can sign up by emailing elaine.ashton@rcslt.org. 

Resources

A recording of a recent NIHR Webinar is available which showcases the ‘CLIP-Q’ approach to conducting collaborative and responsive qualitative research. Find out more and watch the webinar.

The recently revamped CAHPR website has a whole repository of research resources helpfully divided into various sections. Check out the ‘Videos and Podcasts’ section to find a host of resources made by carious CAHPR hubs and beyond.

 

Inclusive research opportunities and resources

The RCSLT has recently published a new report ‘SLTs on the tight rope: Learning from the experiences of disabled SLTs in the workplace’ which explores the experiences of disabled SLTs and what we can do to promote disability inclusion in the profession.

The RCSLT has also published its new Equity, Diversity and Belonging vision. This includes clear aspirations to “develop the tools, training, and guidance needed to build a workforce and evidence base that not only acknowledges diversity but actively works to dismantle barriers, creating equitable outcomes for both professionals and service users”. Read more and find the full vision online.

Read Dr Roganie Govender’s ‘SLT voices’ piece reflecting on ‘The long road to consultant practice’ where she discusses, among many things, the tensions she experienced in applying learning and research knowledge from a Euro-centric course to the South African context where she was practising and researching in.

Race Equity & Diversity in Careers (REDIC) is an NIHR-funded Incubator to support dedicated to improving race equity and diversity in UK healthcare academia. Find their social channels on their linktree.

The REDIC Incubator are hosting an event on 12 May 2025 entitled: ‘Promoting:  Cultivating Academic Research and Empowerment (C.A.R.E): A workshop for racially minoritised health and care professionals’. The workshop will take place in Manchester. Find out more.

The NIHR have recently published an update on the Research Inclusion Strategy outlining the activities and milestones reached so far.

The Centre for Ethnic Health Research have published a toolkit for Increasing participation of Black Asian and Minority Ethnic groups in health and social care research.

Trial Forge, an initiative aimed at improving clinical trials, have published the INCLUDE Ethnicity Framework. The framework aims to help trial teams think specifically about which ethnic groups should be included in their trial for its results to be widely applicable, and what challenges there may be to making this possible.

Researchers in NIHR ARCs who are completing an Equality Impact Assessment may benefit from attending a free NIHR workshop offering supporting. Workshops are on various dates.

Readers may be interested in a new NIHR blog on ‘Including Diverse Groups in Clinical Trials – the Right Policy for the Wrong Reason’.

Project / programme grants and funding

National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)

All funding opportunities from NIHR can be found online.

Medical Research Council (MRC)

All funding opportunities from MRC can be found online.

Upcoming opportunities:

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

All funding opportunities from ESRC can be found online

Wellcome  

All funding opportunities from Wellcome can be found online.

Leverhulme Trust 

All funding opportunities from Leverhulme Trust can be found online.

Nuffield Foundation 

All funding opportunities from Nuffield Foundation can be found online.

Fellowships and clinical academic opportunities

National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Fellowships

Wellcome Trust

Parkinson’s UK

PhDs

We now share only funded project-based PhD opportunities, sourced from findaphd.com 

Note, that there may be opportunities to apply for funding with institutions to pursue other PhD topics and we encourage you to contact relevant universities and browse Find a PhD to explore this. 

Latest opportunities: