Early Career Researcher (ECR) Grant and Fellowship Pitch Event
The NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC) Mission Capacity Development workstream is pleased to launch the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Grant & Fellowship Pitch Event. We are inviting mental health ECRs from across the UK to apply for the opportunity to present a grant or fellowship proposal to an experienced panel and receive constructive feedback to strengthen their application before submission.
Who will be on the panel? You will have the opportunity to present your proposal to an experienced panel of researchers with expertise in mental health research, funding applications, peer review, and research capacity development, including:
- Professor Jeremy Hall (University of Oxford), Professor of Translational Psychiatry and experienced grant holder and funding reviewer
- Dr Julie Bieles (University of Oxford), NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration Manager and Mental Health Mission Operational Lead
- Professor Shruti Garg (University of Manchester), translational child and adolescent mental health researcher and honorary consultant psychiatrist
- Dr Kimberley Kendall (Cardiff University), clinical academic psychiatrist with expertise in psychiatric genetics and translational research
- Dr Rachael Kelley (Leeds Beckett University), Reader in Dementia Research and former NIHR funding panel member
- Professor Lawrence Wilkinson (Cardiff University), Professor of Neuroscience
What happens if you are selected? Successful applicants will be invited to an online pitch session and allocated a 30-minute slot:
- Applications open: Monday, 17 August 2026
- Application deadline: Friday 2 October 2026, 5:00 pm
- Pitch event: Wednesday 21 October 2026, 2:00-4:00pm (online)
- The session is designed to provide practical, supportive advice to help applicants refine their proposal and maximise their chances of funding success. No pre-reading materials are required.
Important: This is a support and development opportunity This event is intended to provide guidance, feedback and mentorship to support researchers in developing stronger grant and fellowship applications. No funding will be awarded as part of the event, and participation does not form part of any funding assessment process. Where appropriate, panel members may signpost participants to relevant development opportunities, resources, collaborations, or small funding schemes that could help strengthen their application.
Key dates
- Up to 10 minutes to present their proposal
- Up to 20 minutes of feedback and discussion with the panel