BRACE is one of the very few of charities dedicated solely to funding research into the different forms of dementia. We also seek to raise public awareness of the disease and encourage a dialogue between different disciplines and experiences of dementia in order to deepen understanding.  

We support medical and scientific research in four main areas:

  • How the brain works, in order to understand more clearly what has gone wrong in someone with dementia.
  • Development of effective and accurate means of diagnosing the condition as early as possible
  • Finding new treatments and assessing their effectiveness in clinical trials
  • Investigating the potential link between certain genes in our DNA (the information we carry in each cell in our body) and the chances of developing dementia.

BRACE is committed to funding high quality research projects that ultimately contribute to the knowledge of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. These projects may be in any discipline but must have as the basis of the project, an intention to generate results that will bring further understanding of the risk factors/causes, effective diagnosis or treatment of dementia. All researchers must have the intention of publishing the results of their studies.

BRACE will consider applications for PhD studentships, pilot projects and equipment.

PhD studentship grants will be the cost of tuition fees, MRC-recommended stipend and a fixed sum for consumables and other overheads. This is typically around £90,000 at current prices.

We would expect pilot projects normally to last 12-18 months and cost no more than £70,000, but applicants with pilot proposals that exceed these guidelines are welcome to contact us for advice.

Applications will be considered from researchers in South West England or South Wales. Applications from outside this region will not be considered. Our geographical restriction is a sensible policy for a charity of this size, and it has enabled us to help develop a strong research network in this part of the UK.

Applicants must be based within appropriate academic/research institutions, preferably one where there is clear evidence of existing studies in dementia. No application will be considered without a letter from the institution to confirm that facilities will be made available for the proposed research project, for the duration of the grant and that the financial elements of the application have been checked.

Any project requiring ethical approval will only be awarded once such approval has been granted.

You can read about our current research projects here.

A good overview of BRACE's support for research is available in our science leaflet, which is also available in hard copy from our office.

Grant Applications

Applicants are asked to contact the Chief Executive before submitting a full application, to check the eligibility of their research and the availability of funds.

Applications are subject to peer review and we ask that they are submitted three months before a meeting to allow time for this process. However, we are dependent on the availability and goodwill of selected reviewers and cannot give a guaranteed time for completion.

Decisions will be taken by the Trustees at their quarterly meetings as shown in the table below. Applications relating to BRACE's historic commitment to core funding within the University of Bristol may be considered at any meeting but the submission deadlines are the same.

MEETING

TYPES OF APPLICATIONS

SUBMIT NOT LATER THAN

2nd Thursday in February

Pilot grants of 18 months or less/equipment

15 November

2nd Thursday in May

PhD studentships/pilot grants of 18 months or less/equipment

15 February

2nd Thursday in August

Pilot grants of 18 months or less/equipment

15 May

2nd Thursday in November

PhD studentships/pilot grants of 18 months or less/equipment

15 August

General guidelines for applicants

Download document

PhD applications

To make an application for PhD studentship, please download the documents below and return to the Chief Executive at the BRACE Charity Office.

PhD application form

PhD research proposal form

PhD budget form

PhD application checklist

Pilot grant applications

To apply for a pilot grant, please download the documents below and return to the Chief Executive at the BRACE Charity Office.

Pilot application form

Pilot proposal form

Pilot application CV

Pilot budget form

Pilot application checklist

Equipment Applications

To make an application for equipment, please download the documents below and return to the Chief Executive at the BRACE Charity Office.

Equipment application form

Equipment proposal form

Equipment budget form

Equipment application checklist