£100,000 funding call opens for women’s and cardiovascular health projects

A £100,000 funding call has opened for women’s and cardiovascular health projects across Wessex, with £50,000 available for each area.

The scheme will support research, patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE), workshops and other initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes in local communities.

Most awards are expected to be below £5,000, although applications for up to £20,000 will be considered where a strong case is made.

Wessex Health Partners and Southampton Hospitals Charity have launched the joint scheme to encourage collaboration between organisations and address regional health challenges.

Christine McGrath, managing director of Wessex Health Partners, said: “This joint funding call with Southampton Hospitals Charity reflects our shared commitment to tackling some of the most pressing health challenges facing our communities.

“By supporting innovative ideas and new collaborations across Wessex, we hope to stimulate activity that leads to meaningful improvements in women’s health and cardiovascular health, while creating opportunities for future research and investment.”

The funding is intended to help teams develop ideas, establish partnerships and attract further external funding.

Applications must be led by a substantive employee of a Wessex Health Partners (WHP) partner organisation.

Each application must also involve at least one Southampton-based collaborator from outside WHP’s Southampton partner organisations.

The programme aims to bring together expertise from different disciplines and organisations while supporting future research and healthcare initiatives across Wessex.

Ellis Banfield, chief executive of Southampton Hospitals Charity, said: “We are delighted to partner with Wessex Health Partners on this exciting initiative.

“Charitable funding can play a vital role in helping teams test new ideas, build evidence and develop projects with the potential to improve care and outcomes for patients across our region.”

Applications close on Friday 29 January 2027.