NHS staff working in the East of England can apply for up to £1000 towards global healthcare work with a low-and middle-income country.
The CGHP Grant Scheme provides grants of up to £1000 for individuals or teams undertaking global health work on a voluntary basis with a low- or middle- income country. NHS staff as well as academic clinicians with an NHS position can apply, and the funding can be used towards global healthcare work carried out either in the UK or in another country.
Grants are intended to support the cost of an individual or team’s involvement – either remotely or in-person – and are not intended for use on consumables.
The scheme is for East of England NHS staff and priority is given to applicants who meet these criteria. However, applications from NHS staff outside the East of England who are participating in a CGHP-supported project or partnership will be considered.
Grants are awarded quarterly and you must apply at least three months before your anticipated activity or departure date.
The application deadline for the next funding round is Friday 23 May 2025.
For healthcare students in training, a Student Bursary is available for those undertaking an ethical elective with CGHP.
In 2023 and 2024, the Grant Scheme helped to fund
- A Trainee Clinical Scientist (Audiology) and a Specialist Audiologist to visit Malawi as part of a project to improve access to education for children with hearing loss.
- A nurse and midwife to deliver fertility nursing training in Zimbabwe to help activate affordable fertility services in government hospitals.
- Physiotherapists and dietitians to visit India to support the delivery of palliative and cancer care to disadvantaged communities.
- A therapy radiographer to travel to Tanzania to help deliver lifesaving training to rural communities.
- A resuscitation officer to travel to the Philippines to help build staff knowledge and best practice for managing emergencies.
The Grant Scheme isn’t just for international visits: funding has also been used to attend and present at global health-related conferences in the UK. We encourage staff to apply for funding to support remote global health work conducted from the UK.
Funding criteria
To receive a grant, your application should demonstrate that:
- The project or visit has been well planned with involvement of the local partners.
- The objectives of the project or visit and the plans for measuring them are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely).
- The potential benefits of the project have been clearly identified for all beneficiary groups.
- There is benefit to your NHS employing institution or the wider NHS.
- A plan exists for disseminating learning on return to work.
- There has been consideration or implementation of strategies to minimise climate impacts.
Priority will be given to projects that are:
- Long term (part of a series of visits or planned activities) and / or
- Involve new staff and / or departments.
A maximum grant of £1000 will be awarded to any individual, team or project.
Application process and expectations
- Complete the grant scheme application form providing as much information as you can.
- Your application will be reviewed by CGHP’s Grants Sub-Group and a recommendation will be made on the amount to be awarded.
- We will contact you to let you know the outcome of your application within one month of the closing date.
- As a grant recipient, we expect you to complete a trip report after your activity and supply photos showcasing your experience with the partnership or project.
Special Leave
As an NHS staff member, you may be able to access special leave for voluntary work. For example, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) has a special leave policy to enable staff members who have not received study or professional leave to take up to five days of paid leave above annual entitlement, if used to participate in a CGHP-supported health partnership.
We can help you to talk through your application with your manager if you have any concerns regarding the authorisation of leave.
