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Unlocking funding for patient experience improvement: Funding guide

Based on the funding webinar and follow - up research. This guide brings together the main tips shared by speakers, useful resources, and a starter list of grant options grouped into eight funding routes. This is designed as a working document and can be adapted as further opportunities emerge. How to use this guide •

Use the top tips to

•

Use the appendix to think more broadly about where funding might come from and identify possible routes to explore.

•

Identify routes to explore with colleagues, charities and partners

•

Always check the latest eligibility, deadlines and guidance before applying.

shape and

strengthen your funding case

before submission

Top tips from the webinar – what makes projects fundable? The core principle: Strong projects do not get funded simply because they are good ideas. They are more likely to be funded when they are clear, credible and compelling. Our speakers flagged the following 8 top tips: 1. The funding trilogy •

1 Start with a clear patient story or lived experience and who is affected .

•

2 Ground the idea in evidence: local insight, published research, or comparable projects to support the case for change .

•

3 Be clear on the financial case: cost, value, matters now.

– what happened, why it matters,

what difference it will make

and why this

2. Start with the real problem •

Be clear about the pain point

•

Do not jump straight to a solution.

•

Use patient, family and staff insight, feedback and observation to define the need and to test whether you are solving the right problem

/problem you are trying to address.

3. Make the proposal credible •

Keep it realistic and deliverable

•

Know your costs and build in contingency where needed.

•

Show who will deliver the work, how it will be managed, and how it will be sustained.

•

Give the funder confidence that the project is thought through and achievable.

4. Use the funder’s language without losing your own voice •

Answer the actual question

•

Show how the project aligns to the funder’s priorities.

•

Translate benefits into outcomes the funder will recognise, such as patient experience, staff wellbeing, efficiency, or improved outcomes.

•

Use plain language and although using the funders language

(s) being asked

without making assumptions

don’t lose your own voice.

5. Build evaluation in from the start •

Be clear about what success will look like see.

•

Use both stories and measures where possible.

•

Include both experience outcomes and wider operational or organisational benefits where relevant.

•

Think about before benefit.

; be explicit about the outcomes you expect to

- and - after evidence, feedback, uptake, and wider organisational

6. Use partnerships and ask for help early •

Talk to charity teams, finance colleagues, library or research teams, and people who have done similar projects. The Picker Experience Network (PEN) team at Picker may be able to help with this last point.

•

Look for partners who can bring funding, expertise, delivery support, or reach.

•

A pilot can be a strong way to build evidence for a larger ask.

•

Do not assume you need to do this alone

7. Use AI carefully •

AI can help with structuring content, proofing, literature discovery, checking clarity, identifying gaps and summarising evidence.

•

It should not replace your thinking or write your story for you; keep the voice, judgement and stories human.

•

If the writing sounds generic, over

- produced or not quite like you, it is unlikely to help.

8. If the answer is no, keep going •

Not every strong proposal gets funded first time.

•

Seek feedback where you can, refine the case, and look again at fit, timing and scale.

•

Success often comes from persistence, not perfection.

The 8 funding routes In the webinar we highlighted 8 funding routes with some examples from Picker Experience Network Awards: 1. Internal organisational funding Trust quality improvement or innovation funds, patient experience budgets, and directorate - level improvement funding. 2. Hospital charitable funds Trust charities, hospital - linked foundations, and restricted charitable funds aligned to patient experience priorities. 3. Condition - specific charities Disease or pathway - specific charities focused on particular patient groups or conditions. 4. Community and partnership funding Community foundations, voluntary sector partners, local authority and neighbourhood wellbeing initiatives. 5 . System - level funding Integrated Care System (ICS) improvement funding and regional transformation or quality improvement programmes 6. National grants and philanthropic foundations National health foundations and grant programmes including philanthropic or charitable trusts funding healthcare improvement 7. Partnership and sponsorship opportunities Corporate responsibility funds, independent medical education grants, and co - funding opportunities linked to engagement, education or innovation. 8. International grants International foundations, mobility funds, collaborative research programmes and global health grant routes.

Useful tools and guidance to support evidence, design and evaluation Various resources were shared and we have listed these below: •

AI literature searching guide (University of Edinburgh):

A practical guide to using AI tools to find and summarise research evidence quickly for strengthening the evidence base of funding bids. https://edinburgh - uk.libguides.com/gen - AI/literature - searching •

ResearchRabbit: An AI - powered research discovery tool that helps you find relevant papers, authors and networks , useful for building a robust evidence base and identifying precedents. https://www.researchrabbit.ai/

•

Litmaps: A visual literature mapping tool that shows how research connects and evolves quickly understanding the landscape and positioning your project. https://www.litmaps.com

•

, useful

, helpful for

Creative Health Quality Framework: A structured framework for designing and evaluating arts and creative health interventions useful for ensuring quality, credibility and impact in funded projects. https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/resources/creative - health - quality framework

•

National Arts in Hospitals Network: A network supporting arts in healthcare practice, providing guidance, examples and connections , helpful for developing partnerships and learning from others. https://nahn.org.uk

•

NAHN Evaluation Guidance: Practical guidance on how to evaluate arts and wellbeing initiatives in healthcare , useful for building credible evaluation plans within funding applications. https://nahn.org.uk/wp - content/uploads/2025/07/NAHN - Evaluation - document ONLINE.pdf

•

NAHN Governance Management and Funding Guidance: Guidance on how to structure, manage and fund arts programmes in healthcare settings useful for designing sustainable and well - governed projects. https://nahn.org.uk/wp - content/uploads/2025/06/NAHN - Governance - Guidance ONLINE.pdf

Appendix: starter list of grant options This appendix is a starter list, not an exhaustive directory.

It combines the grants shared in the webinar research with additional

options

identified in follow - up scanning. Check current calls, deadlines, eligibility and geography before applying. 1. Internal organisational funding Grant / fund

Typical value

What it can fund / notes

Web link

Directorate or departmental improvement funding

Varies by organisation

Local service - level improvement activity where there is a clear operational benefit and delivery plan.

—

Patient experience programme budgets

Varies by organisation

Projects that improve experience, feedback, communication or engagement, often aligned to existing patient experience priorities.

—

Trust quality improvement or innovation funds

Varies by organisation

Internal improvement, quality and innovation projects; often the quickest route for pilot work or small - scale testing.

—

2. Hospital charitable funds Grant / fund

Typical value

Restricted charitable funds aligned to patient experience priorities

Varies by organisation

Projects that clearly match the charity’s stated themes or donor restrictions, such as children’s services, end of life, or environment.

—

Varies by organisation

Patient experience, environment, wellbeing, family support and enhancement projects that sit outside core NHS operational budgets.

—

Trust charity / hospital linked charity

What it can fund / notes

Web link

3. Condition - specific charities Grant / fund

Typical value

Disease or condition specific charities (e.g. cancer, heart, dementia , eating disorders )

Varies

What it can fund / notes Projects targeted at a specific condition or patient group, including service improvement, support offers and pathway redesign.

Web link —

4. Community and partnership funding Grant / fund

Typical value

What it can fund / notes

Web link

National Lottery Community Fund

Small to multi year grants; varies

Community - led projects, wellbeing initiatives and local partnerships, including work that demonstrates direct community benefit.

John Lewis Partnership Community Matters

Amount varies by locality/cycle

Local charities, community groups and grassroots causes through Partnership community givin . Useful example of retailer - led community funding. More likely to suit local wellbeing and connection focused projects.

https://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/ethics sustainability/communities - health/social - impact

Waitrose Community Matters

Amount varies by store/cycle

Local good causes, food, connection and community wellbeing. Green - token style local giving route; best for local and tangible initiatives.

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/content/about us/charities/community - matters

Tesco Stronger Starts

Up to £1,500

Projects supporting children and young people, especially food and healthy futures. Good fit for small community - facing projects with local benefit.

https://tescostrongerstarts.org.uk/apply grant/

Morrisons Foundation

Up to £10,000

Projects tackling poverty, improving community spaces, and health and wellbeing. Works well for practical, visible community benefit and modest capital or delivery costs.

https://www.morrisonsfoundation.com/grant funding - request/

Asda Foundation

Varies by programme; examples £10,000 – £20,000 for spaces funds

Community spaces, young people, foodbanks and local causes. Multiple live programmes through the year; check scheme criteria carefully.

Co - op Local Community Fund

Amount varies by member support/funding round

Local projects helping communities thrive, including food, mental wellbeing and youth opportunity. Best where the project has a clear local footprint and community support.

https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/

https://asdafoundation.org/our

- for - a -

- grants/

https://causes.coop.co.uk/

5. System - level funding Grant / fund

Typical value

Health Anchors Learning Network (HALN)

Variable / programme based

What it can fund / notes Health inequalities, anchor institution work and local population impact. Most relevant where the project links to anchor strategies or wider place - based impact.

Web link https://haln.org.uk/

6. National grants and philanthropic foundations Grant / fund

Typical value

What it can fund / notes

Health Foundation Funding Programmes

Typically £200k –£1m

Improvement, system change, analytics and collaborative programmes. High credibility UK route for evidence - led improvement work.

National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

Typically £150k –£2m+

Health and care research, evaluation, workforce and service improvement. Best for rigorous evidence, evaluation and research - linked work.

Wellcome Trust Grants

Typically £500k –£3m+

Research, methodological innovation, equity and global health. High credibility and highly competitive.

Burdett Trust for Nursing

Varies by programme; examples £25k –£50k, sometimes higher

Nurse - led improvement, leadership, education, community engagement and innovation. Strong fit for nurse - led patient experience or improvement work.

Chrysalis Trust

Varies

Charitable projects across health, disability, poverty and education. Worth exploring for smaller charitable grants where the project has a clear social benefit.

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Varies

Poverty, inequality and social change . More relevant where the project tackles wider disadvantage, inequity or community need.

Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Varies

Peace, rights, accountability, sustainable future and social justice . Potential fit for rights, equity or inclusion - focused work.

NESTA

Varies by programme

Innovation addressing societal challenges . Useful where the work is framed as innovation with wider social benefit.

Web link https://www.health.org.uk/work support/programmes

- we -

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/

https://wellcome.org/grant

- funding

https://www.btfn.org.uk/apply/

https://triple - funds.com/tf - entry/funding opportunity - from - chrysalis - trust/

https://www.jrf.org.uk/funding

https://www.jrct.org.uk/what

https://www.nesta.org.uk/

- we - fund

7. Partnership and sponsorship opportunities Grant / fund

Typical value

What it can fund / notes

Web link

MSD UK Grants Programme