Who can apply for Cancer Funds?

Applications for our Cancer Funds are welcome from all departments within Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to fund projects or items that will benefit cancer services within the trust, and that are not already provided through the NHS.

Staff who are employed by, or who hold honorary contracts with, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and whose work benefits cancer patients, are eligible to apply.

Our Cancer Funds come from donations and all grant holders are expected to help us raise further funds, so we can continue to make these grants.

What the Cancer Funds can support

Our Cancer Funds help pay for equipment, research, furnishings and staff training that benefit cancer patients and their care.

Grants can be made for the following purposes:

• Equipment, furnishings, refurbishment and other items benefiting patients and patient care which cannot be funded from other sources.
• Research projects that seek to bring direct benefit to cancer patients and will directly translate into service, without requiring further research after the completed project. The applicants must seek approval and authorisation from all the relevant departments and governing bodies before an application is made.
• Staff training which directly relates to improving the quality of care of cancer patients. Your application should also demonstrate how this would further the professional development of staff and any other advantages, such as attracting staff to areas where recruitment is difficult.

Our Cancer Funds are for projects or items that cannot be funded by the NHS or other sources. Before applying, you should try to secure funds from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and other sources. You will need to explain what you have done towards this in your application.

What the Cancer Funds cannot support

To ensure our funds have the greatest impact, there are some exclusions. The Cancer Funds cannot support:

• any activities or equipment that are usually covered by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust budgets
• equipment or furnishings that do not directly support cancer care (e.g. items to improve staff welfare)
• applications for activities or equipment that have already been completed
• recurrent and on-going maintenance costs for equipment that has already been purchased (projects and equipment must be self-sustaining once an initial grant has been given)
• applications to support individual, named patients
• equipment or services either directly or indirectly benefiting commercial companies providing services to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (e.g. GSTS Pathology).

Cancer Funds for training cannot support:

• training that should be provided by the NHS (e.g. mandatory training)
• attendance at meetings or conferences (support for this may be available from our Individual Staff Awards fund, or from a special purpose fund for your service or area).

What size of grants do the Cancer Funds offer?

The minimum award from our Cancer Funds is £500. The maximum is £30,000, although the committee might consider larger applications when necessary.

We try to make sure funds for training are distributed evenly between services. Further guidance on this can be given to you according to current demand and funds available.

Please bear in mind that the committee has limited funds and large applications may be deferred to allow new funding to be raised.

Assessment

Applications for grants are carefully considered by the Cancer Funds Committee, which is comprised of senior staff members from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Cancer Services.

Applications are reviewed by the committee every four months.

Application

• Application form 
• 2017/18 deadlines
• Terms & Conditions for Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
• Terms & Conditions for King's College London

If you have trouble accessing any of these documents, please email us at specialfunds@gsttcharity.org.uk