The Award Process

All applications are initially reviewed by two members of the Wellbeing of Women Research Advisory Committee (RAC) and by three external assessors. The latter may be based in the UK or abroad and will be acknowledged experts in the relevant research area. Care is taken to ensure that no conflict of interest exists between an assessor and the applicant/application (see Wellbeing of Women Conflict of Interest Policy). All assessment documents are anonymised and great care is taken to ensure their confidentiality.

Reviewers are asked to comment under the following headings:

· Qualifications/ability of candidate
· Quality of the project
· Standard of host institution
· Experience/expertise of supervisor


All applications and their reviews are discussed at the May/June meeting of the RAC. Any member of the Committee involved in an application or from the same institution or in any way conflicted, leaves the room and is excluded from discussions and marking of that application.

The highest-ranking candidates are selected for interview by a panel of usually four selected members of the RAC. These take place at the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, normally in June. Following interview a recommendation to award is made to the Wellbeing of Women Trustees.

Once a decision has been made, successful and unsuccessful applicants are notified. They are sent copies of external and internal assessments (anonymised and minus confidential comments and scores).

On receipt of a research grant, the principal applicant and officer responsible for administering the grant at the host institution[s] must sign a declaration accepting Wellbeing of Women’s Terms and Conditions before the grant can be activated. All necessary legal and regulatory requirements in order to conduct the research must be in place, and all necessary licences and approvals obtained before the research funded by the Wellbeing of Women grant commences.

Grant holders are required to submit Reports during and at the end of their award, and to inform the charity of any publications and presentations resulting from their research work to enable the charity to promote dissemination of the research funded to experts and beneficiaries.Please see individual grants for details

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