Macmillan professional development grants
Macmillan recognises the importance of supporting the learning, development and wellbeing of Macmillan Professionals and the wider cancer workforce, with the aim of improving the lives of people affected by cancer. The Macmillan professional development grant is designed to help support this purpose.
Who can apply
Grant value
Location
Who can apply
If you would like to make an application
If you would like to make an application for a professional development grant, please talk through your ideas with your Macmillan representative - this will typically be your Macmillan Relationship Lead. Please note that the professional development grant cannot be given retrospectively.
Professional development grants for individuals
Purpose: The individual grant can be used for courses and conferences not already provided by Macmillan.
Funding: Maximum £1,000 per calendar year. You can submit multiple applications, but the total funding per year cannot exceed £1,000.
Here are some examples of what Macmillan will and will not fund as part of the offer for individuals:
What we can fund
- Courses, modules, and workshops that will offer knowledge that will build your skills, resilience and help you to improve the lives of people living with cancer.
- Coaching, only with a qualified coach.
- UK travel and accommodation expenses, only if your organisation is unable to fund them. These costs must be included on the application form. We cannot reimburse individuals directly for travel expenses, so you must be reimbursed by your organisation, and then the expenses should be included in the Request for Payment sent to Macmillan by your organisation, along with evidence of expenditure (e.g., train tickets, hotel invoice).
- Overseas conferences – Macmillan will fund the conference fee but not the travel or accommodation. Please discuss with your Macmillan representative in the first instance.
All courses should be at either:
- Expert Level – applies to certain roles or functions that require more clinical expertise with a greater depth of skills and knowledge.
Or: - Enhanced Level – Relates to certain roles, functions, and existing skills and knowledge.
What we cannot fund
- Courses at Essential Level – covers core competencies, skills and knowledge identified in ACCEND or the Macmillan Person Centred Care Competency Framework as relevant for all the workforce.
- Learning which is mandatory, legal or a core requirement of your role.
- Clinical supervision.
- Project Management courses (e.g., Prince 2).
- Courses and conferences NOT relevant to your current role.
- Courses with similar content to those currently provided by Macmillan.
- Travel and accommodation for overseas conferences.
- Individual wellbeing activity (please refer to group grant guidance below).
- For Welfare Benefit Advisers - Macmillan can fund courses by recognised training providers (e.g., Child Poverty Action Group, The Benefit Training Co.) that are at a standard level or above. However, Macmillan will not fund introductory courses (such as Introduction to Benefits Advice). The courses mentioned here are examples and not an exhaustive list.
Eligibility criteria for individuals
It is important that you read all available information for the grant type before applying.
Eligibility criteria when applying for an individual professional development grant:
- The applicant must be a Macmillan Professional.
- The maximum amount of funding available is £1,000 per calendar year – whether you are a full-time or part-time post holder.
- You may apply multiple times, but total funding must not exceed £1,000 per calendar year.
- You must have approval from your line manager to attend, before applying for a grant.
- You must have prior agreement from your organisation that they will pay for the course/conference, and Macmillan will reimburse them on receipt of a request for payment with the associated proof of expenditure, e.g., invoice for venue/facilitator costs.
- You must apply at least 8 weeks prior to the event you wish to attend to allow sufficient time for Macmillan to review your application including whether it meets out eligibility criteria.
‘This training session resulted in me ensuring to be more focused on audience engagement when delivering training sessions. Through asking questions, asking opinions/thoughts and feedback from the audience I am engaging with. Ensuring to adapt my communication style and manner appropriately and ensuring my body language welcomes audience engagement’
Caitriona Crawford, Farming Community Network NI
Professional development grants for groups
Purpose:
- The development and delivery of a bespoke learning programme or service quality improvement initiative for a group/team.
- The delivery of sustainable skills for wellbeing that supports a team to develop self-care skills improving their resilience to deliver the best possible care for people living with cancer.
Funding: Maximum £5,000 per calendar year. You can submit multiple applications, but the total funding per year cannot exceed £5,000.
Here are some examples of what Macmillan will and will not fund as part of the offer for a group/team:
What we can fund
- Facilitator costs.
- Venue costs for the activity. You should try to use your own venue where possible.
- Other reasonable costs, which could include light refreshments and room hire, or the purchase of essential materials required.
- UK travel and accommodation expenses, only if your organisation is unable to fund them. These costs must be included on the application form. We cannot reimburse individuals directly for travel expenses, so you must be reimbursed by your organisation, and then the expenses should be included in the Request for Payment sent to Macmillan by your organisation, along with evidence of expenditure (e.g., train tickets, hotel invoice).
What we cannot fund
- Courses/conferences outside the UK.
- Conferences for a group of individuals.
- Non-work-related team building events. Any event must be work focussed and support the alignment of working processes and good practice. Non-work related ‘activities’, such as adventure sports, pottery making and similar will not be supported.
Eligibility criteria for groups
It is important that you read all available information for the grant type before applying.
Eligibility criteria when applying for a group professional development grant:
- The main applicant must be a Macmillan Professional. However, other attendees can include non-Macmillan professionals from the wider cancer workforce, volunteers and people affected by cancer.
- The maximum amount of funding available is £5,000 per calendar year. This is not guaranteed and is subject to approval.
- You may apply multiple times, but total funding must not exceed £5,000 per calendar year.
- To enable you to plan your group grant activity well in advance, you are required to submit estimates of the costs you expect to incur, and quotes must be provided. These should be on official headed documents from the course provider/facilitator.
- You must have approval from your line manager for this activity, before applying for a grant.
- You must have prior agreement from your organisation that they will pay for the course/conference, and Macmillan will reimburse them on receipt of a request for payment with the associated proof of expenditure, e.g., invoice for venue/facilitator costs.
- You must provide the name and contact details of a named finance lead within your organisation who will be responsible for processing reimbursement within 6 months of the application.
How to apply
To apply for either an individual or group professional development grant, please follow these steps:
- Check eligibility: Ensure you meet the criteria for your chosen grant type. You can take our simple Professional development grants eligibility quiz [opens a form in a new tab]
- Supporting documents: Check the eligibility criteria to see which supporting documents are required during the process to ensure you can meet all requirements.
- Line manager approval: Seek approval for the activity from your line manager.
- Payment agreement: Ensure your organisation agrees to pay for the activity, with Macmillan reimbursing them upon receiving a request for payment.
- Complete your application: Once you have completed the eligibility quiz, you will be provided with a link to complete an online application form.
- Review and approval: Macmillan will review your application and notify you of the outcome.
- Claiming funds: Ensure your organisation submits a request for payment with proof of expenditure to receive reimbursement from Macmillan.
Contact information
Your Macmillan representative is your main point of contact. If you are unsure who your Macmillan representative is, please get in touch with macprofessionals@macmillan.org.uk