For the past twelve years, the Department of Health in England has funded an annual scheme, the National Institute for Health Research Cochrane Review Incentive Scheme, which offers small incentive payments to Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) to support preparing key new or updated Cochrane Reviews by agreed dates. Although these awards cannot meet the full costs of conducting reviews, they provide CRG Co-ordinating Editors opportunities to distribute support in ways that will facilitate and possibly accelerate activity that is already planned or underway.

Since the Scheme's launch, more than 240 awards have been made. This year, the funders expect to make around 10-20 awards. They encourage Co-ordinating Editors of all CRGs, not only those whose editorial bases are located in the UK, to nominate up to three new Cochrane Reviews or Review updates that they consider are of importance and for which they anticipate that the award of an incentive payment would lead to significantly earlier completion of work.

Nominations are being accepted until 31 August 2016. For complete information on what the scientific panel is looking for and how to apply, please see the submission criteria and form.