How the pandemic affected research spend and possible implications for the future.
Overview
The analysis looked at the research spend in 2019 to 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and additional questions were asked to ascertain further information about the impact of the pandemic.
Combining Cancer52 and NCRI partners portfolio, research spend in 2019/20 equates to £699M. In 2020/21, research spend declined to £644M representing an 8% drop. These yearly funding figures included research spend in more common cancers, rare and less common cancers, and non-site specific. This 8% drop prompted further investigations into identifying the impact of the pandemic.
Methodology
A survey form was circulated among Cancer52 members and NCRI partners to investigate the impact on cancer research spend caused by the pandemic. In total, 41 organisations were included in the survey analysis. Out of 41, six organisations are members of NCRI and Cancer52: Blood Cancer UK, Brain Tumour Research, Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG), Myeloma UK, Ovarian Cancer Action and Pancreatic Cancer UK. It is important to note that these six organisations are included in both categories (NCRI and Cancer52).
The survey focused on two key questions:
- Did the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impact your plans or ability to fund cancer research in the financial year 2020/21?
- Do you expect your organisation’s funding available for cancer research specifically, or research generally, to remain impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
The questions hoped to understand whether organisations from NCRI and Cancer52 who fund research in all of areas including non-site specific have seen an impact on funding caused by the pandemic.
The analysis displays the total responses and then further broken down into Cancer52 members and NCRI partners. Please note that the detail breakdown by NCRI and Cancer52 omits ‘no response’ and includes the remaining options.
Results
Did the Covid-19 pandemic negatively impact your plans or ability to fund cancer research in the financial year 2020/21
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Do you expect your organisation’s funding available for cancer research specifically, or research generally, to remain impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic
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The first question shows the majority of NCRI partners and Cancer52 member organisations found the pandemic had a negative impact on funding cancer research in the financial year 2020/21. This alone represents 59% equating to 24 organisations. Cancer52 members were affected to a lesser extent, 64% compared to 81% of NCRI partners.
The second survey question focuses on the future research spend. Out of 41 responses, 12 organisations (29%) have stated their research funding is not expected to remain affected by the pandemic. However, when combined with responses who are expected to be affected this represents nearly half (44%). Further breakdown shows for organisations who are Cancer52 members, 50% of responses indicate they expect to be affected until at least 2021/22. For NCRI we see an even split between those who are expected to be affected by the impact of the pandemic and those who aren’t.
Analysis in context
In March 2020, lockdown measures legally came into force. These severe measures immediately stalled organisations’ ability to carry out responsibilities that required in person presence and affected activities such as grant calls and organised fundraising events. Despite the lockdown measures, organisations often pivoted to find alternative ways to fundraise for research. Indeed, some organisations stated they are not expected to be affected in the future.
The pandemic seemed to have a slighter greater impact on NCRI partners, yet they tend to have a more optimistic prediction of research funding over the subsequent few years. NCRI partners tend to be larger organisations than the majority of Cancer52 members, due to the then £1 million minimum funding threshold required to be an NCRI partner (later removed in 2022). Larger charities tend to have greater resources, which may help absorb the financial shock of the pandemic and increase possibilities for continued research.
(Note: 2019/20 spend from Cancer52 members is a 12-month period covering a different reporting period.)