MRFF Funding Opportunities

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MRFF Funding Opportunities

Note: MRFF locates all their Scheme documentation, including funding guidelines and template, in GrantConnect. You will be required to set-up a username and password to access.

Notification Of Intent (NOI)
Complete a Notification of Intent to inform your Faculty and the University Research Services teams of your intention to submit an application. After completing this NOI, you will be provided with regular updates about your funding scheme and sent valuable resources that will assist you in developing a highly competitive research grant application.

Changes to Support for MRFF applications

Please note that our grant review processes have changed. Strategic reviews are optional, while compliance and eligibility checks are mandatory.

If you wish to receive a strategic review of your NHMRC application, you must book via the online booking calendar.

Compliance and eligibility reviews for your NHMRC application is mandatory and you must book via the online booking calendar.

There are sufficient booking times available for all applicants, but we recommend booking early to ensure you have an ample choice of dates.

Changes to DVCR Co-Funding for MRFF (submitted via the NHMRC Sapphire grant portal)

For MRFF Grants (submitted via the NHMRC Sapphire Grant portal) applicants will now be required to submit a formal DVCR Co-funding request. The formal DVCR Co-funding request replaces the previous support of the Strategic Research Fund (SRF), which was managed directly between your Faculty Research Office and the DVCR Office and was not directly visible to academics as internal co-funding for their successful grants.

The DVCR Co-funding is to support MQ researchers to successfully complete their proposed MRFF(submitted via the NHMRC Sapphire Grant portal) projects by providing up to 20% co-funding on funds to remain at Macquarie. The goal is for the DVCR Co-funding is to facilitate MQ applicants in providing a ‘top-up’ of NHMRC salary costs (PSP’s), which are lower than MQ equivalent salary rates.

These changes align the principles of DVCR Co-funding with other external funding schemes and assist the University in rationalising the allocation of internal funding used to leverage competitive, external funding opportunities. As Macquarie researchers continue to excel in the MRFF funding scheme, we need to find a mechanism to ensure all successful MRFF grants can be supported. As context, since 2015, our application volume for MRFF funding has nearly doubled year on year. We know that health and medical researchers at Macquarie will be more active than ever in the coming years in applying for MRFF funding to support their research, hence the need to make changes to meet the growing volume of awards.

Eligibility for DVCR Co-Funding is still contingent on submission of a full application by the Macquarie submission date. Further to this, the Pre Award team has recommenced tracking the on-time submissions after pausing this due to the impacts on workload brought about by COVID-19.

Current opportunities (continuously open)

2022 MRFF Frontier Health and Medical Research Grant Opportunity

About: the objectives of this grant opportunity offers funding to support medical research and medical innovation programs of research that deliver a ‘moonshot’ by creating a treatment for a currently serious and incurable health condition, through a series of linked projects. The program of research can propose to develop novel health technologies and/or re-purpose existing health technologies in a novel way.

The process to get funding has two stages:

expression of interest – outlining a proposed program of research with a 10-year time horizon
full application, for a project of up to five years under the program of research.

Full applications may be submitted by invitation only. Applicants may propose to start research at any stage in the research pipeline from proof-of-concept, with the intention of achieving full implementation of the proposed technology in 10 years.

Funding for subsequent projects under the program of research that continue to progress the technology towards full implementation can be sought by submitting additional full applications to this grant opportunity (i.e. applicants do not need to recommence with an EOI). These applications may be submitted by invitation only.

It is expected that expressions of interest will close on 31 March 2026, with the last grants awarded by 30 June 2027. However, the closing date for expressions of interest may be altered if:

the available funds are exhausted or insufficient to fund additional grants, in which case the closing date may be brought forward
further funds are made available in future years, in which case the closing date may be extended.

Apply via: DISER (via portal)

Key Dates
Opening date in DISER: 13 February 2023

Opening date in DISER: 13 February 2023
Strategic review (optional): four weeks prior to the date you wish to submit, select time in the strategic booking calendar
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): two weeks prior to the date you wish to submit, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar.
Applicant submits final application in DISER: when application is compliant and all approvals are obtained in PURE

Current opportunities (upto November 2023)

2023 Global Health Grant Opportunity

About: the objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support Australian medical research and medical innovation projects that:

generate knowledge to improve understanding of healthcare associated infections in hospitals that drive antimicrobial resistance (including incidence, pathways and drivers of transmission), and
develop, implement and/or assess the effectiveness of interventions to reduce the incidence of healthcare associated infections in hospitals that drive antimicrobial resistance.

The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by investing in research that identifies actionable strategies to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance by preventing healthcare associated infections.

Funding: the maximum funding request is $2 million. It is for a five year project.

All members of the research team must be listed on the application form as Chief Investigators (CIs). Applicants must nominate a Chief Investigator A (CIA) who will take the lead role in conducting the project and report on the outcomes of the project as specified in the grant agreement.

To facilitate collaborative research teams with the required capacity and capability to undertake the proposed research, up to 15 CIs may be included as members of the research team.

A person must not be named as a Chief Investigator (CI) on more than one application submitted to this grant opportunity.

Managing Agency: Department of Industry, Science and Resources (via DISR)

NHMRC opening date in DISR: 27 March 2023
Strategic review (optional): Wednesday 23 August 2023, select time in the strategic booking calendar
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): Wednesday 6 September, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar. By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in the portal.
Applicant notifies Grant Development Team of the final application in business.gov.au: 11:59 pm Sunday 17 September 2023
Research Services submission to DISR: Wednesday 20 September 2023

2023 Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 Grant Opportunity Guidelines ( Stream 1, 2, 3, 4-Stage 1)

About:

The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Aim 1, Objective #1 of Research Plan; Targeted Call for Research): conduct a large-scale multidisciplinary project in partnership with primary care researchers and consumers (including all age groups and priority populations) to identify how people experience PASC, including the impact on their physical and mental health and social and emotional wellbeing.
Stream 2 (Aim 1, Objective #2 of Research Plan; Targeted Call for Research): conduct a large-scale multidisciplinary project in partnership with consumers, health service providers and policymakers using primary data collection and/or informatics approaches such as modelling and linkage to generate knowledge of population-wide and health system impacts of PASC.
Stream 3 (Aim 2 of Research Plan; Incubator): conduct small-scale developmental projects that:
- Topic A: investigate the molecular mechanisms, pathways or biomarkers that are central to the cause and progression of PASC
- Topic B: Build knowledge of key factors that impact PASC prognosis, including but not limited to psychosocial, physical and behavioural contributors.

Stream 4 (Aim 3 of Research Plan):
Note: Stream 4 (Stage 1) and Stream 4(Stage 2) have different deadlines.
Stage 1 (Incubator): conduct inception projects that build evidence and capability to demonstrate the feasibility of establishing a national adaptive platform trial that would allow for rapid assessment of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions of PASC.
Stage 2 (Targeted Call for Research): establish a multidisciplinary national adaptive platform trial that accelerates assessment and implementation of therapeutic interventions (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) for PASC.

Applications to this grant opportunity must propose research that addresses one of the four Streams of research. An application may only be submitted to one of the above four Streams only.

The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by:

Stream 1 (Aim 1, Objective #1 of Research Plan; Targeted Call for Research): improving understanding of the impacts of PASC on individuals and the community to inform and improve clinical care and policy responses.
Stream 2 (Aim 1, Objective #1 of Research Plan; Targeted Call for Research): improving understanding of the impacts of PASC on the Australian health system and society to inform policy and program responses.
Stream 3 (Aim 2 of Research Plan; Incubator): generating knowledge to support the development of novel diagnostic or monitoring tools, or therapies for individuals living with PASC.
Stream 4 (Aim 3 of Research Plan; Incubator and Targeted Call for Research): accelerating the identification of optimal management approaches for people living with PASC.

Funding and Grant Period:

The amounts available for a single grant in each Stream are as follows:

Stream 1: Maximum amount available for a single grant is $5.0 million.

Stream 2: Maximum amount available for a single grant is $5.0 million.

Stream 3: Minimum amount available for a single grant is $0.25 million and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $1.0 million.

Stream 4: For Stage 1, the maximum amount available for a single grant is $0.25 million.

For Stage 2, the maximum amount available for a single grant is $8.0 million. (Separate guidelines available for Stream 4, stage 2)

The maximum grant period that can be applied for in each Stream is as follows:

Stream 1: 5 years
Stream 2: 5 years
Stream 3: 2 years
Stream 4: 1 year for Stage 1

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 06 September 2023
Strategic review (optional): 2-3 Oct select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 18 October 2023, 5 pm ACT local time
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 17-18 October 2023; select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar.
By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits a final application in Sapphire: 11.59 pm Sunday 29 October, 2023
Research Services submission to NHMRC:
- Stream 1, 2, 3 & 4 (Stage 1): 5 pm ACT local time on 01 November 2023
Expected outcomes:
- Stream 1, 2, 3 & 4 (Stage 1): April 2024

2023 Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 Grant Opportunity Guidelines ( Stream 4, Stage 2)- closing on 30 April 2025

About:

The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 4 (Aim 3 of Research Plan):
- Stage 1 (Incubator):
- Stage 2 (Targeted Call for Research): establish a multidisciplinary national adaptive platform trial that accelerates assessment and implementation of therapeutic interventions (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) for PASC.

Applications to this grant opportunity must propose research that addresses one of the four Streams of research. An application may only be submitted to one of the above four Streams only.

Applications to Stage 2 of Stream 4 can include Chief Investigators that were successful under Stage 1. Otherwise, a person must not be named as a Chief Investigator (CI) on more than one application submitted to a Stream of this grant opportunity (i.e. a person may be named as a CI on a maximum of one application per Stream). If a CI is named on more than one application submitted to a Stream of this grant opportunity, both applications will be considered ineligible.

Applicants should note that Stage 1 and Stage 2 applications will be assessed against different criteria and have different deadlines.

The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by:

Stream 4 (Aim 3 of Research Plan; Incubator and Targeted Call for Research): accelerating the identification of optimal management approaches for people living with PASC.

Funding and Grant period:

Stream 4, Stage 1, the maximum amount available for a single grant is $0.25 million for 1 year

For Stream 4, Stage 2, the maximum amount available for a single grant is $8.0 million; Stream 4, Stage 2 is 5 years.

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 06 September 2023
Strategic review (optional): To be confirmed( March 2025)
NHMRC minimum data deadline: To be updated
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): To be confirmed( March 2025)
By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits a final application in Sapphire: 11.59 pm Sunday 27 April, 2025
Research Services submission to NHMRC:
- Stream 1, 2, 3 & 4 (Stage 1): 5 pm ACT local time on 01 November 2023
- Stream 4 (Stage 2): 5 pm ACT local time on 30 April 2025
Expected outcomes:
- Stream 1, 2, 3 & 4 (Stage 1): April 2024
- Stream 4 (Stage 2): June 2025

2023 Stem Cell Therapies Grant Opportunity

About: the objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support Australian medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Accelerator): support the development of novel stem-cell based treatments by disease-focused, multidisciplinary teams that leverage partner funds and can articulate:
- a final product or therapy
- a feasible path to market
- an approach to regulatory processes
- a competitive advantage over comparable products
- appropriate consideration of the ethical, legal and social issues associated with treatments
- a strategy for enhancing sector capacity of key clinical, manufacturing and commercial skillsets
- potential funding leverage
Stream 2 (Accelerator): support large scale projects involving multidisciplinary teams that will focus on pre-clinical screening of new treatments using human tissues made from stem cells, that can articulate:
- a final product or therapy
- a feasible path to market
- an approach to regulatory processes
- a competitive advantage over comparable products
- appropriate consideration of the ethical, legal and social issues associated with treatments
- a strategy for enhancing sector capacity of key clinical, manufacturing and commercial skillsets
- potential funding leverage

Research projects may include:

screening of novel or repurposed drug candidates, silencing RNAs or therapeutic oligonucleotides or other modifiers of cellular function, including gene editing and base editing
personalised identification of appropriate drugs based on patient-specific stem cell– derived tissues

Funding: Stream 1 (Accelerator): The minimum amount available for a single grant is $5 million and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $7 million. Stream 2 (Accelerator): The minimum amount available for a single grant is $3 million and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $5 million. The maximum grant period that can be applied for is five years.

A person must not be named as a Chief Investigator (CI) on more than one application submitted to a Stream of this grant opportunity (ie a person may be named as a CI on a maximum of one application per Stream). If a CI is named on more than one application submitted to a Stream of this grant opportunity, both applications will be considered ineligible.

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 26 April 2023
Strategic review (optional): 18 October 2023, select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 18 October 2023
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 1 November 2023, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar. By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11.59pm Sunday 12 November 2023
Research Services submission to NHMRC: 15 November 2023
Expected outcomes: June 2024

2023 Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Grant Opportunity

About: the objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support Australian medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct implementation research to test interventions that are designed to improve uptake of holistic primary and secondary prevention activities to delay the onset and severity of dementia
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): develop new tools, technologies and strategies to support adoption of the key components of high-quality care for older Australians.

Streams 1 and 2 are intended to support projects that progress research that addresses a specific health need.

To be competitive for funding, applicants must propose to conduct research that delivers against the above objectives and those of the Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission as described in the Roadmap and Implementation Plan. Applicants are encouraged to propose novel and/or innovative research and describe how the outcomes of the research will be translated into health benefits for Australians.

Applications to this grant opportunity must propose research that addresses one of the two Streams of research. An application may only be submitted to one of the above two Streams only. Applicants must specify the Stream to which they are applying in their application.

The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): improving access to effective preventive health interventions that delay the onset and severity of dementia
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): improving the quality of care provided to older Australians.

Funding: There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $3 million. The maximum grant period that can be applied for is five years

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 26 April 2023
Strategic review (optional): 18 October 2023, select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 18 October 2023
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 1 November 2023, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar. By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11.59pm Sunday 12 November 2023
Research Services submission to NHMRC: 15 November 2023
Expected outcomes: June 2024

2023 Cardiovascular Health Grant Opportunity

About: the objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support Australian medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Incubator): conduct small-scale development projects to establish feasible, evidence based approaches aimed at improving survivorship and reducing morbidity through initiatives that increase equity of access for all people (e.g. digital or online delivery of services like tele-rehab for heart and stroke).
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): improve understanding of cardiovascular disease risk, including biological mechanisms, by identifying and quantifying system and individual mechanisms that contribute to variation and inequities in cardiovascular disease and stroke care, and risk management, particularly in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): support effective adoption and adherence to preventive health interventions for cardiovascular disease and stroke by addressing barriers to best-practice prevention for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, using co-design and culturally secure approaches.
Stream 4 (Targeted Call for Research): accelerate equitable patient access to best care that results in best possible outcomes through improved identification and management of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with critical, time-dependent events.
Stream 5 (Accelerator): support large-scale projects aimed at improving survivorship and reducing morbidity through:
- Topic A: new, efficient models that respond to survivor needs, and that deliver routine, annual checking and monitoring of people with heart and stroke problems to improve outcome and survivorship
- Topic B: new, innovative models that improve treatment adherence by empowering survivors to more effectively manage their recovery, through co-design with survivors
- Topic C: new, culturally secure models to improve treatment adherence by empowering Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, through co-design.

Stream 1 is intended to support early stage, small scale research projects that seek to assess the potential and feasibility of novel strategies to address critical or intractable health issues.

Streams 2, 3 and 4 are intended to support projects that progress research that addresses a specific health need.

Stream 5 is intended to support large-scale interdisciplinary research programs that drive implementation of substantial improvements to health care and/or health system effectiveness.

Funding: Stream 1: (Incubator): The minimum amount available for a single grant is $0.2 million, and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $1 million. Stream 2: (Targeted Call for Research): There is no minimum grant amount, and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $2 million. Stream 3: (Targeted Call for Research): There is no minimum grant amount, and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $2 million. Stream 4: (Targeted Call for Research): There is no minimum grant amount, and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $2 million. Stream 5: (Accelerator): There is no minimum grant amount, and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $5 million.

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 26 April 2023
Strategic review (optional): 18 October 2023, select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 18 October 2023
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 1 November 2023, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar. By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11.59pm Sunday 12 November 2023
Research Services submission to NHMRC: 15 November 2023
Expected outcomes: June 2024

2023 Traumatic Brain Injury Grant Opportunity

About: the objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support Australian medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): improve care for moderate to severe traumatic brain injury by optimising informatics approaches that gather nationally representative data.
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct implementation research to support effective national adoption and best-practice use of clinical guidelines and protocols for moderate to severe TBI, including assessing and addressing barriers to implementation and inequalities among:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- rural, regional and remote populations
- culturally and linguistically diverse populations.

The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): developing personalised care for moderate to severe traumatic brain injury in all care settings that is facilitated by evidence and information
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): helping to ensure that patients consistently receive bestpractice treatment and care for moderate to severe traumatic brain injury

A person must not be named as a Chief Investigator (CI) on more than one application submitted to a Stream of this grant opportunity (i.e. a person may be named as a CI on a maximum of one application per Stream). If a CI is named on more than one application submitted to a Stream of this grant opportunity, both applications will be considered ineligible.

To facilitate collaborative research teams with the required capacity and capability to undertake the proposed research, up to 50 CIs (for Stream 1) or 15 CIs (for Stream 2) may be included as members of the research team.

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 28 June 2023
Strategic review (optional): 1 November 2023, select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 1 November 2023
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 15 November 2023, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar. By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11.59pm Sunday 26 November 2023
Research Services submission to NHMRC: 29 November 2023
Expected outcomes: June 2024

2023 Mental Health Research Grant Opportunity

About: This objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a large-scale multidisciplinary project in partnership with priority population groups, to identify structural inequalities as well as individual mental health challenges leading to poor mental health, and then develop collective strategies to improve the mental health of these communities.
Stream 2 (Incubator): conduct small-scale developmental projects to improve the understanding of the ways to safeguard the mental wellbeing of communities and individuals affected by:
- Topic A: environmental threats (such as bushfires, floods, effects of climate change and others).
- Topic B: the COVID-19 pandemic including long COVID.
Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a large-scale multidisciplinary project to build knowledge of the factors that protect the mental wellbeing of individuals and communities from environmental threats and/or the COVID-19 pandemic, how these vary between communities, and how to foster these in communities through community-based leadership.
Stream 4 (Incubator): conduct small-scale developmental projects to improve capability in, and develop new models of care for, rural and remote settings or other under-researched settings.

Streams 1 and 3 are intended to support projects that progress research that addresses a specific health need.
Streams 2 and 4 are intended to support early stage, small scale research projects that seek to assess the potential and feasibility of novel strategies to address critical or intractable health issues.

The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): establishing effective strategies to improve mental health outcomes in priority populations.
Stream 2 (Incubator): generating methods to safeguard the mental wellbeing of communities and individuals from environmental threats and COVID-19.
Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): developing tailored approaches that protect the mental wellbeing of individuals and communities facing environmental threats and/or COVID-19.
Stream 4 (Incubator): generating improved models of care for rural and remote settings or other under-researched settings.

Funding: The maximum grant period that can be applied for in each Stream is as follows:

Stream 1: 5 years
Stream 2: 2 years
Stream 3: 5 years
Stream 4: 2 years

The amounts available for a single grant in each Stream are as follows:

Stream 1: The amount available for a single grant is fixed at $4.0 million.
Stream 2: The minimum amount available for a single grant is $0.25 million and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $1.0 million.
Stream 3: The amount available for a single grant is fixed at $5.0 million.
Stream 4: The minimum amount available for a single grant is $0.25 million and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $1.0 million.

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 5 July 2023
Strategic review (optional): 01 November 2023, select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 5pm, Wednesday 1 November 2023
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 15 November 2023, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar.
By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in
Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11.59pm Sunday 26 November 2023
Research Services submission to NHMRC: 5 PM Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Expected outcomes: June 2024

2023 Genomics Health Futures Grant Opportunity

About:The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): improve early detection and targeted treatment for the most common cancers to reduce the burden of disease. Research proposals in this Stream must focus on one of the following Topics:
Topic A: developing patient-friendly, non-invasive approaches to cancer screening and management
Topic B: exploring methodologies for longitudinal cancer management using genomics and functional genomics.
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): through a competitively selected national consortium, apply advanced analytics (e.g. artificial intelligence) to enhance the diagnostic utility of genomics.

This grant opportunity is intended to support projects that progress research that addresses a specific health need.
To be competitive for funding, applicants must propose to conduct research that delivers against the above objectives and those of the Genomics Health Futures Mission as described in the Roadmap and Implementation Plan. Applicants are encouraged to propose novel and/or innovative research and describe how the outcomes of the research will be translated into health benefits for Australians.

Applications to this grant opportunity must propose research that addresses one of the two Streams of research. An application may only be submitted to one of the above two Streams only. Applicants must specify the Stream to which they are applying in their application.

The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): enabling earlier and more efficient genomic diagnosis of cancers to inform clinical options and pathways.
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): developing innovative methods for more effective use of genomics for diagnostic purposes.

Funding: The amount available for a single grant in each Stream is as follows:

Stream 1: There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $3.0 million.
Stream 2: There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $8.0 million.

The maximum grant period that can be applied for in each Stream is as follows:

Stream 1: 5 years
Stream 2: 5 years.

For this grant opportunity, an application may be submitted to one of the above two Streams only. Applicants must specify the Stream to which they are applying in their application. Applicants to Stream 1 must also specify which of the two Topics in that Stream (Topic A or Topic B) is the focus of their project.

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 5 July 2023
Strategic review (optional): 01 November 2023, select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 5pm, Wednesday 1 November 2023
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 15 November 2023, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar.
By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in
Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11.59pm Sunday 26 November 2023
Research Services submission to NHMRC: 5 PM Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Expected outcomes: June 2024

2023 Research Data Infrastructure Grant Opportunity

About: The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support Australian medical research and medical innovation projects that use novel methods to harness multiple existing data infrastructure types in developing and implementing new approaches for addressing an unmet medical need.

To meet the grant opportunity's objective, the proposed projects should articulate a clear research question that addresses an area of unmet medical need, and explain how the proposed project will produce knowledge and outcomes that address the research question.

Research proposals should incorporate :

new linkage and/or use of data from multiple (at least two) existing research data infrastructure sources of different types (e.g. administrative and biobank data, registry and biobank data, wearables and use artificial intelligence); and/or
novel methodologies and approaches that leverage and enhance existing linked research data infrastructure of at least two different types (e.g. administrative and biobank data, registry and biobank data, wearables and use artificial intelligence).

Applicants to this grant opportunity are expected to describe how their proposed project aligns with the objectives and outcomes of the Research Data Infrastructure Initiative and the Measures of Success as described in the Evaluation Strategy. These will be key assessment criteria for funding. Projects funded from this grant opportunity will be monitored and evaluated against the Evaluation Strategy.

All members of the research team must be listed on the application form as Chief Investigators (CIs).To facilitate collaborative research teams with the required capacity and capability to undertake the proposed research, up to 15 CIs may be included as members of the research team. If you include more than 15 CIs, your application will be considered ineligible.

A person must not be named as a Chief Investigator (CI) on more than one application submitted to this grant opportunity. If a CI is named on more than one application, both applications will be considered ineligible.

Funding: For this grant opportunity, up to $10 million is available in 2023-24. The grant amount will be up to 100 per cent of eligible project costs (grant percentage).

There is no minimum grant amount
The maximum amount available for a single grant is $2.5 million

Managing Agency: Department of Industry, Science and Resources (via DISR)

NHMRC opening date in DISR: Tuesday, 29 August 2023
Strategic review (optional): 7- 9 November 2023, select time in the strategic booking calendar
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 21-23 November 2023; select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar.
By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Pure and DISR and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant notifies Grant Development Team of the final application in business.gov.au: 11.59 pm, 5 December 2023
Research Services submission to DISR: 5 PM Friday, 8 December 2023

2023 Optimising Screening, Diagnosis and Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Grant

About: The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): develop and assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of novel approaches for obstructive sleep apnoea screening and diagnosis through co-design with consumers.
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a clinical trial assessing the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Type 3 and/or Type 4 sleep studies with Type 1 and/or Type 2 sleep studies for screening, diagnosis or monitoring of obstructive sleep apnoea.
Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): develop and evaluate the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness, and patient acceptability of novel approaches for monitoring obstructive sleep apnoea and/or improving therapeutic adherence through co-design with consumers.

Funding for Stream 3 is available as follows:

Topic A: The organisation undertaking the majority of the proposed research must be located in, and the Chief Investigator A and 50% or more of all Chief Investigators must be primarily resident in, a metropolitan area (MM1 according to the 2019 Modified Monash Model)
Topic B: the organisation undertaking the majority of the proposed research must be located in, and the Chief Investigator A and 50% or more of all Chief Investigators and all research participants must be primarily resident in, a regional, rural or remote area (MM27 according to the 2019 Modified Monash Model)

Grant amount and grant period:

The amounts available for a single grant in each Stream are as follows:

Stream 1: The maximum amount available for a single grant is $2.0 million for a period of 5 years
Stream 2: The maximum amount available for a single grant is $2.0 million for a period of 5 years
Stream 3: The maximum amount available for a single grant is $1.5 million for a period of 5 years

Managing Agency:NHMRC(via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 6 September 2023
Strategic review (optional): 17 January 2024, select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 17 January 2024
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 30-31 January 2024, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar. By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11.59 pm Sunday 11 February 2024
Research Services submission to NHMRC: 5 pm ACT local time on 14 February 2024
Expected outcomes: May-June 2024

Current opportunities (due in March 2024)

2023 Indigenous Health Research Grant Opportunity

About: the objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander led medical research and medical innovation projects that:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a large-scale multidisciplinary project to explore the biological, psychological and/or social determinants of intergenerational health and inequality.
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a large-scale multidisciplinary project to develop and evaluate interventions that reduce cancer incidence and improve cancer survival rates among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a large-scale multidisciplinary project to develop and evaluate new strategies to reduce the prevalence and incidence of infectious disease in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Stream 4 (Incubator): conduct small-scale developmental projects to establish feasible, evidence-based approaches for embedding Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander concepts of health and wellbeing within health systems.
Stream 5 (Incubator): conduct small-scale developmental projects to establish feasible, evidence-based approaches for ensuring the health care systems can support the cultural and social determinants of health.

The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people by:

Stream 1 (Targeted Call for Research): generating knowledge of the factors that promote wellbeing or drive inequalities across generations to support development of new interventions.
Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): developing new or improved interventions that reduce cancer incidence and improve cancer survival.
Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): developing new or improved strategies that reduce the prevalence and incidence of infectious disease.
Stream 4 (Incubator): generating culturally appropriate healthcare systems for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Stream 5 (Incubator): generating improved health systems that embed concepts of cultural and social wellbeing for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people into health care.

Funding: Stream 1 (5 years): There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $5 million. Stream 2 (5 years): There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $5 million. Stream 3 (5 years): There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $5 million. Stream 4 (2 years): There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $1 million. Stream 5 (2 years): There is no minimum grant amount and the maximum amount available for a single grant is $1 million.

Further, to be considered for an Innovation grant under Streams 1, 2 or 3, an application must:

apply for a Targeted Call for Research grant under Streams 1, 2 or 3, and
not be awarded a Targeted Call for Research grant under Streams 1, 2 or 3, and
propose research that is either led by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researcher (i.e. the Chief Investigator A is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researcher) or conducted by a research team comprised of Chief Investigators of which at least 50% are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researchers, and
have the same Chief Investigators, and in the same order, as those in the application for the Targeted Call for Research grant, and
include a two page pitch outlining the project’s novelty and/or innovative approach, its contribution to the objectives and outcomes of the relevant Stream, and how the proposed research will support a more competitive application for future funding opportunities, and
be recommended for an Innovation grant by the Grant Assessment Committee.

Managing Agency: NHMRC (via Sapphire)

NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 28 June 2023
Strategic review (optional): 7 February 2024, select time in the strategic booking calendar
NHMRC minimum data deadline: 7 February 2024
Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): 21 February 2024, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar. By the date and time you select, you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11.59pm Sunday 3 March 2024
Research Services submission to NHMRC: 6 March 2024
Expected outcomes: July 2024

Forecast grant opportunities

The table (in link below) presents information on grant opportunities anticipated to open from February 2023. No grant opportunities will be announced in January 2023. MRFF will update the table and, as appropriate, add to it on a quarterly basis.

The anticipated grant opportunities and dates are indicative only and subject to change.

MRFF grant opportunities calendar | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Upcoming opportunities

MRFF successful grant recipients

Macquarie successful grant recipients

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite
Project title: Harnessing implementation science, complexity science and evidence-based care to Keep Australians Out of Hospital: leveraging seven natural experiments in New South Wales
Scheme: Keeping Australians out of Hospital
Funding total: $1,505,612

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Ralph Martins
Project title: The Australian-multidomain Approach to Reduce dementia Risk by protecting brain health With lifestyle intervention (AU-ARROW) study
Scheme: MRFF International Clinical Trial Collaborations (ICTC) Program
Funding total: $3,115,063

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Deborah Schofield
Project title: The health, economic and social consequences of genomic sequencing and cascade testing for intellectual disability.
Scheme: MRFF Genomics Health Futures Mission – Ethical, Legal and Social Issues Projects Grant
Funding total: $499,728

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Viviana Wuthrich
Project title: Screening and Risk Reduction for Dementia in Primary Care
Scheme: 2020 Investigator Grants: MRFF Priority Round to commence in 2021 (EL2)
Funding total: $1,562,250

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Catherine McMahon
Project title: Improving care pathways for Otitis Media in Aboriginal children (0-12): A case study approach
Scheme: 2019 MRFF Indigenous Health Research 2020
Funding total: $1,961,473.90

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Sheila Degotardi
Project title: Harnessing the health communication power of the early childhood sector
Scheme: Coronavirus Research Response – 2020 Communication Strategies and Approaches During Outbreaks
Funding total: $174,992

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Simon French
Project title: Determining the impact of a new primary care model for low back pain: A cluster randomised trial
Scheme: MRFF International Clinical Trial Collaborations (ICTC) Program
Funding total: $2,107,805.90

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Piers Dawes
Project title: SENSEcog aged care: Hearing and vision support to improve quality of life for people living with dementia in residential aged care
Scheme: MRFF 2020 Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Grant
Funding total: $1,200,710.20

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Helen Rizos
Project title: Integrated Multimodal Precision Liquid biopsy to Enhance MElanoma and NSCLC Treatment (IMPLEMENT)
Scheme: MRFF 2020 Genomics Health Futures Mission
Funding total: $2,031,178.80

Lead Chief Investigator: Associate Professor Robyn Clay-Williams
Project title: Working together: innovation to improve Emergency Department (ED) performance, and patient outcomes and experience for five complex consumer cohorts
Scheme: 2022 MRFF Models of Care to Improve the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Acute Care
Funding total: $2,836,550.50

Lead Chief Investigator: Professor Johanna Westbrook
Project title: Transforming residential aged care through evidence-based informatics
Scheme: 2021 MRFF Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission
Funding total: $992,386.00

Lead Chief Investigator: Dr Kylie Gwynne
Project title: Early Artial fibrillation Screening for Indigenous people (EASI)
Scheme: 2021 MRFF Cardiovascular Health Mission
Funding total: $574,883.90

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