National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

It is anticipated that NHMRC Partnerships will initially fund two types of awards:

• NHMRC Partnership Projects
• NHMRC Partnership Centres for Research Excellence.

Partnership Projects will support collaborations between researchers and policy or practice agencies. Applications for these awards will be a joint effort by researchers and agencies, and the NHMRC will ensure that parties have appropriate formal agreements regarding matters such as intellectual property and publication of findings.

Partnership Centres for Research Excellence will be established as leaders in scientific research relevant to policy and practice. The Centres will not necessarily be funded to address a particular health issue, but rather to develop research capacity in designated areas of interest to one or more partner policy agency. The Centres will work on large-scale programs of research and have in place strategies to meet the needs of the partner agency for evidence from research. It is anticipated that NHMRC and selected partner agencies will call for applications from researchers for a series of designated centres. NHMRC will be seeking research teams with outstanding track records, the capacity to work closely with policy agencies and the ability to recruit excellent researchers nationally and internationally.

More information

More information, including policy documentation
If you intend making a submission, please begin formulating your application and seriously talking with partners now and visit the NHMRC's website for updates.

Key dates for submission

Internal closing date (to RIS for compliance checking): Friday 28 November 2008
External closing date for submission to NHMRC: Friday 19 December 2008

Program Grants provide support for teams of researchers, to pursue broadly based collaborative research activity. The support provided for successful applicants is for the research team, to support the team's broad research theme. The team will be expected to:

• contribute new knowledge at a leading international level in important areas of health and medical research
• develop novel ideas and approaches
• tackle problems for which longer term stable funding is essential
• develop training and career development opportunities within the team
• facilitate collaborative use of specialised facilities or expertise.

Potential applicants are advised that there is a high level of competition for the Program Grant funding, and successful applicant teams have a very high record of achievement in research, strong case to make regarding their team record. Applicants' attention is drawn to the criteria for award of the grant, which is achievement based. Applicants must demonstrate to the peer review panel that they are capable of conducting research at an internationally competitive level.

Guidelines and Funding policy

Applicants are asked to review the Guide to applicants and Funding policy before commencing the application process.