NHMRC Ideas Grants
- Funding available
- Typically $150,000–$1 million+ over 1–5 years
- Deadlines
- Annual round; check the NHMRC website for the current scheme calendar.
- Who it's for
- Australian health and medical researchers at eligible institutions pursuing innovative research at any career stage.
Overview
NHMRC Ideas Grants support innovative and creative health and medical research across the full spectrum, from discovery through to translation. The scheme focuses on the quality and innovation of the research idea rather than the seniority of the team, making it accessible to early and mid-career researchers.
Funding supports the direct costs of research, including salaries for research staff, equipment, and consumables. Applications are made through an eligible administering institution.
Eligibility
- Administered through an NHMRC-eligible Australian institution
- Chief Investigators must meet NHMRC eligibility and role requirements
- Research must be within health and medical research scope
- Proposal assessed on significance, innovation, and feasibility
How to apply
Applications are submitted via Sapphire, the NHMRC grants management system, through your institution's research office. Internal institutional deadlines apply well before the NHMRC closing date.
A strong Ideas Grant articulates a genuinely novel research question, a sound and feasible plan, and the team's capability to deliver. Start early and use your institution's peer-review and grant-development support.
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Start your applicationOfficial source & application portal: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/find-funding/ideas-grants
Content last verified 2026-09-01. Always confirm current details, amounts and dates with the funding body before applying.