Public Health Services

Cochrane is an international, independent, not-for-profit organisation that aims to promote evidence-based practice in service provision and clinical healthcare. Cochrane systematic reviews are a key element in improving the quality and accessibility of the evidence to support healthcare decision making. The Australian Government has announced a total of $6,476,822 (GST exclusive) to support Cochrane activities in Australia over four years (from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2030). This funding will be administered by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The objectives of this funding program are to: - Support Australian Cochrane review production and evidence synthesis to inform healthcare decision making. - Ensure that resources are allocated to specific, measurable activities that deliver high value outputs. For further information on the Cochrane Funding Program 2026, see the Cochrane Administered Funding Grant 2026-2030_grant opportunity guidelines. The activities that fall within this grant support NHMRC’s strategic priorities: in particular the translation of research into public policy, health systems and clinical practice, and the use of new tools and technologies to improve healthcare including artificial intelligence in health. These are aligned with the Australian Government’s commitment to evidence-based healthcare and focus on priorities for national policy and decision making.

The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:  Stream 1 (Incubator): identify health priorities, develop new approaches and/or methodologies and conduct pilot studies addressing health issues and/or barriers that:   are co-led, co-produced and/or co-designed with consumers  are in partnership with health services   increase consumers’ understanding of, and involvement in, research.   Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): develop and/or test scalable and sustainable approaches, in partnership with consumers, that enable self-care interventions or improve quality of life and/or survivorship care. Approaches are for individuals from one or more priority populations, who have experienced or are experiencing long-term diseases and conditions. Approaches may, where appropriate, also deliver for the individual’s families, carers and communities.  Topic A: Research projects that focus on cancer  Topic B: Research projects that focus on long term physical diseases and conditions other than cancer  Topic C: Research projects that focus on mental health challenges, diseases or conditions.  Applicants to this grant opportunity must propose research that delivers against the above objectives and those of the Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative.  This grant opportunity is being administered by NHMRC on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.  Further information on the Medical Research Future Fund is available from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's website.  A list of Eligible Organisations can be found on the NHMRC List of MRFF Eligible Organisations webpage.

The 2026 BioMedTech Grant Opportunity is part of the Medical Research Future Fund under the Medical Research Commercialisation Initiative. This opportunity looks to fund suitable organisations to identify, select and support Australian SMEs undertaking early-stage medical research and medical innovation projects that have commercial potential. The intended outcome of the research funded by this grant opportunity is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by increasing the number of SMEs developing novel biomarkers, diagnostics, therapeutics, assistive devices and/or digital technologies that have progressed through the early stages of research and development to the point where they are 'de-risked' and attractive to private investment for commercialisation. Applicants may propose to support development of innovations in their area/s of strength (i.e. applicants are not required to propose a program that covers the breadth of the biomedtech sector).

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Mission aims to enable or support research designed to improve the lives of all Australians who experience a TBI. The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that: Stream 1 (Priority area 2.1, Targeted Call for Research): test the efficacy and complete a process evaluation of novel treatments, clinical indicators and/or interventions for moderate to severe TBI in reducing time spent in acute care and/or improving long-term patient outcomes.  Stream 2 (Priority area 2.3, Targeted Call for Research): conduct research to support effective national adoption and best practice use of clinical guidelines and protocols for mild TBI, including integration of prognostic and predictive approaches, and assessing and addressing barriers to implementation and inequalities including in all of: - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - People affected by family, domestic and sexual violence - Older people - Rural, regional and remote populations in geographically diverse areas - Culturally and linguistically diverse populations The intended outcome of the research is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by: Stream 1: improving acute care and/or long term outcomes for moderate to severe TBI.  Stream 2: improving uptake of and access to best practice care for people with mild TBI.  Applicants to this grant opportunity must propose research that addresses one of the two Streams of research. This grant opportunity is being administered by NHMRC on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Further information on the Medical Research Future Fund is available from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's website. A list of Eligible Organisations can be found on the NHMRC List of MRFF Eligible Organisations webpage.

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Clinical Trials Activity Initiative aims to: improve the evidence base supporting clinical care   help patients access trials relevant to their health circumstances   enable researchers to bring international trials to Australian patients. The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:  Stream 1 (Incubator): conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a new clinical trial for one or more treatments and/or management strategies for a rare cancer, rare disease and/or unmet need.   Stream 2 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a clinical trial of one or more treatments and/or management-based interventions for rare cancers, rare diseases and/or unmet need.  Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a clinical trial that supports the delivery of effective and high value care by targeting evidence gaps of value to health technology assessment processes in Australia.   Stream 4 (Targeted Call for Research): conduct a prevention clinical trial aimed at reducing the risk, onset or progression of disease through early intervention strategies.  The intended outcome of the research is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by investing in new clinical trials that support increased access to high-quality, evidence-based and effective health care.  Applicants to this grant opportunity must propose research that addresses one of the four Streams of research.   This grant opportunity is being administered by NHMRC on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.  Further information on the Medical Research Future Fund is available fromthe Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's website. A list of Eligible Organisations can be found on the NHMRC  List of MRFF Eligible Organisations webpage