Status: Closed

Find out information about the aims, funding, key dates, resources and contacts for the NHMRC Targeted Call for Research Grants.

Targeted Call for Research: Climate-related health and improving outcomes

The TCR: Climate-related health impacts and effective interventions to improve health outcomes 2024 would aim to fund research into better understanding the current and future impacts of climate change on the health and wellbeing of Australians and on health system demand. Proposed research projects will identify key areas of vulnerability and effective interventions to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities in Australia. The design and implementation of interventions based on this research would reduce health system demands and costs in the long-term, increasing national resilience to climate-related threats to health and the economy.

The objectives of the TCR: Climate-related health impacts and effective interventions to improve health outcomes 2024 are to build a stronger evidence base on:

  • The effectiveness of targeted interventions addressing current and future risks of climate change on the health and wellbeing of Australians and on Australia’s health system
  • The health impacts of climate change on key Australian population groups in vulnerable situations.

The intended outcomes of the TCR: Climate-related health impacts and effective interventions to improve health outcomes 2024 are:

  • Expand Australian research capacity in climate change and health
  • Accelerate implementation of evidence-based interventions targeted to an Australian setting
  • Reduce health impacts associated with climate-related hazards and events in Australia, including a reduction in health inequities
  • Reduce the impacts of climate change on the Australian health system

The TCR: Climate-related health impacts and effective interventions to improve health outcomes 2024 will not support:

  • Research based entirely overseas (out of Australia); international collaboration should show local context and demonstrate relevance
  • Research that is purely observational and doesn’t specifically lead to an intervention that can be tested

A TCR: Climate-related health impacts and effective interventions to improve health outcomes 2024 grant application may seek funding (not exceeding $1 million in total) for a research project being delivered for a duration between 1–5 years

Applicants can only apply as CIA on one application to the TCR: Climate-related health impacts and effective interventions to improve health outcomes 2024 grant opportunity. Applicants who wish to apply as a CI on a second application can do so as CIB-CIJ, ensuring that they are listed as CIA on one application only.

Aim

A Targeted Call for Research (TCR) is a one-time solicitation for grant applications to address a specific health issue. A TCR specifies the scope and objectives of the research to be proposed, application requirements and procedures, and the review criteria to be applied in the evaluation of applications submitted in response to the TCR. In alignment with the overarching goals of NHMRC's Strategic Plan, a TCR will stimulate or greatly advance research in a particular area of health and medical science that will benefit the health of Australians.

TCRs complement NHMRC's existing suite of funding schemes by funding priority research in defined areas of need and when urgent research needs emerge.

It is important for any Targeted Call for Research (TCR) that you consult the NHMRC Statement on consumer and community involvement in health and medical research. In a TCR, strong working relationship and consultation with the community, consumers and end-users is a requirement.

Funding varies per Targeted Call for Research.

Changes to DVCR Co-Funding

For NHMRC grants 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 NHMRC 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 NHMRC funding scheme, we need to find a mechanism to ensure all successful NHMRC grants can be supported. As context, since 2015, our application volume for NHMRC 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 NHMRC funding to support their research, hence the need to make changes to meet the growing volume of awards.

Eligibility for DVCR Co-Funding

Eligibility for the DVCR Co-Funding Scheme is now contingent upon on-time submission of grant applications by your mandatory compliance and eligibility check. Many applications for external funding require cash and in-kind contributions from the host institution in order to be considered for funding. This funding includes project support funds, funding for research associates, scholarships, and major equipment and in most cases is processed via the DVCR Co-Funding scheme. View further information on deadlines, processes and FAQs

  • Applications led by Macquarie University researchers must be submitted to the Research Services Grant Development Team 4 weeks prior to the external deadline if requesting an optional strategic review and 2 weeks prior for a mandatory compliance and eligibility check. Please refer to the fellowships and grant opportunities webpage for information on deadlines and processes.
  • Applications that do not have a Pure record and/or do not have all the appropriate approvals in Pure (Head of Department/School [HoD/HoS] and Deputy Dean of Research and Innovation [DDRI]) will not be submitted to the external funding body. It is the lead applicant’s responsibility to ensure the approvals in Pure are complete prior to submission.
  • NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: 20 March 2024
  • Strategic review (optional): 15 April 2024, select your date and time in the booking calendar.
  • NHMRC minimum data deadline: 1 May 2024
  • Compliance and Eligibility check (mandatory): 29 April, 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 application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted via Pure.
  • Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11:59pm Sunday 12 May 2024
  • Research Services submission to NHMRC: Wednesday 15 May 2024
  • Outcomes expected: November 2024

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.

MQ Resources