Partnership Projects

The Partnership Project funding scheme provides funding and support to create new opportunities for researchers and policy makers to work together to define research questions, undertake research, interpret the findings and implement the findings into policy and practice.

Key scheme information:

Partnership Projects answer a specific research question to influence health and wellbeing through changes in the delivery, organisation, funding and access to health services.
Applicants can apply throughout the year, with grant commencement date aligned with the timing of each peer review cycle (PRC).
Funding duration between one and five years.
Budget requests of up to $1,500,000 requiring eligible matched cash or in kind support from partnering organisations.
Applications are reviewed across three PRCs each year allowing research teams and partner organisations.

Back to:

National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Grants and Tenders

Eligibility

At the time of acceptance and for the duration of a grant the Chief Investigator ‘A’ (CIA) must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia or have an appropriate work visa in place. The CIA must also be based in Australia for at least 80% of the funding period.
Applicants are not allowed to submit the same or a substantially similar application in the same or another PRC until the outcome of their application is known (including outcomes under embargo).
Up to 10 Chief Investigators (CIs) and up to 10 Associate Investigators (AIs) can be named on the application.
The inclusion of at least one named Partner Investigator from each of the Partner Organisations is mandatory.
Relevant partnerships include government, private sector, non-government organisations and charities, community organisations, healthcare providers, and professional groups.
NHMRC will provide funding to an equal or lesser value of the funding committed by the Partner Organisation(s) identified in the application.
Eligible claims for cash or in kind commitments by Partner Organisations are stipulated in the grant guidelines.
Salary Support is not offered for CIs and AIs.

NHMRC Administering Institutions partner waiver

NHMRC-approved Administering Institutions (Administering Institutions) cannot be named as a partner on a Partnership Project application, unless they meet both of the following:

are an organisation which primarily delivers health policy and/or health services
obtain a waiver from NHMRC
Waiver Requests must be submitted by the NHMRC-approved Administering Institutions waiver due date published for each peer review cycle

An Administering Institution that is primarily involved in delivering health policy and/or health services can apply for a waiver. Requests for waivers need to be made through the Research Administration Office of the Administering Institution that is applying for the waiver, not the Administering Institution submitting the grant application.

Application timeline

Specific dates are published on ResearchLink or the NHMRC calendar. Partnership Projects run across 3, 12-week Peer Review Cycles each year beginning in January.

	Milestone	What is required
Peer Review Cycle begins	Applications open in Sapphire	Applicant to start Sapphire application. Notify nhmrc@flinders.edu.au that they are applying. Engage College-based Research Development and Support (RDS) as needed.
2 weeks before deadline	Minimum Data in Sapphire	Applicant must have lodged minimum data in the Sapphire system to continue with their application.
2 weeks before deadline	Compliance review deadline for RDS	Submit your application to Sapphire and the NHMRC grants team in RDS will check your eligibility and review application components against the grant guidelines for compliance.
1 week before deadline	Completed application in Sapphire	A completed application must be lodged in Sapphire so that the NHMRC grants team can make final checks and submit.
2 days before deadline	Sapphire certification deadline	Applicant must certify the application in Sapphire to submit their application to NHMRC.
Deadline for submission 4:30pm	Applications close in Sapphire	All applications will be submitted in Sapphire by the NHMRC grants (RAOs) team before the NHMRC deadline.

Application process

Before applications open

Discuss your plans to apply for a Partnership Projects Grant with your College Research Support team and notify the RDS NHMRC grants team to ensure that you receive information about upcoming rounds, grant development and review.
Attend Researcher Training and Development information sessions run throughout the year (see information about upcoming sessions and recordings of previous sessions here).
Register on GrantConnect to obtain all of the NHMRC documents and updates.
Create or update your NHMRC Sapphire account, including your "my profile" data for application submission.

When applications open

Review your eligibility to apply/hold a Partnership Projects Grant using the most recent grant guidelines.
Begin your NHMRC Partnership Projects Grant application in Sapphire and complete minimum data prior to the deadline.
Submit a ResearchNow application to obtain College approval for the submission of your application.
Discuss any support for internal or external quality or scientific review with your College Research Support team.
Meet the RDS internal review deadlines to ensure that your application satisfies the NHMRC eligibility requirements and to ensure that you have time to consider compliance reviews and incorporate feedback.
The RDS NHMRC grants team submits your application on behalf of the University to the NHMRC through Sapphire.