Research Project Grants Application & Guidelines

“Improving the Mental Health of 0-12 year olds”

Australian Rotary Health invites applications from individuals or research teams in clinical or public health fields for grants in support of research projects relating to IMPROVING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF 0-12 YEAR OLDS.

Guidelines can be downloaded here or viewed below.

EOI APPLICATION FORM HERE

Principal Goals of Australian Rotary Health

• To encourage, promote, stimulate and aid medical and health research in Australia
• To co-ordinate and manage Rotary health initiatives and community health projects
• To promote, encourage and stimulate public interest in the prevention and treatment of ill health in Australia

Information for Applicants:

• Expressions of Interest are initially requested. Closing date for EOI’s is 30^th June, 2025.
• Improving the Mental Health of 0-12 Year Olds Research Grant is available for 1, 2 or 3 years.
• The total budget for one year of funding MUST NOT exceed $100,000 + GST. Applications requesting more than $100,000 + GST per annum will not be considered.
• Grant funding will commence in February 2026 and quarterly thereafter. Payments will be sent directly to your administering institution.
• If you apply to another organisation for funding for the same project, and that application is successful, Australian Rotary Health must be notified immediately. Australian Rotary Health will only grant funding for separate components of the same project.
• Grant monies may not be used to fund any University administration fees or indirect costs payable during the course of the research.
• Funding cannot be used to pay a salary to a PhD scholar.
• Funding cannot be used to pay a salary to the Principal Investigator named on the application, only Co-investigators.
• Supply by Australian Rotary Health of grant monies constitutes a taxable supply, and as such will attract GST.
• Eligible applicants are restricted by Income Tax authorities to entities endorsed as a deductible gift recipient.
• The Expression of Interest (EOI) is submitted first.
• If invited to submit a full application, there are to be no changes allowed to the Principal Investigator.
• Principal investigators may only submit ONE Expression of Interest per year. Co-investigators may be named in more than one EOIs.
• Expressions of Interest and Applications will be assessed by a panel of experts. It is in your interest not to quote unpublished work or work which is not readily accessible in the current literature.
• Experimental studies without a comparison group will generally not be funded.
• Research investigating animal models will generally not be funded.
• Research primarily investigating outcomes for parents, carers or teachers will generally not be funded.

Eligibility Requirement:

• Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, have Australian Permanent Resident Status, or New Zealand Citizen, and not be under bond to any foreign government. Applicants are to provide a certified copy of resident status or citizenship with the full application, if short-listed (ie., passport/visa).
• To qualify, projects must be undertaken within a university, public hospital, research institute or other body within Australia approved under the Income Assessment Act.
• Projects must have a focus on improving the mental health of Australians aged 0-12.

Reports:

• Successful applicants will be required to submit an interim report in September of each year and are to be submitted on a prescribed form. These reports will be used for public relations and to assist the Research Committee if further funding is sought. A final and/or annual report is to be submitted on completion of the project or grant period.
• Australian Rotary Health will require a statement of expenditure signed by an authorised person.

Publications:

• All publications or presentations emanating from an approved project must acknowledge Australian Rotary Health and copies must be forwarded Australian Rotary Health.

Application Procedure:

• Applicants are required to submit an Expression of Interest before submitting a full application on request. To download the Expression of Interest, or to see application dates, please visit –  https://australianrotaryhealth.org.au/grant-eoi-form/
• Expressions of Interest will be reviewed by members of the Research Committee in July, 2025.
• Short-listed applicants will be requested to submit a full application, which includes a) Executive summary; b) Project aim(s); c) Significance of the project; d) Outcomes and implementation of research findings into practice; e) Background, research plan and timeline; f) Budget request; and g) Budget justification. Instructions for submission can be found in the application form.
• Applications will be reviewed by a full Research Committee in late October. Applications will be assessed on a) Scientific excellence of the project, including feasibility & innovation; b) Practical benefits to the mental health of the Community and c) Track record of the applicant(s).

Notification:

• All applicants will be notified in July 2025 to advise whether applicants have been short-listed or not. All short-listed applicants who submit a full application will be notified by email in November, 2025 to advise whether they have been successful, timing depending on the date when NHMRC and other funding bodies advise of successful grants.
• All applicants who are successful with a grant application to NHMRC or other funding body must advise Australian Rotary Health immediately.

For any enquires, please contact: Jenny Towe, Office Manager     Email: [email protected]       (02) 8837 1900