Investigator Grants 2026

Objective:

The NHMRC Investigator Grant scheme aims to support the research programs of outstanding investigators at all career stages. It consolidates salary and research support into a single grant, providing flexibility for investigators to pursue new research directions and collaborations as they arise.

Intended Outcomes:

• Enable innovative and creative research.
• Provide opportunities for researchers at all career stages to establish and maintain their own research programs.
• Reduce the application and peer review burden on researchers.

Target Beneficiaries:

• Outstanding investigators in medical research across all career stages.
• Applicants must be affiliated with NHMRC-approved Administering Institutions in Australia (ACT, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, NT, TAS).

Funding Details:

• Total funding available: AUD 420,000,000.
• The grant includes a salary component (if required) and a research support package.

Application Process:

• Applications must be submitted electronically via NHMRC’s online grants management system (Sapphire).
• Minimum data submission deadline: 5:00 pm ACT local time, Wednesday 2 July 2025.
• Full application close date: 30 July 2025, 5:00 pm ACT local time.
• Only applications from NHMRC-approved Administering Institutions are accepted.
• Applicants must comply with all requirements in the Investigator Grants 2026 Guidelines.

Key Features:

• Combines salary and research support into one grant for simplicity and flexibility.
• Supports a broad range of medical research fields.
• Encourages formation of collaborations and pursuit of new research directions.
• Designed to reduce administrative burden on researchers.

Contact and Further Information:

• NHMRC Research Help Centre: Phone 1800 500 983, Email help@nhmrc.gov.au
• Official website: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/find-funding/investigator-grants

This funding program is a major initiative to foster high-quality medical research in Australia by supporting researchers comprehensively through salary and research funding in a flexible, streamlined manner.