GO8450: Investigator Grants 2027

Investigator Grants provide the highest-performing researchers at all career stages with consolidated funding for their salary (if required) and a significant research support package (RSP).

The Investigator Grant Chief Investigator (CIA) has the flexibility to pursue important new research directions as they arise, adjust their resources accordingly, and to form collaborations as needed, rather than being restricted to the scope of a specific research project.

Funding for the program will be provided from the NHMRC Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA), which is underpinned by section 51 of the NHMRC Act.

The objectives of the Investigator Grant are: support the research program of the highest-performing investigators at all career stages consolidate salary and research support into a single grant scheme by offering a salary component (if required) and an RSP.

The intended outcomes of the Investigator Grant are: flexibility for investigators to pursue important new research directions as they arise and to form collaborations as needed innovative and creative research opportunities for researchers at all career stages to establish their own research programs reduced application and peer review burden on researchers.

Applications are only accepted from NHMRC Administering Institutions and may have one Chief Investigator, who is the CIA.

At the time of grant acceptance and throughout the grant, the CIA must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or hold an appropriate work visa.

The CIA must be based in Australia for at least 80% of the funding period, except Emerging Leadership Fellows, who must be based in Australia for at least 50% of the funding period.

The CIA may submit only one Investigator Grant application in the funding round, must select one category and level, and must justify the selected level.

Emerging Leadership applicants must, at application close on 2026-07-29, have held their PhD or equivalent for no more than 10 years from the date their thesis was passed, unless eligible career disruptions apply.

Applications must be electronically completed, certified by the CIA and the Administering Institution, and submitted through Sapphire by the deadline.