Investigator Grants

In this way, the Chief Investigator has 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.

Investigator Grants support:

• research across the 4 pillars of health and medical research:
  • biomedical
  • clinical
  • public health
  • health services research
• all career stages:
  • early career researchers
  • mid-career researchers
  • established researchers
• researchers with clinical responsibilities (such as clinicians, public health and allied health practitioners)
• full-time and part-time researchers.

Investigator Grants aim to:

• allow flexibility for investigators to pursue important new research directions as they arise and to form collaborations as needed
• foster innovative and creative research
• create opportunities for researchers at all career stages to establish their own research programs
• reduce application and peer review burden on researchers.

Improved flexibility for all Investigator Grant holders;

In response to sector feedback, NHMRC has improved flexibility for Investigator Grant CIAs who experience career disruptions during the term of their grant. Along with other flexibility options outlined in the Grantee Variations Policy, CIAs will also have the option to redirect salary funds to their grant’s research support package, or to extend the term of their grant pro-rata, for up to an additional 2 years (for instance, up to a 7-year grant term) (see section 3.3 and 12.3 of the Investigator Grants 2026 Guidelines). Questions relating to submission of grant variation requests, and guidance on individual circumstances should be addressed to NHMRC’s Post Award team at postaward.management@nhmrc.gov.au.

Working towards gender equity in Investigator Grants

The Investigator Grant scheme continues to set the standard for gender equity by implementing special measures under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to address systemic disadvantage faced by female and non-binary applicants. This includes using structural priority funding for women at the Emerging Leadership levels of the scheme (EL1 and EL2) to the extent necessary to achieve gender equity targets, and awarding equal numbers of grants by gender at Leadership levels (L1, L2 and L3).

This approach is expected to address gender disparities for women by:

• maintaining a strong pipeline of female researchers in the early and mid-career stages
• ensuring that women continue to be funded at later career stages in sufficient numbers to be visible
• making it attractive to recruit, retain and support women so that they may achieve the level of success that makes intervention unnecessary.

Funding support

Investigator Grants may be funded by or in conjunction with other organisations. These grants offer opportunities to researchers whose work is particularly relevant to the priorities and research interests of the partner organisations.

Information on how organisations and individuals can support NHMRC to fund health and medical research is available at Working together to support health and medical research.

Investigator Grants 2027 dates:

• The Investigator Grants 2027 round opens for applications on Wednesday 3 June 2026.
• Minimum data is due on Wednesday 1 July 2026 17:00 AEST.
• PhD census date is the close of applications.
• Applications will close on Wednesday 29 July 2026 17:00 AEST.
• Conflict of interest and suitability declarations will occur in mid to late August 2026.
• Anticipated peer review period is early August – November 2026.
• Outcomes are expected to be advised under embargo in March 2027.