Call for EOIs: Aboriginal Heart Health Grants (Australia)

Objectives

• Aboriginal Heart Health Grants aim to:
  • improve cardiovascular outcomes for Aboriginal peoples
  • increase the number of targeted Aboriginal cardiovascular research projects being undertaken in NSW
  • build the capacity of Aboriginal communities and researchers in cardiovascular focused research.

Areas of Research

• Funding will support researchers working in cardiovascular research across clinical medicine and health services research, data science, population health and implementation research.
• The term cardiovascular is used to encompass all diseases and conditions of the heart and blood vessels, including but not limited to:
  • coronary heart disease
  • stroke
  • heart failure
  • vascular disease and vascular health
  • cardiovascular complications of diabetes and obesity
  • major independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease
  • rheumatic heart disease
  • congenital heart disease
• Research funded under the Aboriginal Heart Health Grant round must satisfy the following criteria:
  • The project is targeted to improving cardiovascular outcomes specifically for Aboriginal peoples.
  • The targeted population needs to focus on Aboriginal peoples, which means the sample should entirely or mainly comprise Aboriginal peoples. Where a whole of population study is required, there must be a significant focus on Aboriginal peoples as a primary subgroup in the analysis.

Funding Information

• There are two funding streams:
  • Stream 1: Maximum grant of $750,000: to conduct a multidisciplinary project, which has undertaken a consultation process with Aboriginal communities to identify a need/priority and solution/innovation/strategy to be tested in the cardiovascular space. Feasibility studies can be included in this stream. Research in this stream can use quantitative and/or qualitative methods.
  • Stream 2: Maximum grant of $250,000: for earlystage developmental/exploratory research project, where a consultation process is required with Aboriginal communities to determine an identified priority/need, better understand its causes, and suggest solution(s)/innovation(s)/strategy(ies) to address the need in the cardiovascular space. This type of research should provide the groundwork for a feasibility study. Research in this stream can use quantitative and/or qualitative methods e.g. yarning interviews or circles with community or research participants.
• The grant requested should be appropriate for the type, stage and scale of research proposed.
• Duration: Aboriginal Heart Health Grants have a three-year duration.

Eligible Activities

• Grant funds can be directed to the following:
  • salary contributions to the research team
  • backfill for clinicians to quarantine research time
  • engagement of consultants and contract staff working on the projects
  • consumables
  • equipment
  • consultation activities, including domestic travel costs for researchers to engage with community and key stakeholders, catering costs and other meeting facilitation costs
  • reimbursement for research participants
  • publication costs
  • attendance fees and reasonable cost of accommodation and travel, if research findings are being presented at domestic
  • conferences/seminars
  • research translation activities
  • training and development costs related to the project.

Ineligible Activities

• Aboriginal Heart Health Grants must not be spent on:
  • capital works
  • general maintenance costs
  • organisational infrastructure or overheads
  • telephone/communication systems
  • basic office equipment, such as desks and chairs, rent and the cost of utilities.
  • international conference/seminar attendance fees and associated travel and accommodation expenses
  • domestic conference/seminar attendance fees and associated travel and accommodation expenses, if not presenting research findings
  • commercially-sponsored clinical trials
  • health services delivery costs and new services.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Lead Chief Investigator (and Co-Chief Investigator, where relevant) must be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia or have an appropriate working visa for the full term of the Grant.
• The research must be Aboriginal-led An Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person must lead the project as a Lead Chief Investigator.
• Non-Aboriginal researchers can apply for the grant as a Co-Chief Investigator with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Lead Chief Investigator.
• A maximum of two Chief Investigators is permitted under the Aboriginal Heart Health Grant round. Any additional investigators should be listed as Associate Investigators in the research team.
• For the duration of the grant, the Lead Chief Investigator (and Co-Chief Investigator, where relevant) must reside in NSW and be employed by an eligible host/administering organisation.
• The Lead Chief Investigator (and Co-Chief Investigator, where relevant) must satisfy the requirement that their research is in the field of cardiovascular research.
• Clinicians, including medical, nursing, allied health professionals, Aboriginal Health Workers and Aboriginal Health Practitioners are encouraged to apply.

Application Requirements

• The Lead Chief Investigator (and Co-Chief Investigator, where relevant) must complete the application form fully, attach all relevant and required documentation; agree to the declaration on the form and receive certification from the host/administering organisation.

For more information, visit NSW Government.