Health Research Council Programme Grants (New Zealand)

The group should have a strategic, long-term vision that will contribute to significantly improving health outcomes for New Zealanders.

Health Research Council Programme Grants have a 5-year term and a budget of up to $5,000,000. They are intended to provide support for the long-term development of a research field by a group of established investigators, with an outstanding track record of achievement. Collaboration between research groups and institutions is encouraged. Programmes will focus on specific research objectives that deliver outputs and outcomes with a pathway to impact, rather than inputs. The HRC supports research programmes with strategic, long-term visions that promote development of knowledge relevant to the health needs of New Zealand.

Programmes require three or more established researchers who are responsible for the scientific direction and quality of the research. A successful funding history of peer-reviewed contracts and knowledge translation by the proposed named investigators is required. Named investigators will also be expected to have had an outstanding track record of achievement in health research and to provide support for those seeking training in health research. Salaries of investigators within a research programme do not need to be funded by the Council, but each named investigator is expected to devote a substantial and specified portion of time to the research programme.

Programme Categories

• Applicants must select one of the following programme categories:
  • Rangahau Hauora Māori Programme: Supporting Māori health research that upholds rangatiratanga and utilises and advances Māori knowledge, resources, and people.
  • General Programme: Supporting excellent ideas and innovations proposed by researchers, designed to improve health and wellbeing outcomes, equitably, for New Zealanders. This includes research that might be submitted through Pacific or Health Delivery investment categories that are separate in other HRC award types.

 Funding Information

• Up to $5 million is available over five years.
• In this context, any health research Project of similar value and term to an HRC Project, typically $1,200,000 for 3 years, from an agency that allocates funds using internationally accepted contestable processes and peer review, e.g. Marsden fund; MBIE Endeavour fund; National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia); National Institutes of Health (US); and Medical Research Council (UK). Only HRC Projects awarded in the annually contestable funding round, similar value HRC Partnership projects, but not Feasibility Study Grants, Emerging Researcher First Grants, HRC Fellowships and awards less than $500,000, qualify for inclusion in these requirements. Grants valued at around $800,000 due to a lower overhead could also be considered for inclusion.

Research Programme Qualifying Parameters

• It is recognised that awarding of programme status in any funding round may be restricted based on available funds. As such, the funding of a programme will be based on its ability to deliver quality research outcomes and potential impacts. Applicants should therefore ensure that their proposal demonstrates that their research programme can meet the following parameters:
  • Māori health advancement: The research group’s policies, general activities and research proposal with respect to Māori health advancement should be evident.
  • Host organisation: The group of researchers applying for a programme should have strong support from their respective host organisation(s).
  • Research team: It is the intent of the HRC to foster collaborative research efforts of multiple investigators. Evaluation of any programme will consider the strength of each member of its team of researchers. Named investigators should have an extensive track record of achievement (including peer-reviewed research contracts and publications).
  • Qualifying research: Programmes should represent a substantive body of ongoing research, i.e. encompassed in a minimum of three distinct objectives addressing a common theme.
  • Strategic nature of the proposed research programme: Priority will be given to the establishment of strategic research programmes that demonstrate a collaborative approach to improvements in health. Priority will also be given to programmes which demonstrate welldeveloped links from basic/fundamental to applied health research, and which are likely to impact on the health of New Zealanders.
  • International competitiveness of the research: Preference will be given to research that is at the forefront of international research efforts, i.e. research areas in which New Zealand is at a particular advantage or which are ‘leading edge’ within their respective discipline.
  • Collaboration: Interaction with other research groups, and if appropriate, connection with health services providers and the health policy development process are desirable.
  • Training: Opportunities for young investigators should exist or be developed within the programme.

Eligibility Criteria

• If you’re applying as the director (or co-director) of an HRC Programme Grant, you’ll need to have New Zealand as your principal domicile and place of employmen and set aside at least 20 per cent full-time equivalent (FTE) of your time on the programme. There are also other specific requirements that you’ll need to meet (see the 2024 Programme application guidelines for all the details).
• They welcome proposals with co-directors and acknowledge the range of leadership skills and experience required to optimise the potential impact of a Programme Grant. In this context, the eligibility requirements apply to the director and co-director, individually or combined.
• Note: Host organisations are responsible for ensuring that New Zealand is the principal domicile and place of employment of the applicant. By submitting an application, the host is satisfied that this condition has been met.

Programme Director Requirements

• Resourcing a team with $5,000,000 of taxpayers’ investment requires a significant degree of accountability to be demonstrated with regard to managing the size and complexity of an HRC programme. A proven record of managing projects of a sizeable nature is therefore required.
• A proposed programme director must meet one of the following requirements:
  • Director on a current HRC programme contract with no more than one year to run, i.e. director of a current programme contract that will expire before; or
  • Director on a current HRC programme contract which had an original end date before 13 October 2024 and:
    • has been extended due to the impacts of COVID-19 with a new end date before 13 October 2025;
    • AND has a significantly reduced programme of work to be completed in the period of the extension. The HRC will assess each case and will have the final say on whether the extension meets the judgement of ‘significantly reduced’. This will include limited milestones to be completed and a significant reduction in the overall team FTE, including that of the director.
  • Director of an HRC programme contract in the past five years, i.e. director of a programme contract that expired after 13 October 2018.
  • First named investigator on at least two HRC, or comparable national or international agency Project contracts that are current or have expired in the 24 months before 13 October 2023; i.e. a track record of current or recent research funding and experience in managing several research activities with other researchers.
  • First named investigator on one HRC, or comparable national or international agency Project contract, that is current or completed in the 12 months before 13 October 2023, and proposing to lead a programme team consisting of at least two other first named investigators on Project contracts from the HRC, or comparable national or international agency, that are current or completed in the 24 months before 13 October 2023; i.e. has recent or current research funding, teamed with at least two other researchers with recent or current funding, and collectively managing several projects with related themes.
  • Director on an application that was shortlisted for and assessed by the Programme Assessing Committee in the previous round.

For more information, visit Health Research Council Programme Grants.