Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: Up to $450,000
- Application opened: 30 March 2026
- Application closes: 31 July 2026, 5:00 pm
Program objective
- Foster research excellence and increase the number of outstanding cardiovascular researchers in NSW.
- Fund research that improves wellbeing and health outcomes.
- Embed high-quality, innovative cardiovascular research in the NSW health system.
- Encourage collaboration, leadership, and capacity building in the NSW research environment.
- Support NSW researchers to leverage national funding opportunities to further research and its translation in NSW.
- Bridge the gap between research, policy and practice to increase research impact and translation.
This program is administered by NSW Health.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Who can apply
To be eligible to apply, you must be cardiovascular researchers who:
- will be based in NSW and have the right to work in NSW for the duration of the grant (3 years)
- will be employed by an eligible host organisation for the duration of the grant, which must be in NSW, conduct health and medical research and be a university, medical research institute, not-for-profit organisation, local health district or other public health organisation
- may be clinicians, including medical, nursing, and allied health professionals. Clinicians may use up to 50% of the grant to backfill their clinical role, with appropriate justification
- an early-mid career researcher who is less than 15 years postdoctoral and who has not reached full professor level. Associate Professors may apply as early-mid career researchers if they are less than 15 years post-doctoral.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Types of projects funded under this grant
The program funds researchers working in cardiovascular research across basic science, biomedical, clinical medicine and health services research, data science, and population health research. Grants also support research towards the development of novel therapeutics.
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.
What costs you can't apply for
What can’t you apply for
Funds awarded cannot 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.
Funds awarded cannot be used to support research conducted outside of NSW.
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
- Review your application to ensure you are satisfied with it.
- Ensure you uploaded the research protocol and signed declaration form while working through the application in SmartyGrants
- Submit your application:
- Go to the 'Review and Submit' page of the application form.
- Click the ‘Submit’ button located at the top of the page.
- You will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your submitted application attached. This will be sent to the email you used to register your account.
- If you cannot locate the email in your inbox, please check your spam and junk email folders. If you do not receive an email, you should presume that your submission has NOT been submitted and click the ‘submit’ button again.
- Await the application outcome.
- Once your final application has been submitted, no further editing is possible.
- If you need any help with your application, please contact the Research Grants Team at the Office for Health and Medical Research: https://nswhealth.medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/s/contact-us
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Address the assessment criteria
Chief Investigator 40%
Research Project and Team 40%
Skill development, leadership and capacity building 20%
Start the application
- Download and read the grant guidelines
- Create an account with SmartyGrants
- Draft your application, including research protocol on the template provided in SmartyGrants
- Provide your Host Organisation and Administering Organisation with a copy of your application and obtain their approval (via signature on the certification template)
- Submit your application (and any supporting documents) in SmartyGrants
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
Apply now
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for Medical Research
Step 1: Eligibility check
Following the closing date for applications, NSW Health will determine if each application has satisfied the eligibility criteria.
Step 2: Review by expert panel
An independent panel of expert reviewers will assess each eligible application against the selection criteria.
Step 3: Funding recommendation
The expert panel will agree on the final ranking of all eligible applications and will make recommendation for funding to NSW Health.
Step 4: Decision and notification
NSW Health will determine grant recipients and amounts. All applicants will be informed as to whether they have been awarded funding. The decision is final and may not be appealed.
Step 5: Grant agreements and payment
NSW Health will contact host/ administering organisations for successful projects to execute a funding agreement. A standard, non-negotiable funding agreement will be used.
Support and contact
Research Grants Team
Office for Health and Medical Research
Contact Us: https://nswhealth.medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/s/