Grants-in-Aid
The Heart Foundation awards ‘Project’ funding in the form of Grants-in-Aid to teams of researchers for a specific piece of research or a component of a larger project. A Grant-in-Aid can help establish a researcher’s independent career. These awards can also provide an important source of funding to help researchers obtain the preliminary data and evidence required to be a contender for larger funding awards in future.
The Heart Foundation awards Grants-in-Aid to support biomedical, clinical or public health research relevant to cardiovascular disease and related disorders.
Research proposals are assessed according to relevance to cardiovascular disease or related disorders, scientific merit and the track record of the investigator(s). Grants of up to two years' duration are awarded. In 2012, Grant-in-Aid funding is valued at up to $65,000p.a.
In 2013, an opportunity exists for the Heart Foundation to co-fund a GIA with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). RACGP members are encouraged to apply for GIA funding, and should tick the approppriate box in the 'Supplementary Questions' form to indicate that they are a RACGP member.
The funding process
The Heart Foundation works in partnership with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to undertake the peer review process for Grant-in-Aid awards. Under this agreement, all applications will initially be assessed by the NHMRC for its scientific quality and merit.
In addition to the NHMRC application, researchers who wish to be considered for Heart Foundation funding must also submit a Supplementary Question form which addresses the projects feasibility and relevance to cardiovascular disease or its related disorders. This form can be downloaded below.
This arrangement means that cardiovascular research applications are assessed by a panel of experts in the field, brought together by the NHMRC. It also helps reduce the workload of volunteer assessors and as a result each application can be considered in more detail.
Furthermore this initiative significantly reduces the administration costs for the Heart Foundation thereby raising the amount of funding available for cardiovascular research to an unprecedented level. Most importantly, it will allow more Australian cardiovascular researchers to focus their time and talents on their research.
Information for applicants
Applications for Grant-in-Aid funding commencing in 2013 are now closed.
The next round of funding will open early next year.
Information for currently funded researchers
Grant-in-Aid Progress Report
Grant-in-Aid recipients are required to submit a Progress Report prior to 31 March the year after the end of the award and again two years after the end of the award.
Expenditure - Acquittal Form
The acquittal form should be completed and returned to the Heart Foundation as soon as possible after 31 December of the year in which the award is tenable. This report is to be received by the Heart Foundation Research Office no later than 31 March.
Acknowledgement of the Heart Foundation in publications
Award holders are expected to make the results of their research available through the usual scientific channels.
Where research supported by the Heart Foundation is published or receives media publicity, this support must be acknowledged and one copy of any reprints or published papers must be provided to the Heart Foundation Research Program.
Acknowledgements should be worded as such:
'This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid ([Award Reference No.]) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.'
Where applicable, co-funding partners must also be acknowledged.
For any further information regarding Grants-in-Aid, please contact the Research Program team.