Applying for research funding with the Heart Foundation

What you need to know before applying 

Before submitting your funding application, please be aware of the following initial eligibility conditions:

• All research funded by the Heart Foundation must be conducted primarily in Australia and be related to cardiovascular health. 
• Applicants must be Australian or New Zealand citizens, or permanent residents, or must have applied to become an Australian permanent resident. 
• Research supported by the Heart Foundation must be administered by an NHMRC Administering Institution.  
• Ethics clearances (where required) need to be in place for the duration of the award. 
• We don’t fund researchers, research groups or institutions that have accepted money from the tobacco industry or persons connected with the tobacco industry. 

Each award requires applicants to meet specific eligibility criteria. Before applying, please read the details of these criteria and how to apply documents. 

For initial questions about applying, please contact the research office at your institution. 

Applying for funding 

Applications for all funding programs must be submitted via the Heart Foundation Portal.    

Please note the closing dates for award applications and ensure your application is submitted by 5pm on the closing date.  

Co-funding with the NHMRC

The Heart Foundation is proud to partner with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to ensure the funding of high impact cardiovascular research in Australia.

The current co-funding opportunities available with the Heart Foundation and NHMRC are partner funding opportunities for Scholarships. Applicants applying for NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship funding, are eligible to apply for the Heart Foundation’s PhD Scholarship. If the applicant is successful in both funding schemes, they have the option of accepting the NHMRC funding and a top-up salary funding from the Heart Foundation. Top-up funding amounts is relative to the NHMRC funding amount.

Peer Review  

Applications undergo a rigorous peer review process, as explained in detail the Research Program Funding Guidelines document. The process is conducted by independent Peer Review committees consisting of eminent cardiovascular researchers with broad research experience in areas including biomedical, clinical, public health, and health services research.   

The details and assessment of all applications are subject to privacy policies and laws, which we uphold.

Consumer Review

In 2021 the Heart Foundation is introducing consumer review panels across the funding portfolio. Applications will undergo a round of consumer review, that will run concurrently with peer review. Committees will consist of consumers of differing backgrounds, from those living with a heart condition, to their carers/family or friends, and health professionals.

The details and assessments of all applications are subject to privacy policies and laws, which we uphold.

For more information please check out the Research Program Funding Guidelines on the process for individual awards and our Consumer Guide for Researchers to assist you incorporating consumer involvement in your research plan.

Notification of results  

After review, a list of recommended awardees is submitted to our Research Committee for final approval. After they’re approved, the Research team sends out notifications to successful and unsuccessful applicants and their institutes.   

Successful applications will also be listed on our website.  

If successful, applicants will receive an Acceptance of Award document to complete and return to confirm acceptance. Once the Research team has received the completed Acceptance of Award, the funding agreement will be drafted and sent to the applicant and their institutes. 


Apply now

*Please note the application will only be available on the portal from the open date.