Applying for research funding with the Heart Foundation

What you need to know before applying
Heart Foundation funding is available for research in cardiovascular fields. Research must be conducted primarily in Australia with funding administered by approved NHMRC Administering Institution.  

Heart Foundation awardees are responsible for safeguarding the rights and welfare of human subjects involved in research and maintaining high standards for the humane treatment and welfare of animals used during the tenure of a Heart Foundation award.  

Research funded by the Heart Foundation shall be conducted under the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018).

The Heart Foundation does not fund researchers, research groups or institutions that have accepted money from the tobacco industry or persons connected with the tobacco industry.

All applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria to apply for funding. Before applying, please read the Heart Foundation Funding Guidelines for these criteria.

Applying for funding
Applications for all funding programs must be submitted via the Heart Foundation Self-Service Portal.   

The Heart Foundation Self-Service Portal is a one-stop resource for all Heart Foundation funded researchers, alumni and institutes to access funding, peer review, award management and alumni program functions. 

If you are having any issues with accessing the portal, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Application review 
All applications undergo a rigorous peer and consumer review process, as explained in detail the Research Program Funding Guidelines.

The Peer Review process is conducted by independent committees consisting of eminent cardiovascular researchers with broad research experience in areas including biomedical, clinical, public health and health services research.  

In the final stage of review, applications are also assessed by consumers, with this review running 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 assessment 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 
All funding recommendations are endorsed and approved by our Heart Foundation Research governance committees. After this process notifications are then sent to all successful and unsuccessful applicants and their institutes. Funding is announced publicly via media release with successful results detailed on our website.

Successful applicants will be required to complete an Acceptance of Award document 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.

Funding commences in the year following application rounds.