Funding Sources Overview

Understanding the global landscape of health and medical research funding

This overview provides insight into the major funding bodies and programs that support health workforce, digital health, healthcare technology, and innovation research globally. Understanding these funding sources can help researchers and organizations identify the most suitable opportunities for their projects.

Australian Government Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

  • Primary health and medical research funder in Australia
  • Supports investigator grants, ideas grants, and targeted calls for research
  • Strong emphasis on improving health outcomes and capacity building

Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)

  • Strategic government investment in health and medical research
  • Prioritises translation of research into clinical practice, innovation, and commercialization
  • Often delivered through targeted funding rounds

Australian Research Council (ARC)

  • Funds research across all academic disciplines except clinical medicine
  • Supports discovery research, fellowships, and centres of excellence
  • Emphasises academic excellence and collaboration

Other Federal/State Initiatives

  • Includes innovation and industry-focused programs
  • Examples: CSIRO initiatives, state-level health innovation funds, and digital health pilot schemes

Philanthropic and Corporate Foundations

Wellcome Trust

  • UK-based foundation with global health priorities
  • Focus on discovery research, infectious disease, mental health, and climate-health interactions

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

  • Global scope with strong emphasis on infectious disease, maternal and child health, and global development
  • Invests in high-risk, high-reward research and global collaborations

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

  • Funds biomedical research, open science platforms, and data-sharing initiatives
  • Prioritises long-term infrastructure for global scientific collaboration

Other Philanthropic Bodies

  • Multiple smaller foundations supporting health, innovation, and community outcomes
  • Often focus on niche areas or regional priorities

Multilateral Development Banks and UN Agencies

World Bank

  • Provides development financing and technical assistance globally
  • Supports health system strengthening, infrastructure, and policy reforms

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

  • Regional development bank supporting health, education, and digital innovation
  • Funds large-scale regional collaborations and infrastructure projects

United Nations Agencies

  • WHO, UNICEF, UNDP among others
  • Provide programmatic and research funding linked to global health priorities, equity, and sustainability

International Collaborative Funding Programs

Horizon Europe

  • European Union's main research and innovation funding program
  • Open to international collaboration, including with Australian researchers
  • Focus on health, digital transformation, and global challenges

National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA)

  • World's largest biomedical research funder
  • Supports investigator-led and programmatic grants
  • Collaborative opportunities for international teams

Other Regional and Sector-Specific Programs

Industry-Driven Initiatives

  • Digital health accelerators, commercialization funds, startup incubators

University-Linked Programs

  • Seed funding, fellowships, and partnerships to build research capacity

Specialist Programs

  • Targeted support for Indigenous health, equity initiatives, and climate-health research