Funding
Funding for health and medical research is available from a broad range of sources in Western Australia. This page contains information about the major funding organisations and programs available.
Future Health Research and Innovation Fund
The Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund is a Western Australian sovereign wealth fund that supports health and medical research, innovation and commercialisation activities. Backed by the WA Government, the FHRI Fund provides funding for research, innovation and commercialisation in the health and medical research sector.
The FHRI Fund releases funding programs in 3, 4-monthly cycles, opening in March, July and November each year, and is administered by the Department of Health which provides advice and services relating to health and medical research and innovation in Western Australia.
Research Institute Support Program
The Research Institute Support (RIS) program provides indirect research cost funding to eligible medical research institutes in Western Australia based on success in national and international competitive grant schemes.
Indirect costs of research refer to the resources essential for supporting high-quality research, where these resources are not directly funded by research grants. Examples are shared laboratory supplies and equipment, occupancy costs, equipment and facilities maintenance, IT and data management and support staff.
Healthway
Healthway is the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation. Established through tobacco control legislation in 1991, it operates under the Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation Act 2016. Healthway’s mission is to inspire Western Australians, especially young people, to live healthier lives. It achieves this by funding and supporting various initiatives related to sports, arts, community activities, health promotion projects, and research.
Lotterywest
Lotterywest is uniquely the only government owned and operated lottery in Australia, and it plays a vital role in supporting research and community initiatives across the state. Through its grant programs, Lotterywest provides funding to organisations working on impactful projects in various sectors. These grants support research initiatives related to health, education, arts, culture, and community development. Lotterywest’s support for health and medical research is primarily delivered through Healthway.
WA Child Research Fund
The WA Child Research Fund (WACRF) is a joint initiative of the Department of Health and the Channel 7 Telethon Trust to fund health and medical research that focuses on the health of children and adolescents in Western Australia.
Projects may be awarded up to $600,000, must be conducted over a maximum of 36 months and are selected on competitive merit.
National Health and Medical Research Council
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is a vital institution in Australia’s health and research landscape. Its core mission is to enhance the nation’s health and well-being by supporting groundbreaking research. The NHMRC achieves this through a robust grant system, which funds research projects based on scientific merit.
Australian Research Council
The Australian Research Council (ARC) is the primary non-medical research funding agency of the Australian Government, distributing more than $800 million in grants annually. Established by the Australian Research Council Act 2001, it provides competitive research funding to academics and researchers at Australian universities.
As a Commonwealth entity, the ARC operates independently and reports to the Minister for Education. Its core mission is to support high-quality research across the country and globally, fostering innovation, knowledge, and community benefit.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) funds various programs and initiatives to support innovation and research. These include opportunities for start-ups, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), publicly funded researchers, and large organisations. Researchers can collaborate with CSIRO to advance their work and contribute to real-world impact.
CSIRO strategically allocates funding to areas aligned with national priorities, such as climate change mitigation, agriculture, health, advanced manufacturing, and digital technologies. Its impact extends beyond academia, benefiting agriculture, health, and industry transformation. CSIRO’s commitment to research excellence and innovation continues to shape Australia’s scientific landscape and positively impact lives worldwide.
New Industries Fund
The $25.8 million New Industries Fund is aimed to support collaboration and relationships between innovators in Western Australia through a variety of grants and programs.
Western Australian Venture Support (WAVES) program
Through the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation the WAVES grant program has been initiated to provide recipients with venture capital to get their start-up off the ground in WA.
Commercialisation Bridge Grant
The Commercialisation Bridge Grant (CBG) is a competitive Western Australian government grant, funded through the $25.8 million New Industries Fund.
Launching for the first time in 2023-24, the CBG has been designed to assist WA innovators in bridging the gap - the so-called ‘Valley of Death’ - between a commercialised innovation and a sustainable, scalable business, creating more jobs and economic diversification for Western Australia.
Innovation Booster Grant
The Innovation Booster Grant (IBG) is a competitive funding grant, designed to provide WA-based startups and small businesses with the financial boost needed to access professional skills, services or knowledge, to advance their innovative idea, project or commercial activity in Western Australia.
X-TEND WA Program
The X-TEND WA grants program is designed to build capability within our innovation community by funding education programs supporting innovators and investors, as well as encouraging programs and initiatives that particularly focus on regional, Indigenous and female founders.
Alzheimer’s Research Australia
Alzheimer’s Research Australia conducts significant Alzheimer’s research in a state-of-the-art research facility, supporting collaborative research with university partners while providing research governance and support activities that allow researchers to focus on research that delivers impact and better outcomes.
Australian Rotary Health
Australian Rotary Health (ARH) is one of the largest mental health research charities in Australia. Supported by a network of Rotary Clubs across the country, ARH funds research projects that directly benefit the community. Their mission is to support healthier minds, bodies, and communities through research, awareness, and education. They prioritise high-quality research and provide funding for a broad range of general health areas. Additionally, ARH offers scholarships for rural medical and nursing students as well as Indigenous health students.
Cancer Council WA
Cancer Council WA is Western Australia’s largest charitable funder of cancer research, with a range of funding opportunities to students, early career, mid-career, and senior researchers. Cancer Council WA also provides cancer support, prevention, and resources for the general community.
Charlies Foundation for Research
Charlies Foundation For Research primarily funds medical research located at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth. The foundation provides seed funding for patient-focused research projects by up-and-coming researchers to support their research journey in developing medical advancements.
Fiona Wood Foundation
The Fiona Wood Foundation, formerly the McComb Foundation aims to support and conduct research and education to reduce negative effects associated with a burns admission and long-term recovery.
Heart Foundation
The Heart Foundation is a trusted peak body in Australia, established in 1959. Its mission is to improve heart disease prevention, detection, and support for all Australians. The foundation funds cardiovascular research, supports health professionals, develops health promotion activities, educates the public, and assists people with cardiovascular disease. The Heart Foundation's extensive research networks and partnerships foster innovation and collaboration in the fight against heart disease.
Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation
Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation is the official and largest fundraiser for Perth Children’s Hospital. Their grant funding has led to significant discoveries, shaping the care provided to children today and transforming child health for the future. It is also one of the leading research funders for the Child and Adolescent Health Service in WA.
Raine Medical Research Foundation
The Raine Medical Research Foundation was established by Mary Raine to support all facets of health and medical research to support better health outcomes. As the foundation supports a full variety of research disciplines, there are several funding programs and support programs available.
Royal Perth Hospital Medical Research Foundation
The Royal Perth Hospital Medical Research Foundation provides research funding primarily for the Royal Perth Hospital and East Metropolitan Health service. The Foundations has supported notable breakthroughs such as Barry Marshall's H. pylori bacteria research and Fiona Wood's spray on skin burns treatment.
Spinnaker Health Research Foundation
The Spinnaker Health Research Foundation aims to assist finding chronic health treatments and improving community health outcomes by investing in research that responds to the critical health needs of the south metropolitan region of Perth.
Women and Infants Research Foundation
The Women and Infants Research Foundation (WIRF) is one of Australia’s leading independent research institutions dedicated to improving the health of women, infants, reproductive, and women’s mental health. WIRF now focuses its research across three principal research areas: the prevention of preterm birth, gynaecological cancers, and women’s mental health.
Brandon Capital
Brandon Capital is a venture capital fund specialising in supporting the growth of health and medical innovators. With an expansive portfolio extending internationally, Brandon Capital collaborates with entrepreneurs to allow for innovation and growth in the health and medical sector.
Managed by Brandon Capital, Brandon BioCatalyst supports the development and commercialisation of early-stage biomedical discoveries originating from member research organisations, providing both capital and expertise to guide the successful development of new therapies.
Brandon BioCatalyst is a unique collaboration of investors, CSL, government and more than 50 leading medical research institutes and hospitals united by a single purpose: generating cutting edge, next generation medical therapies and technologies to improve health and save lives.
To date, Brandon BioCatalyst has supported more than 50 promising start-up companies, with more than 85 per cent of them founded by the first investment from Brandon BioCatalyst.
FundWA
FundWA is a venture capital fund in Western Australia that invests in technology-enabled innovative businesses during their early stages. Supported by the Government of Western Australia, FundWA aims to back local innovators and help them scale beyond the earliest stage, taking their technology and innovation into new markets.
The team at FundWA brings expertise in areas such as commercial and corporate legal matters, governance systems, intellectual property protection, and business structuring. FundWA is committed to nurturing Western Australian innovation and supporting local talent on their journey to success.
Purpose Ventures
Purpose Ventures is a Perth-based venture capital fund that supports purpose-driven founders. They invest in companies aligned with a greater purpose, aiming to make a positive impact on the world. Their relational approach and industry-agnostic focus empower purpose-driven entrepreneurs to create meaningful change.
Tattarang
The Tattarang group was founded by Andrew and Nicola Forrest to invest in Australian business and are the driving force behind the Minderoo Foundation. With a passion for environmental and social issues, Tattarang proudly provides venture capital support to a variety of areas, including health technology.
Tenmile
Tenmile is a health technology investment business owned by Tattarang, one of Australia’s largest private investment groups. With an initial capital allocation of $250 million, Tenmile invests in early-stage companies, particularly those in digital health, immunology, oncolo gy, microbial resistance, and the microbiome. Their mission is to address unmet needs in human health and foster a globally significant health science and technology sector in Australia.
Venture Philanthropy
The WA Venture Philanthropy Fund by Social Ventures Australia (SVA) connects strategic philanthropists with high-impact organisations in Western Australia to address complex social issues. It aims to create a community of engaged philanthropists who collaboratively support ventures improving lives in WA. SVA’s evidence-based approach and strong networks contribute to systemic change, benefiting both philanthropists and social ventures.
Ian Potter Foundation
The Ian Potter Foundation plays a crucial role in advancing medical research by supporting leading Australian research institutes, universities, and teaching hospitals, the foundation aims to improve the treatment of major diseases. It provides grants for equipment and capital infrastructure, empowering outstanding research groups with the aim of improving the treatment of major diseases.
Notably, the foundation collaborates with renowned burns specialist Dr Fiona Wood at Royal Perth Hospital through the Cynthia Banham Burns Fellowship. This commitment to research contributes significantly to the well-being of Australians and fosters innovation in biomedical science.
McCusker Charitable Foundation
The McCusker Charitable Foundation provides financial support for medical research and scientific advancements in Western Australia. The foundation has a long history of supporting medical research in WA with institutes such as Lion's Eye, Ear Science Institute and Harry Perkins Institute all beneficiaries.
Minderoo Foundation
With a vision to value all people and natural ecosystems, the Minderoo Foundation provides a philanthropic hub for emerging global issues, community wellbeing, gender and equality progress and preservation for our oceans. The Minderoo Foundation also provides financial support for indigenous communities and cancer research.
Paul Ramsey Foundation
The Paul Ramsey Foundation collaborates with the Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation (RHRF), which funds high-quality and innovative research to improve patient outcomes and healthcare delivery across Australia. Established in 2017, RHRF enhances healthcare by challenging social, environmental, and societal factors that have historically driven health inequities. The foundation is also a key partner of the Origins project, led by the Telethon Kids Institute.
The Paul Ramsey Foundation is also a philanthropic partner of the Investment Dialogue for Australia's Children, which is a commitment between Government and philanthropic partners to improve the wellbeing of children, young people, and their families, by working with communities to make long-term, intergenerational change.
Stan Perron Charitable Foundation
The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, established in 1978 in Perth, Western Australia, focuses on improving the lives of Western Australian children. It provides community grants and supports health research projects aimed at enhancing children’s well-being.
The work of the foundation is made possible by the unique structure of the Perron Group. While operating as a conventional commercial entity on a day-to-day basis, since the passing of Stan Perron in 2018, the Perron Group exists as a permanent endowment for the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.
As set down by Stan Perron before his death, the Board and Management Team were instructed to put in place arrangements whereby each year, in perpetuity, a significant portion of annual profits can be made available to the Foundation for its philanthropic activity.
The Stan Perron Foundation is also a philanthropic partner of the Investment Dialogue for Australia's Children.
Telethon Trust
The Channel 7 Telethon Trust in Perth, Western Australia focuses on improving the lives of sick, vulnerable, and disadvantaged children. Since its establishment in 1968, the Trust has made an incredible impact through its fundraising efforts. The Trust raises money for over 100 beneficiaries each year, including institutions such as the Perth Children’s Hospital, the Telethon Clinical Research Centre, and the Telethon Kids Institute.