The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is committed to improving health outcomes for people living in regional, rural and remote (RRR) Australia by supporting health and medical research that benefits local people and communities.
There is a strong history of high quality and innovative health and medical research in RRR areas, but ongoing challenges remain in building and sustaining the RRR research workforce. To address this, NHMRC is pleased to announce the Regional, Rural and Remote Capacity Building grant opportunity 2026.
This initiative will pilot the provision of competitive funding to enable established RRR researchers to lead and mentor early- to mid-career researchers, support emerging researchers (including clinicians) to become future research leaders, and invest in high quality place-based research that delivers benefits for RRR communities.
The grant opportunity is expected to open for applications in mid-2026. Grants will receive $5 million over a 7-year period, allowing research teams time to deliver and embed real change for their community. The grant opportunity will have 2 streams – a general stream for researchers in regional, rural or remote areas, and a rural and remote specific stream.
This initiative builds on NHMRC’s other activities to support RRR research, including dedicated funding within the Collaborations in Health Services Research Grant Opportunity and funding the RRR based Research Translation Centres. It has been developed in consultation with sector stakeholders and NHMRC principal committees, including the Public Health and Health Systems Committee and Research Committee.
Current application data show that while relatively few NHMRC grant applications focus specifically on RRR health, these applications are just as successful as those overall. This highlights both the quality of existing RRR research and the need to support a larger and more sustainable pipeline of RRR researchers into the future.
Nearly one third of Australia’s population lives in RRR areas and experiences poorer health outcomes on average, including lower life expectancy and higher rates of illness. Strengthening a well connected health and medical research workforce that understands the unique needs of RRR communities is essential to ensuring research delivers real, locally relevant benefits. NHMRC recognises that no 2 RRR communities are the same, and that place based research is central to advancing health equity.
Quotes attributable to NHMRC CEO, Professor Steve Wesselingh:
"This new grant opportunity is about building on the expertise and innovation that already exists in our regional, rural and remote areas.
"We are committed to supporting established leaders and fostering the next generation of researchers who understand the unique needs of their communities.
"Almost a third of Australians live outside our major cities, and it’s essential that their voices and experiences shape the future of health research. This initiative is a step forward in building a healthier, more equitable Australia."