MRFF – EMCR Initiative – 2026 Early to Mid-Career Researchers Grant Opportunity (GO8417)

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) –2026 Early to Mid-Career Researchers Grant Opportunity will support research to build and grow research capacity and capability in Australia by supporting Early to Mid-Career Researchers (EMCRs) to continue their health and medical research careers.

The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research and medical innovation projects that:

• Stream 1 (Incubator): conduct early stage, small scale research, led by early career researchers, that seeks to assess the potential and feasibility of novel strategies to address a critical or intractable health issue in one or more Priority Populations.
• Stream 2 (Accelerator): establish a large-scale interdisciplinary research program, led by mid-career researchers, that drives implementation of substantial improvements to health care and/or health system effectiveness for one or more Priority Populations.
• Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): utilise co-funding to accelerate the translation of research led by early or mid-career researchers into policy and practice. (Note: a priority population focus is not required).

The intended outcome of the research is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by: 

• Stream 1 (Incubator): supporting early career researchers to develop innovative solutions for addressing significant health challenges in Priority Populations.
• Stream 2 (Accelerator): supporting mid-career researchers to transform health practice and/or policy for Priority Populations.
• Stream 3 (Targeted Call for Research): supporting early to mid-career researchers to translate new health solutions into practice.

This grant opportunity is being administered by NHMRC on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Further information on the MRFF is available from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's MRFF website.