The community research priorities portal (the Portal) enables consumers, community or professional groups to submit research topics to NHMRC that may be underfunded or have a significant research knowledge gap.

Please note: The community research priorities portal is currently closed while improvements are being implemented.

A recent review of the Portal identified key areas for improvement in both the information provided and the associated processes. To maintain continuity, the existing process was retained for the 2025–26 cycle.  

A revised process, incorporating these improvements, is expected to be introduced in late 2026 to early 2027. This timing is intended to allow sufficient lead time for applicants preparing submissions for the cycle ending 30 June 2027.

If you would like to be notified when the Portal reopens, please email targeted.research@nhmrc.gov.au. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

NHMRC values the lived experiences of consumers and community organisations, and the contributions they can make to health and medical research. Consumer and community involvement in health and medical research is a strategic priority within the NHMRC Corporate Plan. 

The Portal allows consumers, community and professional groups to submit research topics that may warrant a dedicated funding call (grant opportunity), in the form of a Targeted Call for Research (TCR). 

A TCR is a one-time request for grant applications, designed to stimulate research or build research capacity in a particular area of health and medical science.

Research topics submitted through the Portal must detail:

  • the research knowledge gap or unmet need
  • the significance of the proposed topic
  • consultation and collaboration undertaken in identifying the research gap
  • how further research would benefit the health of Australians; and opportunities to build on existing research or government initiatives.

Making a submission

Guidance for making submissions will be available when the Portal reopens.

Please note: Research proposals developed or driven by academic researchers and research institutions cannot be considered through the Portal process, and should instead be submitted through other mechanisms. For example, in partnership with an NHMRC Administering Institution to one of NHMRC’s investigator-initiated grant opportunities, which include the Investigator Grants, Ideas Grants, Synergy Grants, Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies, Centres of Research Excellence, Development Grants and Partnership Projects schemes.

If you have any questions regarding the Portal, please email the Targeted Research Programs team at targeted.research@nhmrc.gov.au.

Review of submissions

The NHMRC Targeted Calls for Research (TCR) Prioritisation Working Committee includes members with broad scientific and consumer health and medical research expertise. The Committee conducts an annual review of submissions received through the Portal, using the Targeted Calls for Research Prioritisation Criteria Rubric and NHMRC research funding data. Following the assessment and prioritisation of submitted topics, the Committee provide recommendations to the NHMRC Research Committee on which topic/s warrant development into a TCR grant opportunity.

Notification of outcomes

Submitters will be notified of outcomes as soon as possible, which could occur after review by the various committees, as indicated in the indicative timeframes table above.

Previous submissions

Since its inception in 2016, NHMRC has received submissions on the following topics through the Portal. Topics highlighted in bold text have been selected to be developed into TCRs. Further details on these grant opportunities can be found on the Targeted Calls for Research page.

  • Anal Cancer in Australia
  • Advancing clinical trials for low-cost interventions for mitochondrial disease
  • Artificial stone silicosis
  • Better care in the community for people living with arthritis
  • Bone marrow failure syndromes
  • Breast density
  • Causes of endometrial cancer
  • Cerebral palsy management and treatment in adulthood
  • Childhood cancer research and treatment
  • Childhood dementia
  • Childhood respiratory diseases
  • Communication disorders in children and young people
  • Consumer and carer involvement in patient-centred mental health services
  • Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Dementia Research
  • e-mental health services for depression
  • Epidermolysis Bullosa
  • Falls and fracture prevention
  • Food allergy prevalence data, allergy diagnostics, treatments for food allergy and the potential mental health impacts
  • Gender dysphoria in transgender youth
  • Healthy lifestyle promotion and obesity prevention in pregnancy
  • Avoiding re-hospitalisation of individuals living with a chronic disease
  • Improving the health, wellbeing and lives of LGBTIQ+ people in Australia
  • Inclusion Body Myositis
  • Infection control in residential aged care facilities
  • Injury prevention research
  • Integrated Care to Address the Needs of People with Multimorbid Long-Term Conditions
  • Integration of targeted therapies for Asthma into standard clinical care
  • Involuntary Childlessness in Women's Health
  • Long Covid
  • Lyme-like illness (See TCR Debilitating symptom complexes attributed to Ticks)
  • Musculoskeletal conditions across the lifecourse
  • Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
  • Neuropathy and related neurodegenerative disorders
  • Oral health in Australia
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Patient reported outcomes of cancer survivors quality of life
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
  • Preventative healthcare measures for people with intellectual disability
  • Prevention of mental disorders
  • Recovery and rehabilitation of stroke survivors
  • School-based sleep education
  • Understanding and improving sleep health in Indigenous Australians
  • Understanding Migraine
  • Vision loss in Usher Syndrome
  • Women's Health Outcomes after Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Contact

Email: targeted.research@nhmrc.gov.au