The Health Translation SA (HTSA) Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Catalyst Grant Scheme (Catalyst Scheme) provides targeted funding to develop a pipeline of collaborative research projects that address health system needs in South Australia and ultimately increase SA’s success at winning MRFF funding.

The Catalyst Scheme is different to existing state-based health research funding schemes in the following ways:

• It is multi-institutional and rewards meaningful collaboration across the health system, health service organisations and academic research organisations/institutes
• It focusses on consumer and/or clinician priorities to define and address an unmet health/healthcare need affecting health services in South Australia
• It supports projects that align with MRFF Principles and Priorities to demonstrate local impact with potential to scale beyond South Australia

Funding for the Catalyst Scheme is provided through generous support from The Hospital Research Foundation Group (THRF Group) the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation (WCH Foundation) and the Cancer Council SA (CCSA), contributing $240 000, $120 000 and $120 000, respectively.

Funding of $20,000 to $60,000 per project is available, for a maximum of 1-year.

Stream A: Chronic condition preventive health for priority populations: Addressing modifiable risk factors to improve health outcomes
Funds provided by THRF Group will support innovative and collaborative approaches in developing primary prevention interventions for chronic conditions that seek to improve health outcomes for priority population(s) by addressing modifiable risk factors.

Stream B: Maternal/Paediatric health and wellbeing
Funds provided by the WCH Foundation will support projects that address maternal and/or paediatric health and wellbeing, where maternal health and wellbeing includes issues relating to fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.

Stream C: Cancer
Funds provided by CCSA will support projects that address bowel, breast, or gynaecological cancers.

All applications must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. The Administering Institution must be a HTSA Partner 
2. The Principal Lead must hold a salaried position at the Administering Institution
3. The Principal Lead is only listed as a Principal Lead for ONE application to the HTSA MRFF Catalyst Grant Scheme
4. The application includes a maximum of up to 10 team members, of which one of these is designated as the Principal Lead
5. The Project Team must include:
   • team members holding salaried positions from AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT health service organisations, of which at least 1 must be SA-based
   • team members holding salaried positions from AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT academic research organisations/health and medical research institutes, of which at least 1 must be SA-based
   • AT LEAST ONE health consumer/community representative

6. The project can be delivered within 1 year of commencement.

In addition, applications must address the objectives of the Catalyst (refer to Section 2.0 in the Guidelines) and the stream-specific eligibility criteria (refer to Section 3.0 in the Guidelines), and will be assessed according to the process outlined in Section 5.0 of the Guidelines.

To view the full Guidelines, click here.

This Catalyst Scheme will follow a multi stage application process.

• EOI will be invited in the first instance. EOI have now closed for 2024. Please join our mailing list for updates about future funding rounds. 
• Following the submission of an EOI, applicants who are successful in progressing to the next round of the selection process will be contacted in due course. These applicants will then be invited to submit a full application.
• The project must be delivered within 1 year of commencement.

Key Documents

2024 Guidelines

2024 Launch Webinar Recording

2024 Frequently Asked Questions

MRFF Materials

• MRFF Principles
• MRFF Priorities 
• MRFF Initiatives
• Principles for consumer involvement in research funded by the MRFF