Don’t miss out on applying for Health Translation SA’s impactful MRFF Catalyst Grant Scheme, opening in May 2024
HTSA’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Catalyst Grant Scheme (Catalyst Scheme) provides funding to highly collaborative South Australian teams in line with the MRFF’s Principles and Priorities, aiming to increase SA’s success at winning future MRFF funding.
In the Catalyst Scheme’s 2023 round, teams could apply for up to $60,000 (per project) for a maximum of 1 year through generous support from The Hospital Research Foundation Group and the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation. A total of six projects were funded.
The Catalyst Scheme differs from other state-based sources of funding by specifically focusing on projects that demonstrate meaningful collaboration across health services and research organisations. It also encourages consumer and clinician engagement to define and address an unmet healthcare need in South Australia and supports projects that align with the MRFF Principles and Priorities to enhance their team’s chance of success in future MRFF grant rounds. It is expected that a project funded through the Catalyst Scheme will result in an application to an MRFF Grant Opportunity.
Previous funding recipients have highlighted that, while the funding itself was beneficial, the process of applying for the grant also had a significant impact on how they viewed their projects.
Professor Tracey Wade was awarded funding to perform an economic evaluation of online family-based group treatment for children with an eating disorder.
“We’ve deepened our partnership with the Women’s and Children’s Hospital as we worked on the grant, and the process has given us valuable feedback for what would work for an MRFF submission in childhood eating disorders,” she explained.
Dr Sarah Hunter leads a project implementing an evidence-informed program to support caregiver wellbeing.
“This grant really does feel like a springboard to bigger and more exciting ways to work together to make a difference in the lives of South Australian families,” she said.
“We’ve also been working with one of our key investigators from Ireland to see if what we’re doing here can actually be implemented internationally.”
Executive Director of HTSA Wendy Keech said that the funding provides the 2023 recipients with a game-changing opportunity.
“Through the Catalyst Scheme we’ve given research groups a chance to transform the way they’re leading their projects, to bring in multi-disciplinary collaborators from all over the world and think about scalability from the beginning.”
“We’re so proud of the scheme and looking forward to opening it for a second round in May 2024. We are also grateful for the continued support of our foundational funding partners, The Hospital Research Foundation Group and the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation and thrilled to announce that the Cancer Council SA will come on board as a funder for the 2024 round”.
For more information about the 2024 HTSA MRFF Catalyst Scheme follow us on Linked In or contact enquiries@healthtranslationsa.org.au.
Photo: 2023 Catalyst Scheme grant recipients
