The first program to be funded under the State Government's historic Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund is now open and calling for projects with a COVID-19 focus.
The FHRI Focus Grants: COVID-19 Program will initially provide up to $4 million for research and innovation that helps promote the health and wellbeing of Western Australians.
The program is designed to fund research and innovation that addresses health and wellbeing challenges relevant to the COVID emergency.
This could include projects related to infection prevention and control, surveillance, diagnostics and therapeutics as well as the direct or indirect impact of COVID-19 across a range of health conditions.
Grants will be made available across three streams of funding - research, innovation and infrastructure.
Applications will be judged by an independent review panel made up of experienced researchers, experts and consumer representatives. In awarding funding, the panel will adhere to a competitive, merit-based selection process.
The FHRI Fund was the centrepiece of the State Government's commitment to drive research and innovation in Western Australia by providing the State's health and medical researchers and innovators with a secure and ongoing source of funding.
Its establishment followed legislation that repurposed the $1.4 billion WA Future Fund - allowing interest earned on it to be directed to local health and medical research, innovation and commercialisation.
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"Health and medical research and innovation is crucial to informing our current response to COVID-19, and will continue to play a vital role in our preparation for future disease outbreaks.
"This program is an investment in the ongoing health and wellbeing of the WA community.
"This opens the way for so many exciting ideas and opportunities.
"It will help create processes, products and services as well as investing in infrastructure that supports COVID-19 related research and innovation in WA."
