Key Facts:
- HCF Research Foundation opens 2026 Health Services Research Grants, focusing on mental health and equitable care improvements in Australian healthcare
- Priority areas include innovative mental health models for acute care and research addressing gender bias in healthcare services
- Two-stage application process begins with expressions of interest, closing 13 May 2026, with successful projects funded from January 2027
- The Foundation has invested $37.9 million in over 165 projects since 2000, focusing on practical, implementable healthcare improvements
- Previous 2025 grants round awarded almost $1.5 million across four projects targeting workforce sustainability, hospital presentations, and pain management
THURSDAY, 9 APRIL 2026: The HCF Research Foundation, Australia's leading non‑government funder of health services research, has opened expressions of interest for its 2026 Health Services Research Grants, calling on researchers to help improve how Australians access and experience healthcare – particularly in mental health and equitable care.
The program supports research that delivers practical, real‑world improvements to healthcare delivery, with successful projects funded from 1 January 2027.
This year's priority areas include innovative mental health models that expand timely, high‑quality support for people experiencing acute need, and research to identify and address gender bias in healthcare services – both areas with direct implications for patient safety, access and outcomes.
"Health services research is where evidence meets real life," said Adjunct Professor Karen Price, Chair of the HCF Research Foundation. "We support projects that can be applied in practice – research that improves fairness in care, strengthens access to support, and helps people get the right care at the right time, in the right setting."
The 2026 grants round will involve a two‑stage application process, beginning with an expression of interest, to ensure funding is directed toward projects with strong potential for impact, translation and scale.
Head of the HCF Research Foundation, Dr Christopher Pettigrew, said the focus remains firmly on research that can drive measurable change. "We're looking for work that can be implemented, scaled or inform policy and service design," he said. "That's how research delivers real value – for patients, clinicians and the health system as a whole."
Backed by Australia's largest not‑for‑profit health fund, the HCF Research Foundation funds independent health services research that bridges the gap between evidence and practice, benefiting HCF members and all Australians. Since 2000, the Foundation has committed more than $37.9 million to over 165 projects aimed at strengthening how healthcare is delivered.
The call follows the announcement of outcomes from the HCF Research Foundation's 2025 Health Services Research Grants round, which awarded almost $1.5 million across four projects focused on workforce sustainability, reducing avoidable hospital and emergency department presentations, and improving pain management and opioid safety. Together, the projects reflect the Foundation's focus on research that can be implemented in real settings and scaled to improve patient outcomes and system performance.
