HRC Health Delivery Projects
Funds New Zealand health teams developing translational projects that improve delivery, inform policy, and strengthen patient outcomes in care systems.
The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) Health Delivery Projects is a funding round under the HRC's Ideas Funding portfolio, targeting research that generates translational outcomes at the practice, policy, or health system level. The HRC was established under the Health Research Council Act 1990 and operates as the primary government funder of health research in New Zealand, governed by a ten-member Council and accountable to the Minister of Health. Health Delivery Projects is the only 2026 HRC Ideas Funding round with future application deadlines still open as of mid-2026, with full applications accepted from 16 July to 20 August 2026.
Awards are up to NZD 1,400,000 over a maximum of five years. A distinguishing eligibility requirement is that applications must include Named Investigators based in healthcare delivery settings — a feature that separates this mechanism from the standard Project Grants round and reflects its focus on generating evidence directly usable within service delivery contexts. Eligible organisations include universities, research organisations, and nonprofits operating in New Zealand; for-profit entities are ineligible, and applications must be submitted through the HRC Gateway portal at gateway.hrc.govt.nz. The Expression of Interest stage ran from 26 March to 29 April 2026 and is now closed; only teams invited from the EOI stage may proceed to full application.
The full application window closes 20 August 2026, with a rebuttal stage for shortlisted applicants scheduled for 8 to 22 October 2026. Competitive proposals will demonstrate a clearly defined health delivery problem with evidence of unmet need, articulate the translational pathway from research findings to system-level change, and show that named investigators in delivery settings are genuine intellectual partners rather than nominal participants. The HRC's strategic priorities include Māori and Pacific health equity, and proposals addressing these populations within a delivery research context are likely to score well against the council's objectives.
Practice, policy, or system-level health delivery research with translational outcomes. Must include Named Investigators based in healthcare delivery settings.
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