HRC Pacific Projects

HRC Pacific Projects

Supports Pacific health organisations in New Zealand with culturally grounded innovation projects.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) funds Pacific health research through a dedicated Pacific investment stream, overseen by the Pacific Health Research Committee — a sub-committee of HRC's governing Council. HRC Pacific Projects are contestable, researcher-led grants for investigator-initiated ideas aimed at significant improvements in Pacific health outcomes. The stream runs in parallel with HRC's mainstream Projects mechanism and the Māori health investment stream, but applies cultural eligibility and governance requirements specific to Pacific health research.

The 2026 HRC Pacific Projects round ran an expression of interest (EOI) stage from 14 August to 17 September 2025, followed by full applications from 6 November to 11 December 2025; the round is now closed. Award amounts for the Pacific stream are not separately stated in HRC source materials and cannot be confirmed as equivalent to mainstream Project Grants (which cap at NZD 1,200,000 over up to five years). Individual researchers are not eligible; proposals must be submitted through a host organisation such as a university or accredited non-profit research entity operating in New Zealand.

All proposals must involve Pacific peoples as researchers, advisors, stakeholders, and participants throughout the research process, and must align with Pacific cultural values and ethical standards. The Pacific Health Research Committee governs funding decisions for this stream independently of the mainstream HRC process. Applicants are advised to demonstrate genuine Pacific community engagement, articulate how Pacific cultural frameworks inform the research design, and show a clear pathway to improved health outcomes for Pacific peoples in New Zealand. Applications are submitted via the HRC Gateway portal; the next cycle is expected to follow a similar calendar pattern in late 2026.