On this page
-
Grant program details
-
Overview of grant program
-
Selection criteria
-
Application process
-
Assessment process
-
Successful applications
-
Information and resources
Grant program details
Opening date: 6 June 2025
Closing date and time: 11:59pm AEST on 14 July 2025
Project delivery timeframe (for successful applications): 1 July 2026–30 June 2030
Decision-maker: PRSP Selection Panel
NSW Government Agency: NSW Ministry of Health
Grant value (total available funding for the grant and the available individual grant amounts, excluding GST): Total of $12 million (excluding GST) with $4 million (excluding GST) available to each of the three priority research streams over 4 years.
Enquiries:
moh-prsp@health.nsw.gov.au
Overview of grant program
The Prevention Research Support Program (PRSP) is a competitive funding program of the NSW Ministry of Health. To date there have been six rounds of funding under the Program. Round 7 of the PRSP will run from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2030.
Aim
The PRSP invests in research in prevention priority areas which drive system and community outcomes in NSW. The PRSP also aims to build on and extend prevention research capability in NSW.
For Round 7 three priority research streams have been identified:
- Stream 1
- Embedding a population health and clinical preventive care approach to obesity and diabetes prevention and management in health service delivery, with an equity focus.
- Physical activity – primary and secondary prevention approaches for adults and children.
-
Stream 2
-
Infectious disease capability, preparedness and response.
- Stream 3
- Maternity and the first 2000 days (including preventive care, management of alcohol and substance use, and service interventions to prevent the primary causes of low birth weight).
The PRSP is funded by the NSW Ministry of Health and administered by the Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, Population and Public Health Division.
Purpose and objectives
Purpose
The purpose of Round 7 of the PRSP is to fund the co-production of research, and facilitate its timely application to policy and practice, across the three priority research streams. Recognising that the scope of research under each stream is broad and complex, collaboration between research groups via the formation of consortia is strongly encouraged. To comprehensively address the scope of work required under the relevant priority research stream, each consortium should:
- have a strong track record in conducting prevention and early intervention research aligned with the NSW Health PRSP priority research streams
- possess the depth of methodological expertise and ability to provide the broad range of research capabilities identified in this document for the applicable priority research stream.
Objectives
The objectives of Round 7 of the PRSP are to:
- generate high-quality research evidence that is relevant to the three nominated NSW Health prevention priority research streams and can inform the implementation of prevention policies, programs and services in NSW
- support the translation of research evidence into prevention policies, programs and services in NSW
- build the prevention research capability of NSW Health staff and the NSW Health system to create, understand and use this knowledge and evidence in their work.
Alignment with NSW Health Strategic direction and priorities
Grant value
- Total value of grant program is $12 million over 4 years (2026/27–2029/30).
- For each of the three priority research streams, up to $4 million will be awarded over the 4 years (up to $1 million per year for financial years 2026/27–2029/30).
Funding guidelines
PRSP funding may be directed towards:
- Research infrastructure support (i.e. essential institutional resources underpinning research that are not covered by research grants).
- Inclusions:
- collection, management and purchase of data
- data linkage services
- subscriptions to information services and databases
- computer equipment and software licenses
- library resources
- scientific equipment
- purchase of generic consumables such as stationery
- salaries of administrative staff; salaries of research staff employed to provide general support (i.e. to more than one project); and salaries of research fellows, including salary on costs of up to 15%.
- Exclusions:
- capital works, general maintenance costs, telephone/communication systems, basic office equipment such as desks and chairs, rent and the cost of utilities (it is expected that successful applicants will continue to receive their core infrastructure funds from their parent organisation or primary funding body and that these core funds will be used to pay for these items).
- Capability building strategies
- Inclusions:
- stipends (full or part) for PhD and other doctoral scholarship holders
- salary top-ups for early career researchers – PhD scholarships and top-up funds for early career researchers may include staff within the healthcare service or healthcare partner agency (i.e. MoH or LHD) to help build the capability of staff to plan, execute and translate research.
-
Exclusions:
- international travel for funded researchers.
-
Research translation strategies
-
Inclusions:
-
support for the co-production of research with policy/practice agencies
-
salaries for staff co-located in research and policy/practice agencies.
Selection criteria
Please familiarise yourself with the eligibility and assessment criteria for Round 7 of the PRSP.
Eligibility criteria
Applications are only eligible for consideration for Round 7 of the PRSP if they submit a complete Expression of Interest form, and meet all the following criteria:
Eligibility Criterion 1: The administering organisation must be a legal entity.
The lead investigator must be employed by the administering organisation.
Eligibility Criterion 2: All funds must be allocated to NSW-based team members.
One of the aims of this funding stream is to build on and extend prevention research capability in NSW. All the grant funding awarded must be allocated to NSW-based institutions and staff. Consortia can include investigators from other jurisdictions if required, however, they cannot receive funds from the grant.
All team members and investigators must have the right to work in Australia through being an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, or having an appropriate working visa for the full term of the grant.
Eligibility Criterion 3: The administering organisation must be not-for-profit, a local health district, or other public health organisation.
We expect all funding recipients to be employed by not-for-profit organisations, Universities, or government agencies (e.g. local health districts). If there are any specific instances where this is not the case, this will need to be discussed with the Ministry for each specific purpose and on a case-by-case basis.
Assessment criteria
Below are the assessment criteria that will be used to determine which EOIs proceed to the next phase of the assessment process. As no single NSW research institution likely excels across all focus areas of the priority streams, NSW Health will view favourably collaborations that leverage the state's best collective expertise.
Assessment Criterion A: Demonstrated skills, capacity and methodological expertise of the research team relevant to the priority research stream, including sufficient breadth to engage in multidisciplinary approaches and the full spectrum of research capability required.
Weighting
50%
Specific information and evidence required
Please detail your teams’ research capability relevant to the stream you are applying to.
Stream 1 research focus and capabilities
Research focus
- Interventions to improve physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in the community, particularly for children and adolescents aged 9–15 years, combined with healthy eating interventions.
- Embedding a targeted and equitable approach to the identification and management of modifiable risk factors for diabetes and obesity in all clinical pathways, including optimising integration of and referral to statewide preventive health programs and provision of other evidence-based interventions.
- Equitable use of new obesity-related medications – optimisation, coaching supports.
- Harnessing workforce scope of practice, capability and willingness to deliver best practice preventive care as part of normal care.
Research capabilities
- Behavioural science/social marketing (attitudes and value propositions for health coaching; clinician engagement in population health and clinical preventive care).
- Implementation science/health service research (translational research to design, implement and evaluate new models of care targeting multiple co-morbidities/risk factors with an equity lens, including integrated and holistic approaches using coaching and other tools).
- Clinical practice change/harnessing workforce (optimising workforce scope of practice, capability and willingness to deliver embedded best practice preventive care).
- Clinical workflow and digital integration (optimisation of identification, management and referral of modifiable risk factors in clinical pathways; clinical practice change, CQI, harnessing the Single Digital Patient Record).
- Investigation of new therapies (data-driven equitable and optimised models to maximise effectiveness of new medications, including coaching and other tools).
- Community-based interventions (designing and testing new physical activity interventions in community).
Stream 2 research focus and capabilities
Research focus
- Resilient surveillance for respiratory viruses with human pandemic or epidemic potential.
-
WHO Mosaic Respiratory Surveillance Framework domains:
- support detection and assessment
- monitor epidemiological characteristics
- inform use of interventions.
Research capabilities
- Epidemiology and modelling (transmissibility, risk factors, now-casting/forecasting).
- Pathogen immunology (immune-based intelligence, functional virology, vaccine development).
- Genomics (diversity and evolution, diagnosis and surveillance, vaccines and therapeutics).
- Behavioural insights (acceptability of interventions, risk communication).
- Wastewater surveillance (novel/emergent pathogens, early warning).
- Harnessing technology (contact tracing, exposure tracking, use of artificial intelligence tools).
Stream 3 research focus and capabilities
Research focus
- Preventive care: Identifying and managing potentially preventable risk factors in the antenatal period.
- Identification and holistic, supportive management of alcohol and substance use in pregnancy.
- Service interventions and integrated approaches to reduce the impact of the primary causes of low birth weight, in close collaboration with local services.
Research capabilities
- Design and implementation of integrated health service interventions, including re-design and workforce programs.
- Monitoring and evaluation of NSW Health programs and services.
- Linked data analyses.
- Clinical audits.
Assessment Criterion B: Proven ability to work in genuine partnership with NSW Health, supporting research capability development and generating evidence oriented to statewide population and public health policy and program priorities.
Weighting
20%
Specific information and evidence required
- Examples of projects that members of your consortium have collaborated with NSW Health on.
- Examples of how members of your consortium have supported research capability development in NSW Health and other health service staff.
- Examples of evidence your consortium has generated that has been used to inform priority public health policy, programs, and/or services.
- All proposed partners and how they meet the full research capabilities relevant to the stream.
- Plans to broker and manage collaborations effectively to address all stream research needs through formal partnership.
Assessment Criterion C: Orientation to equity, expertise in Aboriginal health and cultural appropriateness considerations, track record in urban and regional settings.
Weighting
20%
Specific information and evidence required
- Provide an overview of how your consortium members’ research considers or addresses health inequities.
- Provide an overview of your consortium’s expertise in Aboriginal health and cultural appropriateness research and evaluation.
- Provide an overview of your consortium members’ work across urban and regional settings.
Assessment Criterion D: Strength of the partnerships underpinning the proposed research team and proposed governance.
Weighting
10%
Specific information and evidence required
The consortium will appoint one lead organisation, which will be responsible for administration and funding, and participate in the co-design of partnership and governance structures with NSW Ministry of Health.
- Describe how you envisage the members of the consortium will work together, including roles and responsibilities, communication and coordination, resource and data sharing.
- Describe the planned governance structure for the consortium.
- Planned project management approach, including a dedicated project manager if relevant.
Application process
How to apply
Online briefing sessions for applicants (optional)
One briefing session for each priority research stream was held with the research community in late May 2025. The information presented at these briefing sessions can be found on the
PRSP Round 7 briefing information page.
Expression of Interest (EOI)
The EOI process will open on 6 June 2025 and close on 14 July 2025 at 11:59pm AEST.
EOI forms are to be submitted via email to the Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence at moh-prsp@health.nsw.gov.au.
All applications will receive an email to acknowledge receipt within 72 business hours. It is the applicant’s responsibility to follow up if no acknowledgement email is received.
The maximum email size is 20MB. Larger emails will be rejected by the NSW Health server, and you may not be notified that the email has been rejected.
Applicants are not required to submit a detailed work plan or budget template as part of the EOI form. The focus is on applicants demonstrating:
- track record in generating relevant high-quality research
- ability to bring together the required expertise and work in partnership with NSW Health, to address the priorities identified in the applicable research stream’s focus and capabilities.
Panel presentation and interview
Following the assessment of the EOIs, a selection of applicants will be invited to the next stage of the application process, which is a presentation to the selection panel and an interview.
Queries
Answers to frequently asked questions and updates on Round 7 of the PRSP can be found on the
main PRSP page.
Please direct any questions regarding Round 7 of the PRSP to
moh-prsp@health.nsw.gov.au.
Assessment process
Assessment of Expressions of Interest (EOI)
Step 1: Eligibility check
Following the submission of EOIs, NSW Health will determine if each EOI has satisfied the eligibility criteria. Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria to proceed to Step 2. Eligibility checks will be undertaken by NSW Ministry of Health staff, who may contact applicants directly to clarify any issues with their EOI.
Step 2: Review by selection panel
The selection panel will assess each eligible EOI on their merits against the assessment criteria. This may also include:
- Follow up with NSW health services or teams who have collaborated with members of the proposed consortia to learn more about their ability to work in partnership with NSW Health and other NSW-based health services.
- If required, the panel may recommend changes to consortium membership, to ensure the team achieves the full range and depth of expertise required for a given priority research stream (for example, suggesting that teams that have submitted separate EOI applications, or members thereof, work in partnership). This may also occur following the presentation and interview (Step 3).
Step 3: Presentation and interview
Following assessment of the EOIs, selected applicants will be invited to present to the selection panel and participate in an interview.
Further information about this step will be made available to applicants progressing to this stage of the application process.
Step 4: Funding decision
The selection panel will agree on the final ranking of all eligible applications and determine grant recipients and amounts.
Notification of application outcome
Step 5: Notification and development of work plans
In August–September 2025, the preferred consortium for each priority research stream will be notified and will be invited for initial meetings with relevant policy teams and other key NSW Health stakeholders to determine a research plan for the coming year and associated key deliverables. This may also include developing governance structures and terms of reference.
Step 6: Grant agreements
It is anticipated grant agreements will be signed between NSW Health and each successful administering organisation in October–November 2025, following co-development of a workplan.
Publication of grants information
Successful recipients of the PRSP will be published on the PRSP website and on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder in accordance with NSW Government requirements.
Successful applications
Grant agreement
The funding for Round 7 of the PRSP commences 1 July 2026. Detail will be provided in the grant agreement. Anticipated key terms and conditions for applicants to be aware of include:
- Grant recipients will be required to co-develop annual work plans in close collaboration with key stakeholders from NSW Health.
- A degree of agility and flexibility will be required to adapt workplans to the changing needs of NSW Health.
- Regular meetings will be held with the lead policy teams from the NSW Ministry of Health (meeting cadence will change depending on project needs).
- Annual progress reports will be required.
- Financial support by the NSW Government needs to be acknowledged as relevant.
Grant payment
Funds will be paid quarterly following an invoice sent to the NSW Ministry of Health by the administering organisations.
Unspent funds and residual grant
a) Unspent Grant within the Activity Period:
The administering organisation may:
- transfer or reallocate the grant between expenditure items during a financial year if in line with the workplan; and
- carry-over to the immediately following financial year any unspent portion of the grant available for the activity in the previous financial year, provided that:
- the unspent portion does not exceed 15% of the grant available to your organisation for that financial year
- there is no material change to the agreed activity
- the change would not cause the administering organisation to be in breach of its obligations under the agreement
- the administering organisation advises the Ministry as part of its next report the reasons for the reallocation or transfer of the grant, why the grant was not fully spent and how the unspent portion of the grant will be utilised in the next financial year.
b) Residual grant at the end of Agreement:
The Administering Organisation acknowledges that it is required to repay any residual grant remaining at the expiration or termination of the agreement within 20 business days of the activity end date or on earlier termination, unless it has prior written approval from the NSW Ministry of Health.
Indicative financial reporting and acquittal requirements
Post award requirements
A schedule for financial reporting will be outlined in the funding agreement and will include a requirement to provide:
- annual financial reports
- a final financial acquittal following the conclusion of the term of the grant.
Evaluation
The PRSP is periodically evaluated to ensure it is meeting its objectives. This will be done in collaboration with the funding recipients. Administering organisations and consortium members may be required to supply information and meet with NSW Health staff to support the evaluation.
Information and resources
Complaint handling
If the parties cannot agree on an issue of a notified dispute within 20 business days, then the dispute is referred to the Dispute Resolution Officer. The Dispute Resolution Officer is:
Position: Chief Health Officer and Deputy Secretary Population and Public Health, NSW Ministry of Health
Name: Dr Kerry Chant PSM
Address: Level 9, 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards NSW 2065
Access to information
The GIPA Act provides for the proactive release of government information by agencies and gives members of the public an enforceable right to access government information held by an agency (which includes Ministerial offices). Access to government information is only to be restricted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.
The NSW Legislative Council has the power to order the production of State papers by the Executive Government. Standing Order 52 provides that the House may order documents to be tabled by the Government in the House. The Cabinet Office coordinates the preparation of the papers – that is, the return to order. The return to order may contain privileged and public documents. Privileged documents are available only to members of the Legislative Council.
Note that documents submitted as part of a grant application may be subject to an application under the GIPA Act or an order for papers under Standing Order 52.
Provide any relevant contact details or other sources of information for individuals seeking information from the relevant agency about the GIPA Act and/or Standing Order 52.
Ethical conduct
Conflict of interest management
In your application, please disclose any potential or perceived conflicts of interest for discussion with the panel.
Applicants may also be required to provide relevant organisational Conflict of Interest policies for executive and personnel if requested.
Confidentiality
Successful applicants are required to keep the outcome of the application process confidential until a public announcement regarding the outcome of the application process is made.