Apply for a research grant

Postdoctoral Fellowships 

Postdoctoral Fellowships are offered for a period of three years to postdoctoral researchers with a track record in MND or areas related to MND, or who can bring new skills and knowledge into Australian MND research. MND Australia Postdoctoral Fellowships provide a contribution of $125,000 p.a. towards a full-time salary for three years plus a one-off research expense payment of $50,000.

Applicants must have no more than five years research experience from the date their doctoral thesis was passed (as at 15th September 2025). Please see the application form for additional information on eligibility criteria. 

Applications are now closed

Innovator Grants

MND Australia funds Innovator Grants to seed innovative projects. These grants are one-year grants to support research that aims to answer new research questions or new aspects of research. MND Australia Innovator Grants are offered to a maximum value of $100,000 for a twelve-month project. Projects can be for shorter time periods and smaller budgets but must be feasible in the proposed time period with the requested resources. Please see the application form for additional information and eligibility criteria. Please note that this application form was revised on 13th August. 

The highest-scoring Care Research Innovator grant application will receive the MND South Australia Care Research Grant. This is the second time we’ve offered a dedicated Care Research grant, and we are very grateful to MND South Australia for their generous support of this important initiative.

Applications are now closed

Grant review criteria

The MND Australia Grant Review Criteria and Relative to Opportunity Guidelines are aligned with those used by the NHMRC, with appropriate adaptation for MND-specific research.

These guidelines provide detail and clarity around eligibility and reviewing considerations for career disruptions, different career paths and availability of resources.

Please read the MND Australia review criteria and scoring guide. 

Additional information

• Although applicants at all levels are permitted to apply, the programs are intended to provide particular opportunities for early and mid-career researchers. It is strongly preferred that senior researchers (Level E) encourage more junior researchers from their research teams to apply.
• The potential benefit and relevance of the research to the MND community should be very clearly delineated in the application.
• Grants are not intended to fund the incremental progression of a research project that has already been performed or to validate or undertake minor variations of findings already established in other models or disease areas.
• If the applicant has received previous funding from MND Australia in the past five years, outcome reports (no more than 1 page each) for each of the previously funded projects must be sent with the current application. These reports should consist of a brief synopsis of the project or fellowship funded. Please detail the outcomes and impacts of the project and the relevance of these to the MND community. This summary will be considered in the review of the application.
• There are limits on grant applications in place for individual applicants. A maximum of two Innovator Grants can be held during any five year period. In order to encourage developing researchers, fellowship holders can hold two Innovator Grants in any five year period in addition to the Fellowship. 

Grant reporting requirements

MND Australia requires all funded researchers to submit six monthly progress reports and a final report and financial acquittal at the completion of a research project.

Progress and final reports need to be submitted at regular intervals. Please contact us at research@mndaustralia.org.au if you require login details to submit a report.

If you need to request an extension or variation to your project, please complete this form and email it to research@mndaustralia.org.au