Research support

MRFF 2025 Research Data Infrastructure

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Key Dates 

  • Release of Funding Rules: 31 July 2025
  • Opening Date: 14 August 2025
  • UQ R&I NOI Close: 20 November 2025
  • Applications due to UQ R&I: 24 November 2025
  • Applications close: 4pm AEST time, 11 December 2025

Overview

The 2025 Research Data Infrastructure Grant Opportunity falls under the Research Data Infrastructure Initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). 

Funding for this initiative supports the creation or extension of national research data infrastructure with a focus on data registries, biobanks and data linkage platforms to enable and enhance Australian medical research. This will include supporting infrastructure that makes evidence-based care easier for health professionals, drives efficient use of resources and advances healthcare.

To meet the objective of the grant opportunity projects proposed should articulate a clear research question that addresses an area of unmet medical need and explain how the proposed project will produce knowledge and outcomes that address the research question. Research proposals should incorporate:

  • New linkage and/or use of data from multiple (at least two) existing research data infrastructure sources of different types (e.g. administrative and biobank data, registry and biobank data, wearables and use artificial intelligence); and/or 
  • Novel methodologies and approaches that leverage and enhance existing linked research data infrastructure of at least two different types. 

The maximum grant amount is $2.5 million, and the project period is up to four years. 

How to Apply

Step 1. UQ Notice of Intent (NOI) 

All researchers intending to submit an MRFF application are required to submit an internal Notice of Intent. NOIs will be collated centrally and distributed to Faculties and Institutes in order to provide maximum support to the UQ research community.

Submit UQ Notice of Intent 

Step 2. Scheme reading

  • Access the scheme documents from the AusIndustry website (filter by scheme name).
  • Familiarise yourself with the key Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and UQ documentation.

Step 3. Completing the application

  • Go to the business.gov.au portal and follow the links to begin an application.
  • When you are beginning the application, answer ‘Yes’ to the question “Are you a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)?” 
  • Note that the online application has substantive sections in addition to the required attachments – we recommend that applicants familiarise themselves with all parts of the application before commencing. Templates for attachments are also available below.
  • Letters of support are required for all partner organisations. UQ R&I strongly advises applicants to start collecting these early using the template below, as this process represents a major bottleneck for many applications.

Step 4. UQ R&I internal review and feedback

  • Ahead of internal review, ensure all components are complete/valid and send the completed application form to UQ R&I.
  • To initiate internal review, add grants-manager@research.uq.edu.au as the primary contact email in your application within the portal, and email your completed Funding Application Certification to UQ R&I at mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au.

Do not submit the application in the portal at this stage.

  • Internal review by UQ R&I/feedback provided as requested in UQ NOI. 

Step 5. Final submission

  • Final submission should be completed by the applicant but contact us early if there is likely to be a problem.

Letters of Support

Signing for all letters of support from UQ is co-ordinated through the Research Office. All Letters of support for MRFF applications, including those led by other institutions, must be accompanied by a completed MRFF Funding Application Certification form (see below) and authorisations of any enumerated contributions or additional UQ staff beyond the lead CI listed in the letter.  

We strongly recommend working with your local school/institute research professionals to complete this process. 

To provide time for review and signature, submit draft letters to mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au no later than two weeks before the external closing date.

Applications led by UQ:

  • The template CEO Letter of Support and Certification form are provided in the resource section below.
  • Complete and submit both to mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au, along with written confirmation of any additional co-contributions.

Applications led by other organisations:

  • The Administering/Lead Organisation should provide you with a draft letter of support.  Please draft use this to draft a letter to be signed by UQ. 
    • Note: Some of the text from the UQ information in the CEO letter template below may be useful for this.
  • Complete and sign a 2025 MRFF Funding Application Certification form, and have it countersigned by your Head of School/Institute.
  • Submit both to mrffgrants@research.uq.edu.au, along with written confirmation of any additional UQ contributions.

Readership and researcher support

Before applying, we recommend you:

Key documents

MRFF

Before applying, please review the full suite of documents available from GrantConnect, the Australian Government grants information system:

More information and other opportunity documents are also available on the Business Grants Hub website: 

UQ