Funding FAQs

Individuals eligible to apply for CoLab grants and fellowships must meet specific general eligibility criteria:

• Institutional affiliation: Funding must be administered by an NHMRC-approved Administering Institution, with the lead applicant holding a formal appointment at that institution for the duration of the funding period (see also 1.3). Where applicable, applicants must also meet the relevant CoLab Consortium Partner requirements.

• Applicants must be employed, or have an official substantive academic or research appointment, with an eligible administering institution for the duration of the fellowship if successful.

• Applicants must be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or holders of a valid Australian visa entitling them to reside and work in Australia for the entire funding period.

• Research focus: Research projects should directly support CoLab's mission to improve outcomes for children and adolescents affected by cancer. Proposals must clearly demonstrate how the research will lead to tangible benefits for childhood and adolescent cancer patients, survivors or families.

CoLab has partnered with nine leading Victorian institutions, bringing together many of Australia’s brightest childhood and adolescent cancer researchers and clinicians from across institutions and disciplines to fast-track discoveries and innovations in paediatric oncology.

We encourage collaboration from non-Consortium Partner institutions with our partners, with a view to expanding the talent pool and increasing the number of skilled professionals working in paediatric oncology and intersecting fields to accelerate innovation, and build the workforce capacity needed to drive change in research and care for children and adolescents affected by cancer. For more information, please visit this CoLab website page.

An individual may hold an unrestricted number of CoLab grants concurrently across all Impact Programs. However, to support equitable access and diversity among recipients, individuals may only act as Lead Investigator on one application per category within the Transformative Therapies program, and on one application (in any category) within the Future Leaders program. Individuals may apply for multiple opportunities across Impact Programs, provided these conditions are met.

In practical terms, the maximum in a single round is one Future Leaders fellowship, one Transformative Therapies Seed Grant, and one Transformative Therapies Project Grant as Lead Investigator.

There is no limit to the number of grant applications (or funded projects) in which an individual may participate as a co-investigator for each funding round, but the individual’s role and contribution as a co-investigator on each application must be clearly justified to demonstrate meaningful involvement.

Eligibility depends on the funding opportunity.

For Transformative Therapies, there are no restrictions based on academic level. Applicants from all career stages are encouraged to apply, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

For Future Leaders, applicants appointed at Academic Levels A to C (or equivalent) are eligible to apply, provided they satisfy all fellowship-specific eligibility criteria. Applicants currently appointed at Academic Level D or above are not eligible.

Salary support requested should align with the applicant's qualifications, institutional remuneration rates and proposed role within the project or fellowship.

Applicants and their grants or research office contact are notified of funding outcomes by email. Successful applicants then receive a grant agreement for review and signature by both CoLab and the administering institution within six weeks (30 business days) of the offer.

CoLab can help finalise practical details but generally cannot accept major changes to standard conditions. If the agreement is not signed in time, the offer may lapse unless an extension is granted.

Any proposed changes to key project details after approval must be submitted in writing for CoLab’s review, to make sure they do not materially change the project as approved.

CoLab Consortium Partner–only opportunities, including the Academic Researcher Fellowship and Transformative Therapies Seed Grants, are only available to applicants who will be working at, and employed by, a CoLab Consortium Partner. The fellowship or grant must also be administered through that partner institution.

In line with the funding guidelines, successful applicants must be employed by the administering institution (a Consortium Partner) for the duration of the award, and the funded research must be conducted at that institution. Applicants employed by interstate institutions are therefore not eligible unless they hold, or will take up, a substantive appointment with a Consortium Partner for the duration of the grant or fellowship.

Yes, providing you meet the eligibility criteria when the grant or fellowship begins:

• Applicants must be employed, or have an official substantive academic or research appointment, with an eligible administering institution for the duration of the fellowship if successful.

• Applicants must be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or holders of a valid Australian visa entitling them to reside and work in Australia for the entire funding period.

For each application, the applicant must specify both the administering institution and the lead institution (where the work will be carried out). Where the lead institution is different from the administering institution, the lead institution must be a recognised affiliated institution of the administering institution.

Up to three (3) applications per category (Project grants and Seed grants) may be submitted from each lead institution within an eligible administering institution. Administering institutions may submit more than three (3) applications in total, as long as this per–lead institution limit is maintained. For Consortium Partner-specific funding opportunities, the lead institution must also be a CoLab Consortium Partner.

Current Future Leader Fellows may apply for funding through other CoLab Impact Programs, including the Transformative Therapies program, provided there is no duplication of salary support or research costs across funding sources.

However, fellows cannot concurrently hold more than one fellowship. Applicants who are awarded another fellowship during the tenure of their current fellowship will be expected to relinquish their existing fellowship before commencing the new award.

Concurrent grant funding is permitted where funding supports different activities and there is no overlap in salary support or research expenditure

The agreement outlines when CoLab can suspend or terminate funding. This includes serious breaches, misuse of funds, failure to meet reporting requirements, or failure to comply with upstream funding obligations. If a grant is terminated, the administering institution must stop spending grant funds, provide all required reports, and return any unspent or uncommitted funds, including unspent interest.

If issues arise, the parties are expected to first try to resolve disputes through discussion and negotiation.

Qualification as a ‘paediatric oncology researcher / clinician’ for CoLab funding opportunities is determined during the grant review process. Applicant must demonstrate a relevant track record in paediatric oncology research, including evidence of impactful publications, conference presentations and a recognised reputation within the discipline.

Applicants whose primarily focus is adult oncology must formally include at least one paediatric oncology researcher or clinician in their project team to ensure meaningful collaboration across adult-and-paediatric oncology fields.

The Lead Investigator (main applicant) must hold a formal appointment at the administering institution for the duration of the funding period. For this program, this is interpreted as a substantive appointment that represents the applicant’s primary academic or research role during the grant.

Honorary or adjunct-only appointments do not meet this requirement. Applicants on secondment may be eligible, provided they hold a substantive primary appointment with the administering institution for the duration of the grant.

This requirement ensures clear institutional oversight, including governance, compliance, and risk management responsibilities. It also supports embedded leadership within the administering institution, enabling effective delivery and alignment of the funded research. Applying this consistently promotes fairness and auditability, avoiding the need for case-by-case assessments of whether honorary or adjunct roles are sufficiently substantive.

The Clinician-Researcher Fellowship is intended to support dedicated (protected) research time for clinicians and provides funding to cover only the base salary at the nominated full-time-equivalent rate appropriate to the fellow’s experience and qualifications.

Furthermore, salary on-cost and institutional overheads are not eligible for funding under the Clinician-Researcher Fellowship, nor does it include research costs (e.g. consumables and equipment). It is expected that the cost will be covered by the administrating institution, supervisor / advisor funding or additional funding.

Academic Research Fellowships include an annual allowance that may be used for eligible research-related and professional development activities:

• Early-career: up to $10,000 per year

• Mid-career: up to $20,000 per year

Clinician-Researcher Fellowships provide salary support only and do not include funding for research costs or professional development. For detailed information on what activities are eligible for funding under direct research costs, applicants should consult the relevant Future Leaders funding guidelines.

When applying for CoLab’s grants or fellowships, applicants should justify career disruptions through a dedicated section in the application form called the "Career Disruption Statement." Applicants are encouraged to explain any interruptions such as maternity or paternity leave, illness, carer responsibilities, and disruptions related to COVID-19. There are no specific rules for the number of consecutive days required for a period to be classified as a career disruption, however the impact should be measurable and justifiable.

Successful applicants to the Future Leader Fellowships may defer the commencement of their fellowship for up to six months from the intended commencement date (i.e. 1^st July 2027 for the 2026-27 funding round), subject to approval by the administering institution.

Requests for a deferral beyond six months may be considered on a case-by-case basis, evaluating the applicant’s individual circumstances and specific needs. Such extensions are not guaranteed and require formal approval from CoLab.

For assessment of the Future Leaders Fellowships, the criteria are weighted to consider both the strengths of the applicant and the quality of the proposed research:

• Applicant Capability, Outputs & Experience (40%): Assesses the applicant's research achievements, leadership, career development, track record relative to opportunity, and potential to develop as a future research leader.

• ECRF: Greater emphasis is placed on emerging independence, trajectory, and potential to build an independent research program.

• MCRF: Greater emphasis is placed on evidence of sustained productivity, leadership (e.g. supervision, team building, program development), and contribution to the broader field or institution.

• Impact & Benefit to Paediatric Oncology (20%): Assesses the extent to which the research addresses an important unmet need and has the potential to improve outcomes for children and adolescents with cancer.

• Research Quality & Innovation (20%): Assesses the scientific quality, innovation, methodology, feasibility and consumer engagement of the proposed research.

• Feasibility & Institutional Support (20%): Assesses the strength of institutional commitment, supervision and mentorship, available resources, risk management, and the applicant's professional development plan.

Refer to the Future Leader funding guideline for further information on the evaluation criteria.

Individuals may hold multiple grants or funding sources while undertaking a Future Leaders Fellowship, provided there is no duplication of salary support or research costs between funding sources.

However, fellows cannot concurrently hold another fellowship during the tenure of their Future Leaders Fellowship. If awarded another fellowship, the recipient must relinquish their Future Leaders Fellowship before commencing the new fellowship.

If a fellow is awarded another grant or fellowship providing salary support during the final year of their Future Leaders Fellowship, they may relinquish the remaining fellowship or request, in writing, to reallocate the remaining funding towards other personnel or eligible research activities that enhance their research outputs and career development. Any changes to funding arrangements must be reported to CoLab for review and approval.

Funding through the Academic Research Fellowship is primarily intended to provide salary support for outstanding early- and mid-career researchers over a three-year period. CoLab provides salary support at institutional rates, including up to 20% on-costs, together with an annual allowance to support eligible research-related and professional development activities.

The annual allowance (Early-career: up to $10,000 per year; Mid-career: up to $20,000 per year) may be used to support activities such as research consumables, conference attendance, professional development courses, research travel and other activities that enhance the fellow's research capacity and career development. It is not intended to provide substantial project funding or establish a new laboratory.

Whilst we recognise that greater research funding may further support fellows in developing independent research programs, the current funding model has been designed to balance meaningful support for individual fellows with CoLab's commitment to investing in a broader pipeline of emerging researchers through the Future Leaders program. Applicants requiring additional research funding are encouraged to seek complementary support through project grants or other funding opportunities.

Academic Levels A to C (or equivalent) are eligible to apply, provided all other eligibility criteria for the chosen fellowship scheme are met. However, there are set maximum budgets for each fellowship category:

Academic Researcher Fellowship:

• Early-career: Up to $466,700 over three years, based on 1.0 FTE salary (including 20% on‑costs), plus up to $10,000 per year (total $30,000) for eligible research-related and professional development costs.

• Mid-career: Up to $585,800 over three years, based on 1.0 FTE salary (including 20% on‑costs), plus up to $20,000 per year (total $60,000) for eligible research-related and professional development costs.

Clinician-Researcher Fellowship:

• 0.4 FTE: Up to $267,950 over three years.

• 0.6 FTE: Up to $401,925 over three years.

Whilst applicants at Academic Level C may apply for the Academic Research Fellowship, they will need to secure additional salary support from their administering institution if their salary exceeds the fellowship cap.

Academic Levels D or above (such as Associate Professor or Professor) are not eligible to apply for Future Leader Fellowships.

All career stages are defined by the number of years of research experience post relevant tertiary qualification. The definitions below, allow flexibility by considering career interruptions (see Question 2.5 on career disruption), ensuring fair assessment of early and mid-career status for funding and fellowship eligibility:

• An early-career researcher is defined as an individual with no more than five years of active research experience following the completion of their PhD, accounting for any career disruptions within this period.

• A mid-career researcher is defined as an individual with more than five but no more than ten years of active research experience following the completion of their PhD, accounting for any career disruptions within this period.

Yes, early- to mid-career clinicians can apply for an Academic Research Fellowship, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.

If a clinician intends to continue clinical duties alongside research, they are expected to apply for a Clinician-Researcher Fellowship, which supports a combination of clinical work and protected research time. These fellowships are open to medical practitioners, nurses, and allied health professionals who have completed a higher research qualification (PhD or Masters by Research) and are within 5 years of active research time from the date of qualification.

Active research time excludes periods not spent in research, including primarily clinical roles and career breaks (e.g. parental leave, caring responsibilities, illness, clinical duties). As such, clinicians who have spent extended time in clinical practice since qualifying may still be eligible.

Yes. Applicants may submit a fellowship application before submitting their PhD thesis, provided they will have their PhD formally conferred before the fellowship start date, in line with the eligibility requirements in the funding guidelines. Applicants should clearly indicate their expected submission and conferral dates in their application, and any offer of funding will be conditional on meeting these timelines.

• The appointment of a Future Leaders Fellowship automatically constitutes the creation of a new research role.

• Collaboration is an important aspect of the Future Leaders program, although it is considered differently to the Transformative Therapies program. These are the key elements to consider:

* All applicants must establish a formal mentorship with a senior academic from another institution who has a strong track record in a relevant research area and experience mentoring early- to mid-career researchers.

* Applicants are encouraged to establish collaborative links with researchers from other institutions to strengthen multidisciplinary research, broaden professional networks and support long-term career development. Formal co-supervision is encouraged where appropriate but is not mandatory.

* The assessment process also considers the applicant's commitment to developing collaborations, leadership capability and professional development, together with the extent to which the fellowship will strengthen the applicant's future contribution to the paediatric oncology research workforce.

There are no restrictions on whether the clinical appointment is based at a paediatric or non-paediatric hospital, provided the applicant meets the eligibility requirements for the Clinician-Researcher Fellowship.

Applicants must hold a paid clinical appointment of at least 0.2 FTE for the duration of the fellowship and dedicate a minimum of 0.4 FTE to protected research time. A letter of support from the relevant department or unit confirming the applicant's protected research time is also required as part of the application.

The proposed research must align with CoLab's mission to improve outcomes for children and adolescents affected by cancer, regardless of where the clinical appointment is based.

Transformative Therapies brings together and replaces the former Next-Generation Therapies and Safer Therapies programs, with a broader, more integrated focus on both effectiveness and safety for the hardest-to-treat childhood cancers.

Transformative Therapies is an Impact Program that invests in high-impact research to develop breakthrough therapies for childhood cancers with the greatest unmet need, particularly high-risk, relapsed, refractory and metastatic disease. It supports both larger project grants and earlier-stage seed grants, aiming to deliver more targeted, more effective and less toxic treatments that can move towards clinical use in children.

Yes. Applicants may submit one Project Grant application and one Seed Grant application in the same funding round as Lead Investigator, provided each application is distinct, independently competitive and meets the eligibility requirements for the relevant funding opportunity. Applicants should ensure there is no duplication of funding, research activities or proposed outcomes between applications.

Projects that demonstrate exceptional progress and successfully achieve their agreed milestones may be considered for accelerated, fast-tracked funding to support the next phase of their research. The subsequent phase should continue to follow a milestone-based approach, with clearly defined objectives that strengthen the project's readiness for larger competitive grants or translation opportunities.

In practice, the Lead Investigator should submit a proposal for continued funding at least three months before the current funding period concludes. These requests are reviewed on an ad hoc basis by CoLab's Scientific Advisory Committee outside the standard funding rounds. A dedicated pool of funding may be allocated to support projects progressing through this accelerated pathway.

‍

The Transformative Therapies program offers two funding opportunities that support research at different stages of development. Project Grants support projects with a strong scientific rationale and supporting preliminary data that are ready to progress towards larger competitive grants, clinical translation or implementation. Seed Grants support innovative, early-stage research that requires proof-of-concept or feasibility data before it is competitive for larger funding opportunities.

Applicants should select the funding opportunity that best reflects the maturity of their project and refer to the funding guideline for the specific eligibility and assessment criteria for each scheme.

No. Applications will only be assessed within the funding opportunity for which they are submitted. Applicants should carefully review the eligibility criteria and objectives of each funding opportunity before submitting their application. If applicants are unsure which funding opportunity is most appropriate, they are encouraged to contact CoLab prior to submission.

Yes. All applications submitted to the Transformative Therapies program must be hypothesis-driven. This means the proposed research should be based on a clearly defined, testable hypothesis with specific research objectives, supported by an appropriate scientific rationale and methodology.

Projects should focus on the development, optimisation or early validation of new or improved therapeutic approaches for childhood cancers, with clearly defined outcomes and the potential to improve survival, reduce treatment-related toxicity, or both.

Projects whose primary purpose is to develop infrastructure, platforms or resources without a clearly articulated hypothesis-driven research question are not eligible for funding.

Applications must include meaningful collaboration with researchers or clinicians from another institution as part of the project team, where “collaboration” means a clear need for intellectual input, expertise, or resources contributed by different investigators. Collaborations that involve genuine sharing of expertise, data, infrastructure or other resources in line with the funding guidelines will be viewed favourably in assessment.

CoLab encourages national, international and multidisciplinary collaborations to promote diverse partnerships in advancing paediatric oncology research across all Impact Programs. For Consortium Partner–specific opportunities, Lead Investigators may include new collaborators who are not currently part of a Consortium Partner institution, provided their role, intellectual contribution and/or shared resources are clearly described in the application.

Collaboration is expected for Transformative Therapies Project Grants and strongly encouraged for Seed Grants.

Collaboration is required for all Transformative Therapies Project Grant applications and should involve at least one other institution contributing expertise, time or resources. Collaboration can be intellectual, in-kind or funded, and applications that appropriately share funding across collaborating institutions will be viewed favourably.

For Transformative Therapies Seed Grants, collaboration is strongly encouraged but not mandatory, particularly for smaller or exploratory projects. As with Project Grants, intellectual or in-kind collaboration is welcome, and well-justified sharing of funding across institutions will be looked upon favourably.

CoLab defines 'unmet need' as the gaps in current childhood and adolescent cancer care and outcomes from the perspective of children, young people and families affected by cancer. This includes cancers with poor survival outcomes, limited or no effective treatment options, a high risk of relapse or significant treatment-related toxicity.

Research priorities for the Transformative Therapies program are guided by these unmet needs, with a focus on projects that have the potential to improve survival, reduce toxicity or meaningfully improve quality of life for children and adolescents with cancer.

CoLab supports a broad spectrum of paediatric oncology research, including basic discovery research, translational research, preclinical studies, clinical research and implementation research.

The Transformative Therapies program aims to support projects that generate evidence to advance promising therapies or models of care towards improved outcomes for children and adolescents with cancer.

The Innovation Accelerators Impact Program is intended to support the integration of resources and platforms to streamline research infrastructure and facilitate collaboration across multiple sectors involved in childhood cancer research.

While the program supports platforms and resources that are widely accessible to maximise broad impact, it does not specifically fund applications for individual pieces of equipment. Equipment requests should instead be included as part of proposals that support platforms or resources holistically rather than as standalone equipment grants.

The Transformative Therapies program is designed to support innovative research across different stages of development.

Seed Grants support very early-stage, high-risk, high-potential ideas where feasibility or proof-of-concept data are still being generated.

Project Grants support research with a stronger evidence base and preliminary data, helping projects progress towards larger competitive funding opportunities and clinical translation.

Technology implementation research, including innovative approaches such as liquid biopsy, is eligible for funding where it aligns with the objectives of the Transformative Therapies program.

Projects may include technologies that support more targeted and effective therapies, improve treatment decision-making through biomarkers or precision medicine approaches, or reduce treatment-related toxicity through improved monitoring and models of care. Examples include liquid biopsy, molecular profiling, minimal residual disease monitoring, imaging technologies and other precision or predictive tools.

Applications are welcomed where these technologies are supported by a clear hypothesis, defined research objectives and the potential to improve outcomes for children and adolescents with cancer.

CoLab is bringing together patients, families, clinicians, researchers, and charity partners to form a steering group that will define the scope of the Survivorship and Living Well Impact Program. This group will also contribute to the key initiatives and prioritisation of funding opportunities to be supported under the program, for more information see this CoLab website page.

There is a single funding guideline for each funding opportunity that covers all stages of the application process.

For Transformative Therapies Project Grants, the funding guideline outlines both the Expression of Interest (EOI) and Full Application stages, including the application requirements, evaluation criteria and anticipated timelines for each stage.

For Transformative Therapies Seed Grants and Future Leaders Fellowships, a single-stage application process applies, with all application requirements and evaluation criteria outlined within the relevant funding guideline. Applicants should refer to the appropriate funding guideline before commencing their application.

View our funding opportunities page to access all guidelines.

Go/no-go decision points are not intended to be rigid or binary. Rather, milestone reviews are designed to encourage open discussion between CoLab and investigators regarding project progress.

Where milestones are not achieved as originally planned, investigators are encouraged to provide a clear justification together with a revised strategy outlining alternative experiments, methodologies or approaches that are capable of achieving the original objectives, or an equivalent scientifically justified outcome.

Any proposed changes will be reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Committee, which may endorse, amend or decline the revised strategy. Project termination would only be considered where the project is no longer scientifically viable and no appropriate alternative pathway can be identified. Such decisions are made following careful review and consultation with the investigator.

Applications are assessed based on both the applicant’s CV, specifically, the team’s capacity, qualifications, and track record to demonstrate their ability to successfully deliver the proposed project, and the project proposal itself. The review of the project proposal focuses on the potential impact and benefit to paediatric oncology, innovation in research design and methodology, and the overall likelihood of success.

Transformative Therapies Project Grants: Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for Transformative Therapies Project Grants are reviewed by scientific expert peers alongside lived experience reviewers, who assess the proposed impact and relevance from a consumer perspective. At the full application stage, proposals are reviewed by a panel drawn from CoLab’s Scientific Advisory Committee together with additional expert reviewers, with input from lived experience reviewers incorporated into the overall assessment.

Transformative Therapies Seed Grants: Transformative Therapies Seed Grants undergo a single-stage review process conducted by a panel drawn from CoLab’s Scientific Advisory Committee. These applications are assessed on their scientific merit, feasibility and alignment with program priorities, but are not reviewed by lived experience reviewers.

Future Leaders Fellowships: Future Leaders Fellowship full applications are assessed through two rounds of review. In the first round, scientific expert peers evaluate the proposals for research quality, feasibility and track record. In the second round, those applications shortlisted will be reviewed by a panel drawn from CoLab’s Scientific Advisory Committee and a lived experience committee consider both the scientific assessments and lived experience perspectives to inform final funding recommendations.

For Transformative Therapies Project Grants, project milestones will be determined collaboratively with the applicant (Lead Investigator) and incorporated into the grant agreement. Milestones should be ambitious but achievable, with clearly defined deliverables that are appropriate to the project's scope, maturity and funding level.

For example:

• For smaller or earlier-stage projects, milestones may include generating proof-of-concept data, validating a novel therapeutic target, or establishing a new model or methodology.

• For larger or more advanced projects, milestones may include completion of a major research aim, validation of a therapeutic approach, or generation of evidence to support progression towards translation or future clinical evaluation.

Progress will be assessed against the agreed milestones at defined review points through a combination of formal progress reports and discussions with CoLab.

Seed Grants do not use a milestone-based funding model. Instead, applicants are expected to outline the key outcomes or learnings they aim to generate and report progress to CoLab at agreed timepoints throughout the project.

Unsuccessful applicants are invited to resubmit revised applications. These revised submissions should incorporate and improve upon feedback received from initial reviewer comments to refine their application and enhance alignment with the funding call’s objectives.

For Transformative Therapies Project Grants, CoLab uses a competitive two-stage application process consisting of an Expression of Interest (EOI) followed by a Full Application for shortlisted applicants.

Expressions of Interest are independently reviewed by scientific and lived experience reviewers, with the highest-ranked applications invited to submit a Full Application. Full Applications undergo further independent review before consideration by the Scientific Advisory Committee, which makes funding recommendations.

Transformative Therapies Seed Grants and Future Leaders Fellowships use a single-stage competitive application process.

Recognising the time commitment required from both applicants and reviewers, CoLab aims to provide reasonable timeframes for application preparation and assessment while continuously reviewing the process to improve the applicant experience.

Leveraging CoLab funding to strengthen national competitive funding proposals, such as NHMRC grants, and other opportunities is strongly encouraged. CoLab’s strategic funding model is specifically designed to help projects build a compelling foundation, positioning them to secure substantial follow-on funding through traditional grant schemes, partnership investments, and other external sources.

There is no minimum score threshold that projects must achieve to be considered fundable during the application review process. All applications are assessed and funded based on merit, as determined through a competitive and transparent peer review process overseen by expert reviewers and CoLab’s Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure rigor and fairness. If, however, none of the applications are deemed fundable by the peer reviewers and the Scientific Advisory Committee, it is possible that no awards will be made for that round - upholding our commitment to supporting only high-quality projects and maintaining the integrity of funding allocations.

CoLab supports nationally collaborative research through the Transformative Therapies program. Projects should primarily support research activities undertaken within Australia. For CoLab Consortium Partner specific opportunities, activities or services elsewhere in Australia may be supported where they cannot reasonably be sourced locally at fair cost or value.

However, the use of funding outside Victoria will not make an application ineligible, provided the administering institution is a CoLab Consortium Partner and the interstate expenditure is appropriately justified, such as where specialised expertise, equipment or services are not reasonably available within Victoria.

Funding for activities outside Australia will only be considered where appropriately justified and consistent with the funding guideline and grant conditions.

Institutional overheads, including costs related to infrastructure, utilities, and administration, are not eligible for CoLab funding. This policy ensures that available funds are directed toward direct research activities and personnel, maximising impact on project outcomes.

The CoLab management team may negotiate the project budget following the funding recommendation from the Scientific Advisory Committee and approval by the Board of Directors. Value for money is an important consideration during assessment to ensure funding is appropriately aligned with the maturity, ambition and anticipated impact of each project.

Any budget adjustments are finalised during the grant agreement process in consultation with the applicant and administering institution.

Only Victorian institutions are eligible to apply to become CoLab Consortium Partner institutions. This restriction reflects contractual obligations with some of our major funders, which require CoLab’s formal institutional partnerships to be based in Victoria.

Researchers and organisations from outside Victoria are encouraged to apply for our national funding opportunities as well as exploring collaboration opportunities with Victorian Consortium Partners.

Whilst there are many ways lived experience can inform and strengthen research by enhancing relevance to real-world needs, the primary role of CoLab’s Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) is to provide strategic guidance to the organisation and to support the grant review process. For this reason, direct involvement in the design of individual research projects is not appropriate, as it may present a conflict of interest.

However, researchers and clinicians have opportunities to engage with PFAC members at various events, such as the recent networking session and the CoLab Forum in 2026, enabling meaningful exchanges and insights that help shape patient-centred research questions and approaches.

The intellectual property (IP) generated from CoLab-funded projects remains with the investigator and administering institution, subject to the terms and conditions of the grant agreement.

Applicants should review the current CoLab Grant Conditions and grant agreement, available on the CoLab website, for further information regarding intellectual property, commercialisation and reporting obligations.

As grant agreements are periodically reviewed and updated, applicants are encouraged to consult the current documentation for the most up-to-date requirements. For more information, please visit our website here.

You are welcome to email CoLab’s Impact Programs team at   to understand how your research project is aligned with the funding opportunities. However, communication with CoLab is impartial and will not influence funding outcomes as all funding applications undergo a rigorous, merit-based review and assessment process overseen by the Scientific Advisory Committee and the Board of Directors. Therefore, while seeking guidance on eligibility and fit is encouraged, it does not improve the chances of success directly.