Foundation’s Major Research Grant round opens

As Australia’s aged care system faces growing demand and ongoing access challenges, despite major reforms, the $150,000 Ageing Well Research Grant supports GP-led research that delivers practical, real-world solutions to improve care in general practice.
 
The Australian General Practice Research Foundation has now opened applications for its new Ageing Well Research Grant, a $150,000 investment in GP-led research focused on ageing, aged care and end-of-life care, with the support of the Wicking Trust.
 
The Health Services Research in General Practice Grant, supported by the HCF Research Foundation, has also launched, valued at $120,000, and focuses on issues relevant to general practice, including the impact of different models of care, access to care, and effectiveness of care.
 
The new aged care grant comes as Australia’s aged care system is undergoing its most significant reform in decades, following the introduction of the new Aged Care Act and the rollout of the Support at Home program on 1 November.
 
Despite these changes, challenges remain.
 
More than one in six Australians are now aged over 65, a figure projected to rise rapidly in the coming decades – placing increasing pressure on both aged care and primary care systems.
 
In 2023–24 alone, more than 275,000 older Australians entered aged care services, while more than 835,000 accessed support at home.
 
At the same time, older Australians continue to face delays in accessing care and growing complexity in navigating services, and tens of thousands of people remain on waiting lists for home care, underscoring ongoing access challenges.
 
While general practice sits at the centre of this system, there remains a critical gap between what research concludes and what can be realistically implemented in everyday general practice. 
 
In response, RACGP Expert Committee – Research Chair Professor Dimity Pond said the Ageing Well Research Grant prioritises projects that go beyond generating evidence, supporting the development of practical tools, resources and approaches that can be embedded into general practice.
 
‘This grant is about turning research into real-world care,’ she said.
 
‘GPs need practical, evidence-based tools and processes to support older Australians, and this grant is designed to deliver exactly that.’
 
Applications for both grants are open until 9.00 am (AEST), 21 April.
 
The Australian General Practice Research Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the RACGP, supporting GP-led research.
 
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