The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) have provided updates to the Australian research community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In summary, the current change to MRFF scheme is the deferral of the Frontier Health and Medical Research Program Stage One Grant opportunity.

Any future significant changes to the MRFF grant opportunities will be published on the MRFF website and in Inspiring Research. If you have not already done so, please subscribe to the MRFF newsletter.

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) has released a statement on the impact of COVID-19 on the MRFF grants.

This includes information on the Frontier Health and Medical Research Program Stage One, the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator and the Frontiers grant opportunity.

"We want to reassure the health and medical research community that we recognise and acknowledge the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on them. This ranges from the ability to undertake research through to submission and expert assessment of applications. We also understand that this is just the beginning, with information regarding the pandemic constantly evolving.

We are working closely with the Minister for Health and our grants hubs to ensure our processes account for the pandemic’s impact on health and medical researchers.

We expect there may be delays in your ability to undertake research and subsequently expend grant funds. We also expect some delays in our ability to review applications already submitted to us. If you have concerns, contact the Grant Hub administering the relevant MRFF Grant Opportunity or Grant Agreement (NHMRC or BGH).

We have received enquiries regarding our open MRFF grant opportunities. Our current advice is that:

• We have deferred the Frontier Health and Medical Research Program Stage One Grant Opportunity. We have provided advice to applicants regarding next steps.
• We are proceeding with the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) Grant Opportunity (currently due 20 April 2020). We will review arrangements over coming weeks.

We are deferring the Frontiers Grant Opportunity because many potential applicants stated they were unable to apply by the closing date because of COVID-19. We intend to re-open the Grant Opportunity once circumstances regarding COVID-19 improve. (See the previous Inspiring Research article on this deferral for Flinders specific information).

We will publish significant changes to our grant opportunities on the MRFF website.

If you have not already done so, please subscribe to the MRFF newsletter.

For now, while we try to maintain business as usual, we will be prioritising our efforts on research to support the response to COVID-19. We are also conscious that significantly delaying grant assessment and grant opportunities will impact the amount of funding available for research in coming years.

We will provide more information as it becomes available. Please contact us at MRFF@health.gov.au with any inquiries. (We ask that you email nhmrc@flinders.edu.au in the first instance)"

For more information on the MRFF, visit the MRFF - Department of Health website.

In recognition of the COVID-19 emergency and the associated disruption to Government, businesses and researchers across a range of industries, a decision has been made to defer the Medical Research Future Fund - Frontier Health and Medical Research Program Stage One Grant opportunity by the Federal Government Department of Health.

The department intends to re-open the Grant Opportunity once circumstances regarding COVID-19 improve.

Inspiring Research will provide further information regarding the reopening of Frontier Health and Medical Research Program Stage One, when it becomes available. Interested researchers who did not apply in the Stage One 2020 round but are considering a future application are encouraged to contact Carmela Sergi, Health Partnerships Director, Research Development and Support.