WA Cohort Studies-Research Support Program
The Western Australia Cohort Studies - Research Support Program (WACS-RSP) aims to leverage the Busselton Health Study, ORIGINS Project, and Raine Study to demonstrate their use and applicability and to address unmet needs that complement the FHRI Fund Strategy and Focus Areas.
Funding will be provided for WACS-RSP on a competitive and merit-based process. The WACS-RSP will support high quality research projects that utilise one of the three cohort studies to provide reliable evidence on the relation of important interventions, risk factors and other exposures to population health-related outcomes.
Successful applicants will be awarded funding of up to $1 million over 3.5 years to undertake research projects which demonstrate a clear hypothesis methodology, and scientific protocol utilising an established WA cohort study. Funded activities must be completed within no longer than a 3.5-year period. An applicant may submit more than one application to this Program.
Please note the following amendment:
- the first point under 5. Program Funding in the Guidelines and Conditions has been amended to: “Salary costs (except for lead investigators)'. Please note, an exemption to this rule may be requested, where it is deemed that this salary is crucial to the success of the project. Adequate justification must be provided. Determination of exemptions will be made on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of OMRI.”
Program Status: Open for Applications
Minimum Data Form due by 1:00pm (AWST), Tuesday 29 August 2023
Application Form due by 1.00pm (AWST), Tuesday 26 September 2023
The WACS-RSP Guidelines and Conditions, Minimum Data Form and Application Form can be accessed below:
 |
 |
 |
Any queries related to the program can be directed to the Western Australian Department of Health, Office of Medical Research and Innovation.
Information on other FHRI Fund programs can be accessed by subscribing to updates or checking the FHRI Fund current opportunities.
Last updated 21 July 2023
When does the Feasibility Letter need to be submitted by?
The Feasibility Letter needs to be included with the Application Form only (not the Minimum Data Form).
Does the data access fee for my cohort study need to be included in the Feasibility Letter?
Yes. Please discuss the data access fee with the cohort study team when discussing the feasibility of your project.
Does ‘lead investigator’ refer to the Activity Lead only or the Activity Lead and other team members?
Lead investigator refers to the Activity Lead only.
I am an independent and/or Early/Mid-Career Researcher (without salary support) and the Activity Lead for the project, can I claim a salary?
Generally, the Activity Leads salary is not included however an exemption to this rule may be requested, where it is deemed that this salary is crucial to the success of the project. Adequate justification must be provided, and the determination of exemptions will be made on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of OMRI.
Why is the cohort study research project funding limited to these three cohorts? There are other world-leading birth cohort studies in WA
The inaugural round of the Western Australia (WA) Cohort Studies-Research Support Program was approved to gauge the sector’s interest by utilising the three largest cohort studies in WA. The Office of Medical Research and Innovation (OMRI) has noted from the sector other applicable cohort studies that can be leveraged for research support projects and will continue monitoring responses. These responses will be communicated to the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund Advisory Council for consideration of future rounds and/or amendments to existing eligibility criteria.