DEADLINE: Co-Funding Partnerships Program

The Co-Funding Partnerships Program (Co-FPP) is a Program of the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund.

The purpose of the Co-FPP is to establish collaborations and funding partnerships to bring genuinely new non-government funding or maximise the impact of existing charitable funding for health and medical research and innovation in WA, and to build a culture that supports co-operation and interconnectedness.

Advantages of partnering with the FHRI Fund, which is administered by the Department of Health, include:

• Leveraged funding in a shared area of interest, increasing impact.
• Reputational benefits of being involved in Programs supported by the FHRI Fund, which is the State’s premier and legislated vehicle to support health and medical research and innovation.
• Promotional opportunities to publicise co-funded Programs, including through Ministerial media statements, the FHRI Fund website and extensive stakeholder distribution channels.
• Access to expert personnel to design bespoke funding programs that are transparent and competitive, or choose from tried and tested FHRI Fund programs tailored for the co-funded Program or Initiative.
• Best-practice application review processes, including access to expert reviewers drawn from an extensive database including consumers, clinicians, academics and private industry.
• Unparalleled cross-sector reach, including into hospitals, universities, research institutes and industry to ensure high-quality applications are received.
• Robust grant award and management processes, ensuring co-funding is spent appropriately.
• Embedded evaluation, so that the benefits of the co-funding are tracked.

Update applying to the Co-FPP from the March 2023 funding cycle

The Co-FPP now has two streams:

• Stream A is open to all eligible entities who will contribute genuinely new funding to establish a new co-funded program.
• Stream B is for co-funding of an existing successful WA funding program and is open only to active charitable organisations listed on the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission register.

Further information about the Co-FPP is provided below. If you would like to speak to someone, please email the Office of Medical Research and Innovation and a team member will get in touch with you.

Eligibility

Co-FPP applications may be made by an individual or an organisation. Partnerships will only be formed where the proposed use of partnership funds aligns with at least one of the Priority Goals and at least one of the Focus Areas.

Application process

Selection of co-funding partners will be through a two-step process:

1. Potential partners submit an online expression of interest (EOI)
2. If their EOI is found to be eligible and appropriate, the potential partner will be invited to submit a Proposal to Partner form.

The Office of Medical Research and Innovation will work with potential partners to guide them through the above steps.

Proposals to Partner will be reviewed by a suitably experienced panel and, if successful, the partner and the Office of Medical Research and Innovation will work together to design the new co-funded program.

Funding

Co-FPP proposals may request contributions from the FHRI Fund of between $500,000 and $1,000,000 per annum per proposal and the FHRI Fund contribution must be at least matched in cash by the Funding Partner. The co-funded Program cannot be ongoing.

The co-funded Program

Co-funded Programs could, for example, provide funding for fellowships, research projects, innovation activities or infrastructure. The Office of Medical Research and Innovation will work with partners to determine a co-funded Program that suits the partner and the FHRI Fund.

Award of funding through the co-funded Program will be through open, competitive and transparent processes, with guidelines and conditions for applicants.

How to apply

Prospective Funding Partners may submit an expression of interest (EOI) form to co-fund a FHRI Fund Program or Initiative at any time. However, expressions of interest and proposals to partner received in the final month of a FHRI Fund 4-monthly Funding Program cycle will be considered after the next funding cycle commences. The Funding Program cycles commence at the start of March, July and November each year.

An electronic EOI form may be requested by emailing the Office of Medical Research and Innovation