Seed Funding
The Melbourne Disability Institute (MDI) is committed to facilitating disability research that is interdisciplinary and can demonstrate significant impact on the well-being of people with disability, their families and carers. By providing seed funding, the MDI seeks to encourage and support innovative ideas and interdisciplinary research collaborations.
Seed funding is intended for small-medium projects at the discovery or pilot end of research. The MDI is interested in supporting projects that are likely to have practical outcomes, involve strong partnerships and have a clear pathway to sustainable funding.
Eligibility
The MDI is interested in projects that meet the following criteria:
- Falls within one of the five MDI Research Themes
- Addresses a clear gap in policy or practice
- Scientifically rigorous project methodology
- Potential to generate meaningful impact and engagement
- Ability to scale and to obtain future funding
- Demonstrated potential to build interdisciplinary research capacity and work collaboratively with proposed partners
- Meaningful inclusion of people with disability throughout the research process
- Clear and effective knowledge translation strategy
- Has a feasible scope and budget
Please note applications for seed funding must list a coordinating investigator who holds a salaried academic appointment at the University of Melbourne.
Applying
Researchers are encouraged to first speak to Tessa de Vries (tessa.devries@unimelb.edu.au or 03 8344 2813) about your idea, and to receive the Application Form. Please make sure you read the Seed Funding Information Pack below.
Currently, as we are starting the seed funding process, applications for seed funding are accepted at any time. Applications will generally be reviewed within three to four weeks. Depending on volume of applications, the MDI may choose to move to seed funding rounds with open and close dates. Rest assured any change will be widely communicated before timelines are implemented.