Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute

The aim of the National Housing Research Program (NHRP) is to building an evidence-base of practical applied research to support policy development, and generate new knowledge related to housing, homelessness, cities, urban policy and related disciplines. The NHRP is an annual, nationally competitive program funded by the Australian and all state/territory governments and managed by AHURI. The applied, policy focussed nature of research funded by the NHRP that differentiates it from other sources of research funding. Research through the NHRP is intended to foster collaboration across partner universities.

Topics funded under the NHRP are outlined in the annual Research Agenda. The NHRP funds:

Inquires

Inquiries are integrated programs of research consisting of a suite of independent, original research projects to advance knowledge to address the policy issue, with ongoing engagement with an external Inquiry Panel. Through the course of an Inquiry, the Inquiry Panel – drawn from a mix of policy and practice expertise from government, non-government and private sectors – considers the evidence and the outcomes of the research to address the policy issue and gives advice on recommendations for policy development or practice innovation.

• Budget: up to $600,000
• Collaboration requirement: at least three partner universities
• Timeframe: 18 months

First Nations Research Projects

NHRP First Nations housing research applies this approach to engage Aboriginal communities in a generative process to shape research, including the development of genuine partnerships and a focus on Aboriginal housing and homelessness issues.

• Budget: up to $200,000
• Collaboration requirement: at least two partner universities
• Timeframe: 18 months

Investigative Panels

Investigative Panels are designed to bring about direct engagement between experts from the research and policy communities, and practitioners from industry and community sectors, to interrogate a specific policy or practice question. They are best suited to research examining new or emerging policy issues, for which rapid evidence building is required.

• Budget: up to $160,000
• Collaboration requirement: at least two partner universities
• Timeframe: 12 months

Research Projects

The NHRP funds individual research projects on a broad range of policy issues. Research projects engage a wide range of disciplines and research methods to tackle the policy issues identified.

• Budget: up to $190,000
• Collaboration requirement: at least two partner universities
• Timeframe: 12 months

Applications open: 12 pm AEST Thursday 7 May 2026

Applications close: 12 pm AEST Thursday 16 July 2026

All projects funded by AHURI require that at least two university partners be involved. Each partner university has appointed a research director to assist with the coordination of research projects across the network.

Before applying for AHURI funding, researchers are required to contact the Macquarie University AHURI centre director,
Prof Kristian Ruming at kristian.ruming@mq.edu.au

Applicants should then notify the University of their intent to apply for AHURI funding through the Notification of Intent (NOI) form.

• NHRP Research Agenda 2027
• NHRP Research Handbook 2027
• NHRP Application Form 2027