Status: Open
Find out information about the aims, funding, key dates, resources and contacts for the Dementia Australia Research Foundation (DARF) Grants and Fellowships.
DARF Grants and Fellowships are open to Australian-based dementia researchers undertaking projects across all forms of dementia and in any topic area; biomedical (lab-based), clinical, epidemiological, psychosocial, or knowledge translation research projects will all be considered.
Project Grants: are intended to help new and early-career investigators establish their careers as independent dementia researchers by supporting small, time-limited research projects, or pilot projects.
Post-doctoral Fellowships: aim to attract early-career researchers, who have completed their PhD within the last six years, to the field of dementia research and provide them with an opportunity to fast-track their progress towards becoming independent researchers.
Mid-Career Research Fellowships: aim to support researchers, who have completed their PhD within the last 10 years (accounting for career interruptions), to continue their progress towards being internationally recognised leaders in the dementia field. It also provides an opportunity for mid-career researchers to establish their own independent research programs.
Clinical Practice Post-graduate Stipends: aim to build capacity in the dementia field by supporting a health professional to undertake a PhD and embark on a career in dementia research.
Professional Development, Travel and Collaboration Grants: designed to support Australian dementia researchers' professional development and/or build networks and collaborations with well-known research teams. The award aims to support researchers across the early stages of their career, from PhD students (who have completed at least one-year full time equivalent of their PhD and passed their PhD confirmation) to Mid-Career researchers (who are up to 10 years post-PhD).
Research Translation Grant: aims to accelerate the real-world adoption of innovative and evidence-based strategies that aim to reduce the impact of dementia. The scheme aims to attract proposals from new and established groups, which may be multi-disciplinary and include members with expertise in knowledge translation or implementation science.
Project Grant: $85,000 and may be used for a period of up to 2 years.
Post-doctoral Fellowship: 3 years in duration and includes a salary component of $122,000 per annum, which may be indexed in line with wage growth each year. It also includes $85,000 project grant, to cover research expenses.
Mid-Career Fellowship: 2 years in duration and includes a salary component of $162,500 per annum and may be indexed in line with wage growth each year. It also includes $85,000 project grant, to cover research expenses.
Clinical Practice Post-graduate Stipend: worth $30,000 and may be used over 1 to 2 years. The funds may be used to cover (or backfill) the applicant’s salary and/or associated research activities and can be taken in conjunction with another scholarship.
Professional Development, Travel and Collaboration Grants: The grant is valued up to $15,000 for a period of up to six months. The applicant must return to a position in Australia after completion of the award and any associated travel. Funding can be used for conference or workshop registration fees, travel, reasonable accommodation expenses and involvement of people with a living experience of dementia
Research Translation Grant: up to $200,000 and may be used over 2 to 3 years. Funding may vary depending on the quality of applications received and proposed budgets i.e. within a total funding pool of $200,000, more than one grant may be awarded.
Applications must be submitted via a new DARF grant management platform.
Supporting documents (in PDF format) must also be uploaded on the application portal as detailed within the respective ‘Information for Applicants’ documents.
The application must be endorsed through the online application portal by:
- Each investigator named in the application (i.e. CI and all supervisors/AIs listed), confirming that the information provided in the application, including their contribution, is correct.
- The Head of Administering Institution (or nominee, normally the Research Office) in which the research will take place.
You must allow sufficient time to complete the endorsement process prior to the application closing date and time.
The key dates for DARF applications are as follows:
- Schemes Open: Monday 01 June 2026
- GDT Strategic Review Period: Monday 29 June – Wednesday 1 July (optional GDT service); Book here
- GDT Compliance & Eligibility Check Period: Monday 13 July – Wednesday 15 July 2026 (mandatory GDT service); Book here
- Schemes close (all schemes): Monday 27 July 2026 at 17:00 AEDT via DARF grant management platform
- Recipients notified: Early 2027
DARF Resources:
Information for applicants booklets for:
- Project Grants, Post-doctoral Fellowships, Mid-Career Research Fellowships, Clinical Practice Post-graduate Stipend
- Travel Grants
- Research Translation Grant.
New online application and grant management portal: To submit an application, first register to create an account here.
Writing tips and Involvement of Dementia Advocates
Online training and information video series: how to involve people with a living or lived experience of dementia in your research. All researchers are encouraged to access and learn from this new resource to strengthen not only your grant application but your research overall.
2026 DARF Grants Information Webinar
Friday 12 June 2026, 12:00pm to 2:00pm (AEST)
For further information and to register your interest, click here.
Macquarie University Resources:
Macquarie University Salary Rates
Contact us for more information about the scheme
Katherine Shevelev
Grant Development Advisor
Research Services
T:+61-2-9850-9600
E: grant.development@mq.edu.au