Applications in progress

Secondary Data Analysis Projects (SDAP 2025) 

The Secondary Data Analysis Projects (SDAP) are designed to bring together researchers, knowledge users and data controllers to develop research projects that answer policy and/or practice-relevant questions by using secondary data.

The HRB hosted an in-person SDAP Seminar on 26 March 2025. Slides from the event are available on the call web page, which also includes a summary of the event.

The SDAP 2025 Scheme has two separate application cycles. Cycle 1 has been completed with 6 applications recommended for funding.

Cycle 2 opened for applications on 1 September 2025 and closed on 9 January 2026 at 13:00. These are currently undergoing eligibility checks and peer/public review.

Investigator-led Clinical Trials (ILCT) Programme 2025 (formerly DIFA).

The Cycle 2 submission deadline was in July 2025. 20 eligible applications were received.  The Panel Meeting is scheduled for February 2026, with recommendations for funding due to go to the HRB Board in March 2026. Outcomes are anticipated in late March/early April 2026.

The Cycle 3 submission deadline was in December 2025. 57 applications were received. Eligibility checks are ongoing, with eligible applications moving to peer and public review.

Investigator-Led Projects (ILP) 2026 

The ILP scheme aims to support highly innovative and internationally competitive investigator-led projects that can respond to existing and emerging challenges for health and social care. The ILP provides funding for clearly defined research projects in: (i) Patient-oriented research (POR), (ii) Population health research (PHR), and (iii) Health services research (HSR).

146 out 147 applications have been deemed eligible and are currently under peer and public review.

Summer Student Scholarships (SS) 2026

The HRB received 176 applications. Eligibility is now completed, and 162 eligible applications will go forward for funding allocation via randomisation, which is planned for late January. All applicants who were ineligible were notified in mid-January. Notification of the outcome is envisaged by mid-February 2026.

HRCI-HRB Joint Funding Scheme 2026

The HRCI-HRB Joint Funding Scheme aims to fund researchers and research teams to conduct internationally competitive and innovative research in areas of strategic relevance to each individual HRCI-registered co-funding charity. 45 eligible applications received from nine co-funding charities are now undergoing peer review.

Collaborative Postdoctoral Fellowships Programmes (CPFP) 2026

40 pre-applications were submitted in December 2025. Eligibility of the leadership teams is now completed, and all 40 applications will progress to international panel review stage. The panel will meet at the end of February to select some applications to be invited to full application stage, which we envisage to open at the end of February.

European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EPPerMed) Research, Innovation and Technology Call (RITC) 2026

This is a two-stage joint transnational call entitled “Test and Demonstration of Multimodal Data Approaches for Personalised Medicine (MultiPMData2026)”. The pre-proposal submission deadline was 12 January 2026 at 13:00 GMT.

Open Calls

The Applied Partnership Awards – Women’s Health (APA-WH) 2026

The HRB launched a new targeted call: the Applied Partnership Awards Women’s Health (APA-WH) 2026 – Turning Research into Action on 16 January 2026, to fund up to ten research projects (a maximum of €200,000 per project) over 12 – 24 months.

As with all applications to the APA scheme, along with a Lead Applicant – Researcher, each proposal requires a Lead Applicant – Knowledge User. The level of co-funding commitment from the Knowledge User partner(s) must be equivalent to a minimum of 10% of the total amount requested from the HRB (assessed as direct or “cash” contributions only).

Applications in any aspect of women’s health research are eligible for funding, and applications in the following four priority areas are especially welcome:

  • Postpartum Mental Health, with a particular focus on traumatic births
  • Endometriosis
  • Menstruation
  • Research on Culturally Sensitive Healthcare/Intersectional impacts on Women’s Health.

The call will be open to Lead Applicants from Host Institutions in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Lead Knowledge User partner and co-contribution must be from an organisation based in the Republic of Ireland.

Research in-Practice Fellowships for Health and Social Care Practitioners (RPF) 2026

The RPF scheme aims to support health and social care practitioners who wish to advance their research skills at post-PhD level while continuing to deliver patient or social care. It targets practitioners from a variety of professional backgrounds, who are interested in advancing applied health and social care research aimed at finding practical solutions to specific problems.

The deadline for applications is 13 February 2026 at 13.00.

HRB hosted a webinar for interested applicants based in Ireland on in October and the recording and slides are available to view here.

Conference and Event Sponsorship Scheme 2026

This scheme aims to create an opportunity to host health research related events, workshops, or conferences on the island of Ireland. Up to a maximum of €5,000 per grant is available. The deadline for applications is 16 February 2026 at 13.00.

US-Ireland Research and Development Partnership Programme

This is a rolling call. The call guidance has been updated and can be found here. Check the scheme notice for full details – US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme.

European Partnership on One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (OHAMR) 2026

This is a two-stage call entitled “Treatments and Adherence to Treatment protocols (OH-TREAT)”. The pre-proposal submission deadline is 2 February 2026 at 12:00 GMT.

European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) 2026

This is a two-stage call entitled “Access to Care”. The pre-proposal submission deadline is 2 February 2026 at 13:00 GMT.

European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA) 2026

ERDERA’s 2026 Joint Transnational Call entitled “Resolving unsolved cases in rare genetic and non‑genetic diseases through variant validation and new technological approaches” has launched with a deadline for pre-proposal submission of 12 February 2026.

Upcoming calls

The All-Ireland Cancer Consortium Research & Innovation Grants Scheme 2026 ‘Survivorship-Living Well With & Beyond Cancer’

Subject to HRB Board approval the All-Ireland Cancer Consortium 2026 Scheme will launch on 25 Feb 2026 at 13:00.

The aim of AICC 2026 is to continue investing to support opportunities to advance all-island collaboration on cancer research and stimulate innovation across the island of Ireland.

The AICC 2026 call will target funding to support cancer research that focuses on survivorship, for people living well with and beyond a cancer diagnosis. Cancer survivorship research covers the period from diagnosis to treatment outcome and seeks to improve care and outcomes experienced by people living with and past cancer. It will enable support of cross-border cooperation and joint efforts in cancer survivorship research to ultimately benefit people, living across the island of Ireland and beyond.

The objectives of this scheme are:

  • To stimulate, engage, develop, and improve all-island, multi-disciplinary cancer research collaborations, networking, and engagement
  • Prime cancer research activity aligned to the Consortium’s priority areas with specific focus for 2026 to support ‘Survivorship-Living Well With & Beyond Cancer’
  • Invest in high quality, innovative cancer research pilots, mapping activities, projects and/or education initiatives.

The overall goal of the scheme is to increase the level of collaboration and innovation amongst cancer researchers and experts across the jurisdictions of Ireland and Northern Ireland. As such we expect collaboration across the two jurisdictions to form a key component of the research proposal. All applicants will be required to have cross border collaborators as co-applicants to be deemed eligible to apply e.g., a Lead Applicant from Ireland requires a Co-Applicant from Northern Ireland and vice versa.

Other European research funding opportunities

See our EU funding updates story for information on more European research funding opportunities.

See also general information on the Horizon Europe and EU4Health programmes.