Applications in progress

HRB-DOH Evidence for Policy (EfP) Programme 2025

The Evidence for Policy (EfP) Programme 2025 application and review process is now complete. The three successful applicants have been informed and contracting is underway.

Collaborative Research Network in Mental Health 2025 (CRN 2025)

The aim of the Collaborative Research Network in Mental Health call is to bring together stakeholders to promote and advance research in mental health and ensure its application to policy and practice, informed by the National Mental Health Research Strategy.

The call closed 30 May 2025, the panel review meeting took place on 11 September, and HRB board reviewed the panel’s decision on 26 September. The outcome has been communicated to applicants.

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 SDAP 2025 Scheme has two separate application cycles. Cycle 1 has been completed with the Panel occurring in September and 6 applications recommended for funding. All applicants to Cycle 1 have received their outcome letters.

Cycle 2 opened for applications on 1 September 2025 and will close on 9 January 2026 at 13:00. Applicants that have been unsuccessful in Cycle 1, will have the opportunity to re-apply to Cycle 2, once they’ve taken onboard the feedback from reviewers and implemented any necessary changes to improve their proposal.

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. There were several presentations from previous SDAP grant holders which provided an insight into the depth of projects that can apply to the scheme and excellent inspiration regarding the impact these projects have had. Several data holders also presented their datasets and how they could be utilised in the scheme-their contact details are available on the slide decks.

Applied Partnership Awards (APA) 2024

The Applied Partnership Awards (APA) are designed to bring knowledge users and researchers together to develop research projects that address a documented need within the Irish health or social care system.

The APA 2024 Scheme has two separate application cycles. Cycle 1 projects have been funded and are underway. Cycle 2 closed on 18 December 2024. 43 applications were deemed eligible in Cycle 2. The panel meeting to review applications was held 11 – 12 June 2025, and on 27 June the HRB Board approved 17 applications for funding. All applicants have been notified and contracting is now in process.

European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) 2025

The panel met in September and funding decisions are being finalised.

European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA) 2025

The panel met in September and funding decisions are being finalised.

The PPI Ignite Network (PPI-IN) 2026

The PPI Ignite Network will support and further build capacity for high-quality PPI in health and social care research throughout Ireland. This grant will provide funding for a further 5-year phase of a PPI Ignite Network. The panel meeting was held on 2 October 2025 and recommendations will go to the HRB Board on 6 November 2025

Conference and Event Sponsorship Scheme (CES) 2025  

The CES scheme aims to create an opportunity to host health research related events, workshops, or conferences in Ireland. Cycle 2 closed on 22 July 2025, 19 applications were recommended for funding and contracting is underway.

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).

The submission deadline was on 14 October 2025 and 147 applications were received. Applications are currently undergoing eligibility checks.

Open Calls

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.

Please see details of open charity research calls for this scheme by clicking here.  All charities held an expression of interest phase and only those invited to make full application should do so.  Please contact HRCI (sarah@hrci.ie) or the relevant charity if you require additional information.

Please check relevant submission deadline in the charity call.

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

The Investigator-led Clinical Trials (ILCT) Programme, formerly DIFA, supports feasibility studies and definitive intervention studies. The ILCT Programme is currently open as a rolling call. Please note the submission deadlines for Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 have now been extended.

The submission deadline for Cycle 2 has been extended to 30 July 2025, and for Cycle 3 to 12 December 2025. The HRB website and GEMS have been updated to reflect these changes. Full details on the call are available on the funding page of the HRB website.

Collaborative Postdoctoral Fellowships Programmes (CPFP) 2026

The CPFP scheme aims to support health and social care researchers from various disciplinary backgrounds who are based in an academic setting and have a PhD or an equivalent level of research experience. The scheme uses a team-based funding model designed to support groups of postdoctoral researchers working together on a common research programme.

Applications are invited from a ‘collaborative’ group of experienced researchers, led by the leadership team, proposing an overarching interdisciplinary research programme to be delivered by three early-career postdoctoral fellows.

The deadline for pre-applications is 17 December 2025.

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.

Summer Student Scholarships (SS) 2026

The objective of this scholarship scheme is to foster an interest in health and social care research in undergraduate students. Each student will be given an opportunity to gain practical research experience and an understanding of research processes, techniques, and methodologies by conducting a small research project during the summer 2026 for 6-8 weeks. Students (lead applicants) must independently identify a suitable supervisor in their area of interest and work closely with them to develop a proposal to submit to the HRB.

The deadline for applications is on 27 November 2025.

US-Ireland Research and Development Partnership Programme

This is a rolling call. Check the scheme notice for full details.

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 is 12 January 2026 at 13:00 GMT.

HRB will be running a webinar for interested applicants based in Ireland on 4 November 2025 at 15:00.

Upcoming Calls

European Partnership on One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (OHAMR) 2026

The European Partnership on OHAMR has pre-announced its first call entitled “Treatments and Adherence to Treatment protocols (OH-TREAT)”. The call will launch on 18 November 2025 with a closing date on 2 February 2026 at 13:00 GMT for pre-proposals.

Interested applicants are encouraged to attend the informational webinar that will take place on 26 November 2025 at 12:00–14:00 GMT. Guidance for applicants based in Ireland will be published on HRB’s webpage shortly after the call launches.

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

The European Partnership on THCS has pre-announced the 2026 joint transnational call entitled “Access to Care”. It will launch on 21 November 2025 with a deadline for pre-proposal submission of 2 February 2026 at 13:00 GMT.

An information webinar will take place on 10 December 2025 at 13:00–15:00 GMT (details to be provided after the call launches). Guidance for applicants based in Ireland will be published on HRB’s webpage shortly after the call launches.

European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA) 2026

ERDERA has pre-announced the 2026 joint transnational call entitled “Resolving unsolved cases in rare genetic and non‑genetic diseases through variant validation and new technological approaches”. It will launch on 10 December 2025 with a deadline for pre-proposal submission of 12 February 2026.

An information webinar will take place on 16 December 2025 at 14:00–16:00 GMT. Guidance for applicants based in Ireland will be published on HRB’s webpage shortly after the call launches.

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.