Frequently Asked Questions 2026 Disability Research Funding

Q: What are the grant amounts for each project?

A: Funding in this round is available across three opportunities, each offering grants of up to $300,000 per project (excluding GST), for 12-month projects.

The available opportunities and funding pools are:

Safety of people with disability

⇒ Opportunity 1A (Open): Research projects focused on the topic of safety of people with disability. Teams can define their own research focus within this theme.

Up to $300,000 per project | Total funding available: $2.4 million

⇒ Opportunity 1B (Targeted): Research projects focused on pathways to the elimination of restrictive practices for people with disability.

Up to $300,000 per project | Total funding available: $600,000

Accessible and inclusive communities

⇒ Opportunity 2A (Open): Research projects focused on the topic of accessible and inclusive communities. Teams can define their own research focus within this theme.

Up to $300,000 per project | Total funding available: $2 million

Across all opportunities, the total funding available for this round is up to $5 million (excluding GST). The NDRP will determine the final number of projects funded and the grant amounts awarded within the total funding pool.

Q: What is the difference between 'Open' and 'Targeted' opportunities?

A: Each opportunity focuses on one of two research themes: safety of people with disability (Opportunities 1A and 1B) or accessible and inclusive communities (Opportunity 2A).

The difference between the open and targeted opportunities is about how you have defined your research focus.

Open opportunities (1A and 2A): In these opportunities, you choose your own specific research focus within the broader theme.

Targeted opportunity (1B): Here the research focus is already defined, which is ‘Eliminating pathways to elimination of Restrictive Practices’. Your project must address this specific topic.

If your research fits the topic and you meet the eligibility requirements, you're welcome to apply.

Q: Can we submit more than one application?

A: No. You can only submit one application across all three opportunities.

This rule applies to:

The Contact Person, and
Every person listed on the Research Team.

This means if you're named as a Research Team member on one application, you can't be listed on any other NDRP 2026 Disability Research Funding application, even in a different role or for a different opportunity.

If you're involved in developing more than one potential project, you'll need to choose which one to submit before the application closes.

Occasional contributors, workshop participants or advisory group members who are not listed as Research Team members do not count toward the one-application rule. The restriction applies to people formally named as team members.

Q: Can an organisation appear on multiple applications if the people are different?

Yes, organisations may be involved in multiple applications, but individual people can only be named on one team.

Q: What are the key dates?

A: The key dates are:

Applications open: Monday 23 February 2026
Applications close: Monday 20 April 2026, 5:00pm AEST
Notification about successful applicants: 30 May 2026
Contract execution: 15 June 2026
Projects must commence: 1 July 2026
Projects must be completed: 30 June 2027

Q: What other funding opportunities will NDRP have in 2026?

A: We announce all NDRP funding opportunities on our website as they become available. Visit www.ndrp.org.au/research for the latest information, or subscribe to receive email updates when new rounds open.

Q: How do I know if I’m eligible?

A: Before you apply, check that you meet all these eligibility requirements:

Your project:

Clearly aligns with one of the three funding opportunities (1A, 1B, or 2A)
Is a research project (not only service delivery, training, or advocacy)
Shows how it will contribute to policy or systems change
Will primarily take place in Australia
Requests $300,000 or less (excluding GST)
Uses grant funds for approved purposes (see Budget and Payments of FAQs)

Your Administering Organisation:

Has an ABN
Is based in Australia
Is not a government agency
Has documented organisational and financial policies
Has appropriate insurance (public liability and professional indemnity)
Has a business or strategic plan
Is compliant with relevant legislation including Working with Children requirements
Is not named on the National Redress Scheme exclusion list.

Partner Organisation (you must have at least one):

Is based in Australia
Has named staff, members, or Board Directors as part of the Research Team.

Your Research Team members:

Include people with disability in co-researcher or co-leader roles
Can only be on ONE application for this funding round
Can be from the Administering Organisation, Partner Organisation/s, or participate as individuals.

Your application needs to demonstrate:

Leadership by and with people with disability
That your project aligns with the NDRP Guiding Principles

For full details on eligibility requirements, see the Eligibility Guidelines.

Q: Can an individual or single organisation apply without any partners?

A: No. Applications must be submitted by a team made up of two or more organisations working in partnership.

This funding round is designed to support collaboration by bringing together different skills, knowledge and lived experience to strengthen disability-led research.

Q: Do we need to have applied for the 2025 Funding Round to be eligible?

A: No. This funding round is open to anyone who meets the Eligibility Criteria in the Grant Guidelines.

This includes:

Teams who received 2025 funding
Teams who applied for 2025 funding but were unsuccessful
Teams who didn't apply for 2025 funding at all.

All applications are assessed on their merit against the selection criteria. Previous NDRP funding doesn't give you priority or guarantee success.

Q: Who is not eligible to apply?

A: Some projects are not eligible for this grant round. This includes projects that:

Are not aligned to the NDRP Guiding Principles,
Are not relevant to the research themes and objectives outlined in the Grant Guidelines, and
Include activities that are primarily occurring outside of Australia.
The Administering Organisation or Contact Person is not based in Australia,
Any person or organisation involved in the application is under investigation for research misconduct or integrity issues, or subject to NDIS Scheme Act Banning Orders, or
The applicant is an individual ororganisation not working in partnership with others.

Other reason an application might not be eligible:

Any person or organisation involved in the application is under investigation for research misconduct or integrity issues, or subject to NDIS Scheme Act Banning Orders.

Q: What if my project takes longer than 12 months?

Only projects that finish within 12 months can get this funding. If your project takes longer, it's not eligible.

Q: Will certain topics be prioritised when it comes to receiving funding?

A: Yes. This funding round prioritises research that aligns with the NDRP Research Agenda and clearly demonstrates leadership by, and meaningful involvement of, people with disability.

This round focuses on two research themes:

Safety of people with disability: including an open opportunity and a targeted opportunity which focus on pathways to the elimination of restrictive practices, and
Accessible and inclusive communities: including projects that address barriers to participation across community, digital, economic and social life.

The NDRP Research Committee will give priority to projects that:

Address recommendations or issues identified in the Disability Royal Commission
Link to Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031, or
Address areas of significant and immediate policy relevance.

All applications are assessed on their merit against the published Assessment Criteria.

Q: What kind of research fits the research topic 'safety of people with disability' (1A Open)?

A: Research that fits the safety theme explores how people with disability can live free from harm, violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. It also examines what supports they need to participate fully in society.

This includes research about:

Respectful relationships: how people are treated with dignity and have their voices heard in decision-making
Accessible and inclusive systems: how policies, services, and spaces can remove barriers and promote safety
Cultural safety: how to create environments that are spiritually, socially and emotionally safe
Transparency and accountability: how systems can prevent harm and be held accountable

Your research might focus on one area or look at how these connect.

Q: What kind of research fits the targeted opportunity research topic, pathways to elimination of restrictive practices? (1B)

A: This opportunity focuses on research that will provide pathways to the elimination of restrictive practices in any setting including but not limited to:

Disability services,
Health,
Education,
Justice, and
Housing.

Your research needs to:

Identify clear pathways to eliminate (not just reduce),
Strengthen rights-based rules and protections,
Put lived experience at the centre of change, and
Create practical guidance for governments, regulators and service providers.

Priority research areas include:

How restrictive practices are defined, measured and reported,
What data is missing and how to track these practices over time,
Ethical, person-centred ways to measure harm and impact,
Evidence-based alternatives that work, and
Policy and system changes needed to end restrictive practices.

Q: What do you mean by 'restrictive practices'?

A: Restrictive practice is any practice or intervention that restricts the rights, autonomy or freedom of movement of a person with disability.

The use of restrictive practices is regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safety Commission because of the serious risks of harm associated with their use.

Restrictive practices can take many forms including:

Physically holding someone or stopping them from moving,
Using equipment or devices to stop someone from moving,
Using medication to calm, sedate or control a person rather than treat a diagnosed medical condition,
Making changes to the person’s environment to restrict their movement (e.g. locking doors or removing access to certain areas), or
Separating people from others by placing them in a specific area or room.

Q: Why does NDRP focus on pathways to the elimination of restrictive practices, not just on restrictive practices themselves?

A: NDRP focuses on enabling the elimination of restrictive practices because they are linked to significant harm and human rights violations for people with disability. Research, lived experience, and inquiries in Australia have shown that restrictive practices can cause physical injury, psychological trauma, loss of trust, and long-term impacts on wellbeing.

While restrictive practices are regulated, regulation alone does not prevent their use or address the underlying systems, environments, and practices that lead to them.

NDRP’s focus is on supporting research that:

Identifies alternatives to restrictive practices,
Strengthens inclusive, rights-based supports,
Builds capability in services and systems to prevent restrictive practices from being used in the first place, and
Centres the leadership and expertise of people with disability in designing safer approaches.

By focusing on elimination, NDRP aims to support evidence that leads to real change in policy, practice, and culture, so people with disability can live with dignity, safety, and control over their own lives.

Q: What kind of research fits the Accessible and Inclusive communities theme (2A)?

A: This research looks at what stops people with disability from taking part in everyday life and how to fix it. This includes all people with disability, not just NDIS participants.

Your research will need to examine the systems, places, or practices that include or exclude people.

For example:

Digital access: Websites, apps, online services, AI and data systems,
Built environment: Housing, transport, public spaces and infrastructure,
Economic participation: Income security, banking, cost of living with disability,
Social connection: Belonging and participation, both online and in person, and
Standards in practice: How well accessibility rules actually work in the real world.

Strong projects create evidence that people with disability have led or shaped. The findings should be useful for governments, councils, community groups or businesses to improve accessibility.

Your project needs to show clearly how the research will lead to policy or practice change. Projects can focus on people who face multiple barriers, such as First Nations people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, or people in regional and remote areas.

Projects that won't fit this theme: Projects focused only on delivering services, advocacy, or training without a clear research component and connection to policy change.

Q: If my application fits both the open opportunity, Safety of People with Disability (1A) and Pathways to Elimination of Restrictive Practices Targeted (1B), which should I apply for?

A: If your research project focuses on 'pathways to elimination of restrictive practices', you should apply for the targeted opportunity 1B.

If your research focus is safety of people with disability, but not on pathways to elimination of restrictive practices, then you should apply for the open opportunity 1A.

Q: Does this funding round support exploratory or preparatory projects?

A: No. This funding round is focused on research that creates new knowledge and produces findings.

The NDRP’s 2025 Funding Round supported exploratory and preparatory work for projects that developed research plans or reviewed what's already known to find gaps in knowledge.

This round is different as it funds research that generates new evidence.

All projects must:

Produce new knowledge or insights that we don't already have,
Deliver research findings during the funded period, and
Show how the research will contribute to policy or practice change.

Your project doesn't need to be a large-scale study or use complex methods, but it does need to create new evidence whether through:

Primary research,
Bringing together existing research in new ways, or
Other approaches that add to what we currently know.

All funded projects will be required to deliver a plain language summary of findings and a research report with recommendations.

Q: Does our project need to collect data from people with disability as research participants?

A: No. Not all projects need to recruit research participants.

Some projects will collect new data from people through interviews, surveys, focus groups, or other methods. Other projects might involve policy analysis, reviewing existing research, or analysing data that already exists.

All projects must involve people with disability as active members of the Research Team whereby they are leading, making decisions, and shaping the work from start to finish.

Your application needs to clearly explain:

How people with disability are involved in your Research Team,
What roles and decision-making authority they have, and
How they will shape the research throughout the project.

Q: Why is collaboration important for this grant?

A: Collaboration strengthens the quality, relevance and impact of research. Working together allows teams to:

Bring together different expertise to fully understand the issue,
Develop clear and well-informed research questions, and
Include a diverse mix of people, including people with disability, organisations and researchers.

Here’s what this means in practice:

Individuals: Can join a Research Team and contribute lived experience, professional expertise or research skills.
Organisations: Can apply as an Administering Organisation to manage the project and funding, or as a Partner Organisation with a defined role in the work.

Q: Who can be part of a research team?

A: This grant supports collaborative research teams that bring together roles including (but not limited to):

People with disability,
People with lived experience, including carers, family and kin,
Researchers, and
Project or policy officers.

Q: What key roles and expertise are needed in a research team?

A: All Research Teams need to include, at least:

People with disability who have experience with the issue your project will address,
People with research experience, and
People and organisations who understand and influence policy and practice related to your topic.
- This may include Disabled People's Organisations, Disability Representative Organisations, advocacy organisations, service providers, or other relevant organisations.

Q: Is my project still eligible if a Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) or a Disability Representative Organisation (DRO) isn’t involved?

A: Yes. A project can still be eligible without a DPO or DRO as a partner organisation.

This funding round expects projects to involve partnerships between two or more organisations and to demonstrate leadership by and with people with disability. While a DPO or DRO can be a strong partner, it is not required.

What matters is that:

The partner organisations are the right fit for the work, and
People with disability have meaningful involvement in leadership, governance and decision-making.

Your application needs to clearly explain why the partnership is appropriate and how it supports inclusive, disability-led research in practice.

Partner organisations must have a substantial role in the design and/or delivery of the project and a voice in decision-making (see Grant Guidelines for full partner organisation requirements).

Q: Can a community organisation be included as an Administrating Organisation or a Partner Organisation?

A: Yes.

The requirements include:

Having named staff as members of the Research Team,
Having a substantial role in design, delivery and decision-making, and
Providing a letter of confirmation of their involvement (if they are a Partner Organisation).

See the Grant Guidelines for full eligibility criteria and Partner Organisation requirements.

Q: If the Administering Organisation is a university, can a Partner Organisation also be a university?

A: Yes. A university can partner with another university.

However, applications must still demonstrate leadership by and with people with disability, and show how the partnership supports inclusive, disability-led research in practice.

Where universities partner together, applications need to clearly explain:

How people with disability are involved in leadership, governance and decision-making, and
How the project builds research and leadership capacity beyond academic institutions alone.

Q: Do Research Team members need to provide letters of support from their organisations, or can they participate as individuals?

A: Research Team members can participate as individuals with no letter required.

There are two ways to be involved:

As an individual Research Team member: You join the team in your own right. Even if you work for an organisation, you don't need a letter from them.

As a Partner Organisation: If an organisation wants to be listed as a formal Partner Organisation in the application, they must:

Provide a letter confirming their involvement, and
Have named staff, members or Board Directors as part of the Research Team.

Your application needs to clearly describe each team member's role, whether they're participating as an individual or representing a Partner Organisation.

Q: Who is included under ‘lived experience’? Does this include family members and support networks?

A: It depends on the project.

Lived experience can include families, kin, carers and support networks, particularly for projects involving children or people who need support to participate.

All projects must directly involve people with disability as active members of the Research Team, leading decisions and shaping the work from start to finish.

Q: Where can I get more information about co-design or involvement of people with disability?

A: The NDRP website has a suite of comprehensive resources to help you understand and embed co-design in your research.

You can start here with:

Embedding Co-design in your Research which explains what co-design is, why it matters, and what makes it work
Our co-design series. This includes:
You can also watch Co-design of Research 101 which is our online session available in English and Auslan.

Other helpful resources:

The NDRP Guiding Principles: Our framework for disability-led research, and
Our Partnerships Resource Pack: Practical tips, templates and checklists for building inclusive team.

Q: How will leadership work in funded projects?

A: Funded projects are expected to be led by and with people with disability, with leadership shared across the Research Team rather than centred in a single role. Instead of nominating one person as the project leader, applications need to clearly describe:

How leadership is shared across the team,
Who is responsible for leading different parts of the work,
How people with disability are involved in leadership, governance and key decisions, and
How responsibility and decision-making are managed in practice.

Each application must nominate an Administering Organisation and a Contact Person.

What matters most is that the application demonstrates clear, inclusive leadership and the capacity to deliver the project well.

Q: What is the role of the Administering Organisation?

A: The Administering Organisation is the organisation that applies for the funding and enters into the funding agreement with the NDRP.

The Administering Organisation is responsible for:

Submitting the application,
Receiving and managing grant funds,
Meeting reporting requirements, and
Supporting safe, ethical and timely delivery of the project.

The Administering Organisation does not need to control the research content or decision-making. Leadership and decision-making can be shared across organisations and team members, including people with disability.

Any eligible organisation with an ABN can take on this role, except government agencies. This includes universities, community organisations, not-for-profit organisations, disability or First Nations-led organisations, and research institutes that can manage the grant and support the project.

Q: What is the role of the Contact Person?

A: The Contact Person must be from the Administering Organisation and is the main point of communication between the NDRP and the Research Team.

Their role is to:

Receive and respond to NDRP communications,
Submit the application on behalf of the Research Team,
Coordinate information and requests within the team, and
Act as the administrative contact for the application and funded project.

The Contact Person does not need to be the most senior person on the team and does not hold decision-making authority by default. They may also be a Research Team member but this is not required.

The Contact Person role is administrative and practical. It does not define who leads the research.

Q: Will individual leadership roles of people with disability and other researchers affect how my application is assessed?

A: Applications are not assessed based on titles or individual positions. What matters is how leadership, decision-making and power are shared with people with disability across the project.

Assessment Criterion 3, “Leadership and inclusion of people with disability”, is weighted at 25% of the application’s overall score.

Strong applications clearly show that people with disability:

Are involved in leadership and key decisions,
Shape the research questions, methods and outcomes,
Are supported and resourced to contribute their expertise,
Have clear roles and responsibilities in governance, design and delivery of the research, and
Contribute in ways that match their skills, knowledge and lived experience.

True leadership isn't about titles or roles but is instead about the collective strength of teams and partnerships. This is where inclusion can positively shape the practice of shared leadership across each project.

Q: How should I prepare my application?

A: Strong applications start with thinking together.

Before you begin, allow time for collaboration and planning. Applications close on 20 April 2026 at 5 pm AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Canberra Time zone). Make sure you start thinking about your application early.

Step 1: Prepare together

Before drafting your application, take time to discuss:

Who needs to be involved: Whose knowledge, experience or leadership is essential?
The purpose: What issue or opportunity is this project responding to?
How you’ll work together: How will power, decision-making and responsibility be shared?

These conversations help build a solid foundation for collaborative, disability-led research.

Step 2: Sense-check the project

Before writing, work through these questions as a team:

Why does this matter now?
What evidence, experience or insight points to this issue?
What is realistic within a project of up to 12 months?
What would success look like, and how would you know?

A strong application reflects shared understanding, not just polished language.

Step 3: Gather what you need

Collect the information required to complete the application, including details from team members and partner organisations.

Q: How do I apply?

A: Applications are submitted online through the NDRP grant portal during the application period.

To apply:

Read the Grant Guidelines
Fill out and submit the online application form through SmartyGrants at: https://ndrp.smartygrants.com.au
Make sure you include all the required information.

Check that your application is complete and correct.

Q: Can we upload a list of references to support our claims?

A: Yes, you can upload a list of references as a separate text document of no more than 2 pages, which will not count towards the word limits for responses. You don't need formal citation formatting. Uploading a list of reference is optional.

You can also include brief references within your responses if you need to. The application process is designed to be clear, accessible, and fair for all types of teams.

What matters most is that your application is clear, well-reasoned and easy to follow.

Q: Can the NDRP extend the application closing date?

A: No. The closing date won't be extended.

However, if a valid technical issue stops you from submitting your application on time, contact the NDRP immediately at info@ndrp.org.au You'll need to clearly explain what happened.

We encourage you to start your application early to allow time for meaningful co-design and to avoid last-minute technical problems.

Q: Can a Research Team member be paid a salary from this grant?

A: Yes, in some cases.

If a Research Team member is already being paid by their employer to do this work, you can't use grant funds to pay them. Instead, include their time as an in-kind contribution in your budget.

However, some Research Team members may need grant funding for their salary. For example:

They work part-time or casually,
They're on a short-term contract,
They have gaps between other grants or funding, or
They're being hired specifically for this project.

Any salary you include in your budget must be reasonable for the work they'll do on this project - not just based on their general expertise or qualifications.

In all cases, your application should clearly explain how payment has been calculated and why it is appropriate for the role.

Q: Can we include GST in the project budget?

A: No. Don’t include GST in your project budget.

If you're awarded funding, GST will be paid to the Administering Organisation on top of the grant amount, where applicable.

Q: How do we calculate payment for people involved in co-design?

A: There is no single rate for people involved in co-design. Instead, payment needs to be based on the nature of the role, the time and responsibilities involved, and what’s a reasonable rate of pay for the work being done.

Some people, including people with disability, may contribute in different ways across a project and may bring lived experience, professional skills, or both.

Your budget will reflect the specific role they are undertaking, not just their identity or background. If someone is employed in a formal role (for example, as a research assistant or project officer), an appropriate award or employment rate can be used.

Find budgeting worksheets and other resources in the Partnerships Pack.

Q: How are applications assessed?

A: Independent reviewers look at all eligible applications using five criteria.

The five assessment criteria are:

Relevance to the topic and potential for policy and system impact (20%): How well your research addresses the funding opportunity and can influence policy, practice or programs.
Research quality & methods (30%): The quality and appropriateness of your research design and methods.
Leadership and inclusion of people with disability (25%): How people with disability lead and participate in the research, with evidence of power-sharing and shared decision-making.
Capacity and resources to deliver the project (15%): Whether your team and organisations have the skills, knowledge, experience and resources to deliver the project successfully.
Risk management and value for money (10%): How you'll manage risks and make effective use of the funding.

How scoring works

Reviewers score each criterion from 5 (Outstanding) to 1 (Weak).

These scores are weighted according to the percentages above to calculate a final score of 100.

Q: What if my project takes longer than 12 months?

A: Only projects that finish within 12 months can receive this funding. If your project does take longer, it will not be eligible.

Q: What will I need to deliver if my project is funded?

A: All funded projects need to share their work at key stages.

Halfway through the project:

A brief update on how the project is going, and
A short summary (in plain language) about what you’re finding.

When your project finishes:

A summary of your findings written in plain language, showing what they mean for policy and practice, and
A final research report with your findings, recommendations, and what you learned about doing inclusive research.

For the community:

Content for the NDRP Evidence to Action series (we'll work with you on what this looks like), and
Accessible versions of your findings. This might include Easy Read summaries, videos in Auslan, or other formats that work for your audience.

All reports and summaries need to be written in plain language so people outside academia can understand and use them.

The NDRP will publish your final research report (you'll still be credited as the authors).

You'll also be invited to:

Share your findings with other NDRP-funded research teams, and
Participate in events where researchers learn from each other.

Q: How will I know if I’m successful?

A: All applicants will be notified by email through SmartyGrants by 30 May 2026.

If you're successful:

You'll receive an email confirming your project has been funded,
You'll need to sign a Research Funding Agreement with the NDRP,
Funding will begin once the agreement is signed, and
Your contract will be executed by 15 June 2026.

If you're unsuccessful:

You'll receive an email with the outcome, and
The NDRP will provide summary feedback on your application.

All applicants will hear about the outcome - you won't be left wondering.

Q: Can I get any feedback on my application after it is assessed?

Yes. All applicants will receive written feedback after the assessment round closes. This includes both successful and unsuccessful applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

About this funding

Eligibility and who can apply

Research Themes and Priorities

What types of projects are funded?

Partnerships, collaboration & research teams

Leadership, roles and responsibilities

How to apply

Project budget and payments

Assessment & selection

After you apply

Help and support