--- title: Media FAQ description: Media FAQ image: https://content.ndrp.org.au/hubfs/Media%20FAQ-1.png --- [Skip to content](https://content.ndrp.org.au/national-disability-research-partnership-blog/media-faq#main-content) ![NDRP Main Logo](https://content.ndrp.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/NDRP%20inline@4x.png?width=500&height=148&name=NDRP%20inline@4x.png)Homepage ![](https://content.ndrp.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Media%20FAQ-1.png?width=2000&height=1167&name=Media%20FAQ-1.png) 2026 Funded Team # Media FAQ ![NDRP Research Team](https://7528315.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528315/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-cms-elevate-theme_hubspot/elevate/images/avatar-placeholder.jpg?width=48&height=48&name=avatar-placeholder.jpg) NDRP Research Team October 8, 2026 #### **What is the NDRP?** The National Disability Research Partnership (NDRP) is the independent, disability-led infrastructure that connects government, researchers and the disability community - building evidence and capability, so people with disability shape research that can improve their lives. #### **What has NDRP announced?** The NDRP has awarded **$4.92 million to 19 research projects** addressing the safety, rights, independence and community participation of people with disability. #### **What areas will the research cover?** The projects sit across three funding streams: - safety of people with disability - pathways to the elimination of restrictive practices - accessible and inclusive communities The research covers issues including culturally responsive care, safe housing, justice system transitions, dignity of risk, inclusive services, accessible mental healthcare and participation in community life. #### **How are people with disability involved?** People with disability are involved in leading, governing, designing and delivering the funded research. Their lived experience can help determine the research questions, methods, priorities and intended outcomes. Each project has its own leadership and governance arrangements. These may include researchers with disability, peer-led organisations, community partners, advisory groups and paid research roles for people with disability. #### **How is disability leadership embedded within NDRP?** NDRP is co-led by people with disability. Disability leadership informs its governance, research agenda, funding decisions and approach to building research capacity. NDRP also involves people with disability in assessing research proposals and shaping how funded research is conducted and shared. #### **What does disability-led research mean?** Disability-led research gives people with disability meaningful authority over the direction and delivery of research. This can include leading research teams, making governance decisions, collecting and analysing evidence, and determining how findings are shared and applied. It recognises lived experience as essential expertise, not simply a source of consultation. #### **What is NDRP’s role in Australia’s disability research system?** NDRP invests in research by and for people with disability, builds disability research leadership and capability, and supports evidence to inform policy and practice. Our role is to help create a more inclusive research system in which lived experience is recognised as essential expertise and informs meaningful policy solutions, supporting progress on *Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031.* #### **What is co-design?** Co-design is a collaborative process in which people affected by an issue help define the problem and develop the research approach and potential solutions. Effective co-design involves people with disability early, gives them genuine influence over decisions and recognises their contribution through appropriate support and payment. #### **How does this funding build on NDRP’s first round?** Seven projects build on co-design funded through NDRP’s inaugural 2025 round. These projects are moving into a more substantial phase of research based on questions and approaches developed with people with disability. This demonstrates how early investment in co-design can create a strong foundation for relevant, inclusive and practical research. #### **Why invest in co-design before funding larger research projects?** Early co-design helps research teams identify the questions that matter to people with disability and develop approaches that are accessible, relevant and grounded in lived experience. It can also strengthen partnerships between people with disability, community organisations, researchers, policymakers and service providers before larger research begins. #### **How were the projects selected?** Projects were selected through a competitive assessment process involving reviewers in Independent Review Panels, from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience including, researchers, people with disability and lived expertise, policy makers and other specialist expertise. The project review process included eligibility and process checks, screening, independent review, panel discussion and ranking, moderation, relevant First Nations review, portfolio analysis, Research Committee consideration and Board approval. The final step was a portfolio decision. NDRP considered quality, opportunity fit, disability leadership, feasibility, policy and systems relevance, duplication, risk, available funding and the overall mix of recommended projects. #### **Who reviewed the projects?** Reviewers were selected for a mix of disability, lived experience, community, research, policy, practice and sector expertise. The majority (68%) of reviewers identify as people with disability and included a dedicated First Nations review process. For applications involving intellectual disability as a target cohort, NDRP piloted input from an Intellectual Disability Advisory Group. Their role was to provide lived experience advice to inform panel discussion; they did not score applications or make funding decisions. #### **What has the interest in this round been?** The 2026 round was highly competitive. We received 176 applications, with approximately $46.27 million requested against a funding envelope of $5 million. Only one in nine proposals were able to be supported within the funding. This shows there is significant demand for disability led research and investment in solutions that matter to people with disability. It reinforces the importance of NDRP's role in supporting research that is driven by lived experience and community priorities. #### **What practical difference will the projects make?** The projects aim to produce evidence, tools and approaches that can improve policy, services and practice. Intended outcomes include safer services and living arrangements, more culturally responsive care, better professional training, reduced use of restrictive practices, and more accessible and inclusive communities. Research outcomes will vary by project and will be developed with the people and communities involved. #### **How does the funding support government policy?** The funding supports the objectives of *Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031*, including improving safety, rights, inclusion and community participation. It will build evidence that can help governments, services and communities make better-informed decisions. #### **When will the projects begin and finish?** Projects will commence during August to 1 October *2026* and run for 12 months. #### **How will findings be shared?** NDRP will support research teams to share findings in accessible formats with people with disability, communities, policymakers, practitioners and service providers. Each project will develop an approach suited to its participants, audiences and research outcomes. #### **Where can people find the full list of funded projects?** The full list, including project descriptions, funding recipients and awarded amounts, is available at [www.ndrp.org.au](https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r04/___http:/www.ndrp.org.au___.Y3A0YTpuZHJwOmM6b2ZmaWNlMzY1X2VtYWlsc19hdHRhY2htZW50OjFiNjhmNjdhZjM3MDFiZWQ2MzFmODUzNDE4OWI5MGYxOjc6NjczNTo1ZDlmZTYxYjdlMWMzOTMyNzliMTU0MGU0NmEwMmEwNWIzNzNiZjhmN2M2OGQxZjM4YWJjZDZjOThmYzJjODg1OnA6RjpO).         ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.ndrp.org.au%2Fnational-disability-research-partnership-blog%2Fmedia-faq](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.ndrp.org.au%2Fnational-disability-research-partnership-blog%2Fmedia-faq) ## Keep reading ### [![Worth a look. From time to time, we’ll share things we think might be useful or interesting for NDRP’s 2026 funded teams, including new research, reports, resources, events, opportunities and ideas from across disability research, policy and practice.](https://content.ndrp.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Worth%20a%20look-3.png?width=2000&height=1167&name=Worth%20a%20look-3.png) 2026 Funded Team Worth a look](https://content.ndrp.org.au/national-disability-research-partnership-blog/worth-a-look) [![NDRP inline reverse white@2x](https://content.ndrp.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/NDRP%20Brand%20general/NDRP%20inline%20reverse%20white@2x.png?width=997&height=297&name=NDRP%20inline%20reverse%20white@2x.png "NDRP inline reverse white@2x")](https://www.ndrp.org.au/) --- [Privacy Policy](https://www.ndrp.org.au/about/privacy-policy) © 2025. 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