COMING SOON: COMMISSIONED RESEARCH PROJECT 

Improving transitions to careers for young people with disability

 

Eligibility Criteria

Full research guidelines now available. 

 

Who is eligible to apply?

The NDRP will only accept applications from Eligible Organisations. Projects can be community-led or university-led.
 

The ‘Administering Organisation’

​

The Research Team (which is defined as the team of researchers) should nominate an ‘Administering Organisation’. The ‘Administering Organisation’ will be responsible for submitting the application, executing the funding agreement with the NDRP, and setting up clear and, where appropriate, formal agreements with Partner Organisations. A ‘Contact Person’ from the ‘Administering Organisation’ must be nominated as the contact point for all communication and administration between the NDRP and the Research Team.
 

The ‘Administering Organisation’ must:

• have a current Australian Business Number (ABN)

• be not-for-profit, with the exception of disability or First Nations led research organisations

• demonstrate its capacity to receive and administer grant funding

• demonstrate its capacity to support the safe, ethical, inclusive, and timely delivery of the project that is proposed in the application

• have documented organisational and financial policies and procedures

• have a business and/or strategic plan

• have insurances, including public liability insurance and professional indemnity

• comply with all relevant state/territory and Australian legislation and standards relevant to the project, including working with children requirements

• have in place existing policies and systems that comply with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, or have a formal partnership with an organisation on the Research Team that has these in place

• not be named on the “Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme” list of the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse (www.nationalredress.gov.au).
   

Partner Organisations
 

‘Partner Organisations’ must:

• be not-for-profit, with the exception of disability or First Nations led research organisations

• have a substantial role in the design and/or delivery of the project, and voice in the decision making process (note: raising awareness, participating in consultations or workshops, or ‘in-kind’ contributions do not meet the threshold for a Partner Organisation)

• have named staff, members or Board directors with specific roles as part of the Research Team

• provide letters of confirmation they have agreed to be involved as described in the grant application and that the research is aligned to their organisation’s objectives

• have insurances, including public liability insurance and professional indemnity, for any activities they will be overseeing

• comply with all relevant state/territory and Australian legislation and standards relevant to the project, including working with children requirements

• not be named on the “Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme” list of the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse (www.nationalredress.gov.au).

 

Who is not eligible to apply?

​

• Government organisations or individuals employed within government roles.

• Organisations that are not based in Australia.

• Persons or organisations that are being investigated for a research misconduct or research integrity matter, or subject to NDIS Scheme Act Banning Orders.

 

What other factors would make a project ineligible?

​

Applications that propose projects that do not meet the objectives of the commissioned research will not be considered. This includes where:

• projects are not aligned to the NDRP Guiding Principles

• applicants are seeking funding for projects or activities that are not relevant to the commissioned research topic and objectives as outlined

• the applicant is an individual person or organisation not proposing to work in partnership with others

• projects have already been funded through other funding bodies

• projects focus on implementing specific best practice initiatives (e.g. providers’ access to information and training, trialling targeted transition or employment interventions)

• Research Teams and Project Teams do not include people with disability as co-researchers and co-leaders

• Research Teams do not include any members with strong policy experience

• Opportunity 1: Research Teams and Project Teams do not include Autistic people and/or people with intellectual disability as co-researchers and co-leaders

• Opportunity 2: Research Teams and Project Teams do not include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as co-researchers and co-leaders

• Opportunity 3: Research Teams and Projects Team do not include people with complex support or communication needs as co-researchers and co-leaders.

 

What can grant funds be used for?

​

All budget items must be justified in the application to the NDRP’s satisfaction. Grant funds must only be used directly to support the research proposal that has been submitted.

Eligible budget items

• Salaries or wages.

• Other payments, for example honoraria for co-designers with lived experience who are not paid a salary or a wage for their role in the project.

• Reasonable travel and accommodation costs.

• Reasonable costs associated with hosting meetings, including providing catering.

• Inclusive participation costs such as Easy English, Auslan, Captioning, interpreters or translation.

• Producing research outputs in accessible formats such as Easy English/Read, Auslan and plain language.

• Minor equipment or other items to support inclusion and accessibility or other elements of the co-design project, when approved in writing by the NDRP.

• Learning or training activities for the Research Team or Project Team necessary for the project success. For example, cultural competency workshops, LGBTQIA+ inclusion training, training on working with interpreters or disability confidence training.

• Other reasonable costs with a justification included in the budget.

 

Budget items that are not eligible

​

• University or organisational administrative, infrastructure or overhead charges.

• The purchase of capital expenditure of any kind including computer hardware, office furniture, or clinical machinery, excluding minor expenses associated with accessibility as outlined above.

• Subcontracting large parts of the project to individuals or organisations who are not listed as the Research Team members or Partner Organisations.

• Costs not directly related to the project, including but not limited to professional membership fees, fees for patent application, and maintenance.

The NDRP can use its discretion to choose whether to allow certain project costs. If it decides that some costs aren’t allowed, it might choose not to fund part, or all, of the project.

In-kind contributions

​

Where support or resources are provided by people or organisations in-kind, include these as a budget line item with an approximate value, marked ‘in-kind’.

​

How are applications submitted?

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

To apply:
 

• Fill out and submit the online application form through SmartyGrants (link available on 13 October)

• Make sure you include all the required information.

 

Please check that your application is complete and correct. Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence under Australian law. If this happens, the NDRP may investigate and reject your application.

​

If you notice a mistake after submitting your application, email us straight away at info@ndrporg.au. You can’t make changes after the deadline unless the NDRP asks you to.

​

Late applications won’t be accepted unless you can clearly show that a technical issue stopped you from submitting on time.

​

Applications close at 5:00 PM (AEDT) on Friday 21 November 2025.

If you have questions, contact the NDRP at info@ndrp.org.au.

 

How are applications assessed?

The NDRP will conduct preliminary review of applications to determine eligibility.

The NDRP will appoint screening and independent review panels who will:

• use an assessment matrix to review and score applications against the assessment criteria

• shortlist applicants.

 

The screening and independent review panels will consist of:

• members of the NDRP Commissioned Research Advisory Group

• NDIA and DHDA representatives

• First Nations researchers or First Nations people with research experience

• researchers with policy or relevant research expertise

• people with disability with experience in research.  

 

The NDRP Board and Department of Health, Ageing and Disability (DHDA) will make the final decisions on which applications will be funded.

​

More information on the process for assessing applications is outlined in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).​​

​