Multiple $10,000 project grants available
The grants target supporting the next generation of researchers or practitioners across the multidisciplinary field of ageing.
Early career researchers and practitioners across the multidisciplinary field of ageing – including aged care – can apply for a grant to undertake a new project or support an existing one.
The grants are available under the 2024 RM Gibson program of the AAG Research Trust and include up to three grants of up to $10,000 each for projects up to 18 months in duration.
There’s an additional grant of up to $10,000 for projects up to 18 months for applications with a substantive dementia focus, made possible through a partnership between the AAG Research Trust and the Dementia Australia Research Foundation.
These grants are specifically aimed at supporting the next generation of researchers or practitioners across the multidisciplinary field of ageing, said Professor Anne-Marie Hill, chair of the AAG Research Trust Grants Committee.
“It can be hard for early and mid-career researchers and practitioners to build their grant track records,” Professor Hill told Australian Ageing Agenda. “We fund researchers and practitioners who need support for standalone projects or components of bigger projects.”
The RM Gibson program aims to facilitate early career learning and growth by providing seed funding for a standalone project, or a discrete piece of work within an existing project, and help early career researchers build their grant track record.
The trust is the research grant arm of the Australian Association of Gerontology – which is the nation’s professional body for researchers, educators, policy makers, health professionals, service providers and advocates wanting to improve the experience of ageing. The RM Gibson program is open to members in the early stages of their careers.
Previous RM Gibson grant recipients include Rachel Brimelow, who was awarded almost $5,000 in 2018 for a University of Queensland study exploring the feasibility of virtual reality as a non-pharmacological approach to improving aged care residents’ moods.
“One of the main findings of this virtual reality trial is that virtual reality over the longer term managed to decrease depression scores,” Ms Brimelow said in 2020.
The research highlighted another tool aged care staff can use to engage residents, she said.
“It’s really rewarding when we hear from previous awardees that our grants have enabled them to make real progress in their work or studies, including establishing themselves as successful grant applicants,” said Professor Hill.
Find out about other previous RM Gibson program grant recipients here.
For the current round, applications close on Monday 27 May 2024 and must be made through the RM Gibson webpage.
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