Deadline: 10-Oct-2025
The Ember Innovations has announced its Lived Experience Research Grant Program to researchers who are transparent about their own lived experience and the invaluable insights their recovery journey provides.
The grant highlights the valuable contributions that researchers with lived experience of mental distress and substance harm are already making, both to the research community and to the broader vision of a more inclusive society. Ember aims to not only strengthen the academic careers of such researchers but also shift perceptions within academic circles about the importance of lived experience.
Candidates must exhibit a strong inclination to publish their research. The highest funding available is $50,000. Funding duration can stretch up to 3 years. No overheads are allowed to be budgeted for. Ember Innovations will only cover the salary/salaries of the PI and/or co-applicant(s) who are dependent on them securing some or all of their salary from external funding agencies (so called “soft” or “external” funding). PhD or Masters students can be named as a co-applicant, but cannot be a PI. Requests for items of equipment (maximum value $5,000) should include a justification for the equipment and a quotation. Items under a value of $2,000 should be classed as consumables.
This opportunity supports qualified researchers at the Master’s level or higher, with funding structured to cover salaries, consumables, and essential equipment within specified limits. The funding duration can extend up to three years, providing flexibility for meaningful research contributions.
For the 2025 round they have added a new step in the selection process which assesses your applications’ eligibility for the funding call and confirm that your proposed research fits within its specified scope. If your application is deemed ineligible or if your research fails to align with the aims of the funding call, they will withdraw your application and notify you accordingly.
While the research topic does not have to directly address mental health, applicants must be open about their lived experience. Ember is committed to guiding recipients on how to share their personal journeys in safe and appropriate ways. Applications for this round close at COB Friday 10th October 2025.
For more information, visit Ember Innovations.
