PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET
Summary of Grant Themes
Ember Innovations proudly presents two distinct research grant opportunities that align with our commitment to innovation, mental health, and honoring lived experiences.
Wellbeing Innovation Grant: This grant is dedicated to innovative research that pushes boundaries in the mental health, substance harm and non-substance-harm fields. We're looking for proposals that challenge conventional practices, promise radically different insights, and potentially lead to transformative change. Whether it's developing new therapeutic techniques or exploring economic impacts, we encourage ambitious and paradigm-shifting ideas.
Lived Experience Research Grant: Recognizing the profound value of personal recovery journeys, this grant goes beyond mental health and is open to researchers from any discipline (e.g., previously successful recipients' field of research spanned from architecture to). What makes this grant unique is its emphasis on the researcher's willingness to openly share their lived experience to address prejudice and discrimination in academia. The focus of this research does not have to be on mental health, but the researcher must be open about their lived experience. Ember is committed to providing guidance on the safe and appropriate sharing of Lived Experience to the successful grant recipient(s).
These grants reflect our dedication to supporting a broad spectrum of research that contributes to understanding mental health and wellbeing, fostering innovation, and leveraging personal experiences to create meaningful impact. We invite researchers who share our vision to apply.
Important Dates:
Information Workshop (optional): 29th August 2025. 10am – 12:00pm with light refreshments and networking
University of Auckland Campus, 49 Symonds St – Rimu Room 10th Floor
An opportunity to ask questions, meet the Panel and hear from previous recipients.
Deadline for applications: COB Friday 10th October 2025
Eligibility review: From 13th to 24th October 2025
Panel Deliberations: Thursday 30th October 2025
Shortlisted Presentations: Friday 21st November 2025
DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED RESEARCH
All sections will be waited equally SUMMARY
[Provide a brief overview of your research including rationale for research, aims,
design and methods, and research impact]
Rationale for Research
[A statement of the research objectives and significance of the issue; potential to advance knowledge and address an important gap in the field; aims and hypothesis building on existing knowledge; and originality of the approach. Explain the ambitious nature of your research - how does your proposal challenge conventional practice or theory in the field? Does the research promise radically different methods/insights/techniques or tools? How will the research potentially lead to transformative change and be paradigm shifting?]
Design, Methods and Approach
[Provide details sufficient for technical assessment of scientific protocol, feasibility and validity. Describe the practicalities of how key outputs such as techniques or processes will be achieved and/or implemented by the team.]
Impact Potential
[Clearly state the anticipated outcomes, and the importance of the outcomes with respect to how they will contribute to increased knowledge, health, social and/or economic gains.]
[If relevant, describe the opportunity to commercialise the findings from this research and/or how the research findings are likely to enable the mental health sector to make informed decisions or valuable changes to its practice, expenditure and/or systems in the short term]
Team capability to produce outcomes
[Provide evidence that the team has the qualifications, experience and knowledge in the proposed research area; right mix of expertise, and appropriate networks and collaborations; history of productivity and delivery, and the right research environment. Describe how you intend to collaborate with stakeholders]
Project Plan
[Describe the timeline, milestones and deliverables for the project. Include the knowledge transfer and the process or steps in place that will support uptake of the research findings by Participants. This could include how clinical, health consumer, commercial and technical Participant stakeholders are integrated throughout the research process; how the dissemination strategies will be tailored to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders so the results are of maximum utility; whether there is a plan to build a prototype as part of the project]
Data and Ethics
[Comment on data availability for this work, and on any ethical or consent requirements and considerations including how data will be stored.]
How does this research impact/benefit Māori?
[All research in New Zealand is of interest to Māori, and research that includes Māori is of paramount importance to Māori. Describe how this research project can contribute to addressing inequities faced by Māori participants and their whānau, for example, the steps you have taken to ensure your public documents are appropriate for Māori. How have Māori been involved in the development of the project? How will the research benefit Māori?]
How does this research impact/benefit people with Lived Experience of Mental Distress/ Substance or non-substance harm or intellectual disability
[All research on Mental Health or addiction is of interest to those with lived or living experience of those issues, and their whānau. Research that includes, speaks of or who’s findings affect tāngata whaiora (people in search of wellbeing) is of paramount importance to tāngata mātau ā-wheako (those with lived/living experience). Describe how this research project can contribute to addressing inequities, prejudice, discrimination, early mortality and other health issues faced by tāngata whaiora and their whānau, or expands access to or choice of services, therapies and solutions provided.
For the Mental Health Innovation Grant - How have those with lived or living experience been involved in the development of the project?
For the Lived Experience Grant - How do you propose to share and celebrate the value of your own lived experience regardless of your research topic?
Informing Participants, Recruitment & Consent
[Te Ara Tika principle: WHAKAPAPA. Research should involve the development and maintenance of respectful relationships, engage Māori in decision-making, and include clear, appropriate communication. Describe in detail how you will identify potential participants and the method by which participants will be invited to take part in the research. Provide details of the strategies that will be used to ensure culturally appropriate recruitment of Māori: Explain the process by which potential participants will be provided with information about the study, an opportunity to ask questions, and be asked to give their informed consent]
Background IP
[Please outline any Background IP that this project will use. If you require assistance with defining Background IP, please contact your commercialisation office and legal advisors who should be able to assist you in doing so.]
REFERENCES
[It is important to support the application by means of references. Please ensure that these are not restricted or limited to the applicants’ own work. Please also ensure that the references have been published, to ensure that they are readily accessible when the proposal is being assessed. Please bold any applicant’s names if they appear in the reference list.] These are not included in any of the page limits.
CURRICULUM VITAE AND PUBLICATIONS
[A CV should be appended at the end of this document for each named researcher, using the standard HRC format. http://www.hrc.govt.nz/sites/default/files/NZ%20Standard%20CV%20Template.doc up to a maximum of 5 pages. In the publications list, please bold the named applicant].
JUSTIFICATION OF EXPENSES
[In this section, briefly outline the contribution that each team member will make to the proposed research. This should include PIs, AIs, mentors, and postgraduate students, regardless of the FTE funding sought. This section should illustrate that the project has the personnel to manage the expected workload of the project, to ensure its smooth management, and to deliver results. Clearly state the resources required for the proposed research that the team will have access to. This should not exceed 1 page in length.]
PROJECT BUDGET
[All costs for the project should be included The time that each member of the research team will spend on the proposed project should be listed.
Please describe any additional funding you have for this project.
Please work with your research support team if needed to ensure you include the correct costs etc.]
PROJECT TEMPLATE: GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETION and FORMATTING.
The proposed research proposal must not exceed 7 pages (excluding the Project Information Sheet and CVs). If diagrams, images or footnotes are used, they must be contained within this page limit. References should be listed separately. Typeface should be 11 point, Arial or of similar size font, single spacing, with margins of 2.5 cm on the left and 2.5 cm on the right side of the page.
For a word document form please email kiaora@emberinnovations.nz