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Stroke Foundation funds research through an annual grants program. This grant round will offer a range of opportunities for stroke research teams across Australia to test their ideas in stroke prevention, treatment and recovery. Our grants aim to build capacity in areas of need in stroke research and support the next generation of researchers to become leaders in their field.

Engagement of people with lived experience is a core focus of Stroke Foundation’s research grants. Ensuring safe, supportive and positive engagement is paramount.

Completion of our co-designed e-learning module on how to work effectively with people with lived experience is a requirement of our grants.


Seed Grants

Seed Grants provide up to $80,000 for projects of up to 18 months, supporting early- to early‑mid‑career researchers and aligned national stroke research priorities. These priorities were shaped through a two‑year national project involving more than 300 contributors, led in partnership with leading Australian researchers and the Stroke Trials Centre of Research Excellence. Find out more about the National Stroke Research Prioritisation Project.

Purpose: Generate new knowledge, kickstart innovative projects and provide a platform for emerging researchers to tackle evidence and/or implementation gaps in stroke care and excel in their stroke specialty.

Ranked
Priority
(1 = most important)

 Prevention  Early Treatment  Rehabilitation and Life After Stroke 

1

 Early recognition of medical conditions (e.g. atrial fibrillation) that could lead to first stroke  Better recognition and diagnosis of stroke and TIA so people get to hospital and receive early treatments faster  Best approaches to recognise, treat and manage post-stroke fatigue 

2

 Finding and treating what causes unexplained strokes  New treatments to protect the brain from damage in both ischaemic and 
haemorrhagic stroke 		 Best ways to support mental health and wellbeing post-stroke 

3

 Understanding roles of, and how to address, genetic, social and environmental risk factors in stroke  Understanding how the body and brain recover from stroke to find better tests and treatments  Best approaches to recognise and improve communication difficulties caused by stroke 

4

 Ways to live healthier to prevent stroke (physical activity, diet, smoking, alcohol)  Best ways to treat ischaemic stroke  Best approaches to support people with problems with memory, thinking or perception, and to prevent post-stroke dementia 

5

 Government policies to lower stroke risk  Best ways to treat haemorrhagic stroke  Best ways to prevent another stroke and live well and healthy after stroke 

6

 Medicines, devices, surgery and healthcare to prevent first stroke  Prevention, treatment and management of complications during hospital care  Best therapies and/or devices to improve walking ability and/or arm movement after 
stroke 

7

     Best ways to prevent, treat and manage pain caused by stroke, including shoulder pain and central post-stroke pain 

8

     Understand how post-stroke inflammation and immune system response affects recovery, and best ways to prevent and treat this 

 


Childhood Stroke Grant

Background: Every day, up to two children in Australia experience a stroke – and the effect on children and their families is devastating. In 2026, Stroke Foundation’s 30th year, we are proud to introduce a dedicated Childhood Stroke Research Grant of up to $80,000, made possible by our generous supporters.

Purpose: To enable researchers to tackle some of the most pressing issues affecting children and families including (but not limited to) treatment, hospital-to-home transition and better longer-term outcomes for childhood survivors of stroke. 

Stroke Foundation aims to include a dedicated Childhood Stroke Grant in future rounds.


Future Leader Grants

Grants of up to $5,000 to support leadership and capability development (e.g., mentoring, training, research visits, conference activities with mentoring, co-design skill development) for early to early‑mid career researchers and people with lived experience. 

Special stream: Dr Anna Correll Future Leader in Aphasia Research (supported by the Dr Anna Correll Memorial Fund) 

Hear from 2025 Future Leader with Lived Experience Grant Recipient, Brooke Parsons, about applying:

For any queries please contact: