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The Norman Beischer Medical Research Foundation supports and promotes improvements in the reproductive health of women and in the health of their babies and infants.
It actively supports research into obstetrics and the prevention, control and treatment of gynaecological diseases and related problems. It funds clinical and scientific research by leading and emerging researchers and uses this research to educate and inform medical practice in Australia and elsewhere.
The Foundation’s Research Committee meets annually to review grant applications. Submissions are assessed by the Committee members, and recommendations for grants are approved by the Board of Directors.
Innovation Grants provide seed funding to support highly innovative research projects with potential for significant clinical impact. They may lead to major grant applications with such institutions as the NHMRC and the Medical Futures Fund.
These grants are open to any researcher at any career stage and are generally for one year, but in certain circumstances may be for longer.
Grant Amount – The Foundation will award approximately nine grants per annum to a maximum level of $73,000 each.
Grant Process – Relevant researchers based in Victoria may submit applications for assessment by the Research Committee. Grant applications may be submitted including collaborative interstate researchers, but the Principal Investigator must be located at a research institute in Victoria.
Applications for 2025 Innovation Grants open 1 July 2024.
The 2025 Innovation Grants Guidelines and Application Form are below.
Download the 2025 Innovation Grants Guidelines here
Download the 2025 Innovation Grant Application Form here
The Norman A Beischer PhD Prize is presented to those successfully being awarded a PhD in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Mercy Hospital for Women. The Prize may be used to attend a conference to present the results of the PhD research and/or for continuing education.
Grant Amount – $5,000.
Grant Process – The PhD Prize is automatically awarded to a qualifying student upon the recommendation of the Director of Perinatal Medicine at the Mercy Hospital for Women.
Ernest Daniel (Ernie) Williams, who died in 2014, was a real estate agent based in Melbourne, Victoria who had a long association with the Norman Beischer Medical Research Foundation (NBMRF) and advised the Board in real estate matters over many years.
Ernie had a strong sense of care and support for family and the wider community and enormous empathy for those disadvantaged beyond their control, particularly children. He also appreciated the impact education had on creating opportunities for individuals.
These factors led Ernie to approach the Foundation with the view of leaving the residue of his estate to the Foundation. His wish was for the Foundation to provide one or more scholarships with the purpose of supporting the education of Aboriginal students and to encourage any academic study that would benefit the long-term health and well-being of the Aboriginal Community.
The Foundation was honoured to be able to offer for the first time in 2017 the Ernest D Williams Scholarship.
The Scholarship is open to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders who are pursing academic study of a tertiary nature that has an element of research. The area of research is not confined to a particular branch of medicine or health sciences, but the proposed outcome of the study should relate to the improvement of the health and well-being of the Aboriginal Community.
The recommendation of the Scholarship Panel will be reviewed by the Board for approval, a process which may require the candidate to present for an interview with the Board.
It is anticipated that the research work performed by the Ernest Williams Scholar will be conducted in Melbourne, Victoria.
Grant Amount – $20,000 per annum and may be awarded for a period of not greater than 2 years, depending on the type of study being conducted.
Interested applicants should contact the Foundation’s CEO, Mr Andrew Brookes by email at admin@nbmrf.org.au
The Foundation will award two Ernest Williams scholarships annually at Deakin University for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders studying nursing or midwifery at Deakin. Each scholarship awards a total of $40,000 over four years.
Deakin University will select the successful scholarship recipients.
Please use our account details below to make your contribution.
Account Name: Norman Beischer Medical Research Foundation
Bank: Bendigo
BSB: 633000
Account No: 5529128
Once the donation has been made please use the form below to let us know the details.