ClosedResearch
ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant — NSW
Up to $400K available
Department of Education
The ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant is a New South Wales grants program under the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund that funds quality early childhood education and care research. It supports both leveraging existing post-award research and developing new innovative research with applied benefits for children, educators, services and communities across New South Wales.
Funding
Up to $400K
Closed
22 Nov 2025
Location
New South Wales
Who Can Apply
• Lead researcher must be employed by a university in New South Wales as the administering organisation.
• Lead researcher must be a permanent staff member at Senior Lecturer equivalent level or above.
• Lead researcher must demonstrate the skills and capacity to deliver the project.
• Administering organisation must be financially viable and likely to remain so for the duration of the project.
• Project must fit one of the two grant categories: Leveraging Grant or Innovation Grant.
• Leveraging Grant projects must be post-award research projects with existing funding evidence.
• Innovation Grant projects must be ambitious, innovative ECEC research aligned with ECEC research priorities.
• Project must align with at least one of the six ECEC Research Priority Areas.
• Project must have ethics approval or be likely to receive ethics approval from the relevant university ethics committee.
• If the project involves public preschools or schools, it must include evidence of approval or apply through the NSW State Education Research Applications Process (SERAP).
• Applications must be submitted by an authorised officer from the applicant organisation and endorsed by the relevant Research Office(s).
• Applicants must address all eligibility criteria in full or may be excluded.
To be eligible, the lead researcher must be employed by a university in New South Wales as the administering organisation, be a permanent staff member holding the position of Senior Lecturer equivalent or above, and have the demonstrated skills and capacity to deliver the project. The administering organisation must be financially viable and likely to remain so for the duration of the project. Projects must meet the eligibility criteria for either the Leveraging Grant category or the Innovation Grant category, align with at least one of the six ECEC Research Priority Areas, have ethics approval or be likely to receive ethics approval from the relevant university ethics committee, and include SERAP approval or an application through SERAP if the research involves public preschools or schools. Leveraging Grant applications must provide evidence of existing research project funding.
What's Funded
Conducting early childhood education and care research projects in New South Wales, including leveraging existing funded research projects or developing new innovative research aligned to ECEC research priorities. Funded activities include research design, implementation, analysis, translation into policy and practice, and dissemination of findings.Before you apply
Check ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant fit and evidence gaps before 22 Nov 2025
Use this research grant page to sanity-check eligibility, funding fit, evidence gaps and application effort before you commit days to drafting. If you already know the grant you want, the 48-hour audit gives a practical go/no-go view, reviewer-readiness score and next-step risks.
Get a 48-hour grant fit auditExpected Outcomes
Research outputs that improve the New South Wales ECEC context, provide immediate applied benefit to the ECEC workforce, children, families and communities, generate new or advanced knowledge, support policy translation, and address one or more of the six ECEC Research Priority Areas.Grant not accepting applications
Applications for this round are closed. A new round may open in the future.
Browse open grantsKey Information
Applicant Types
university
Stage
established
Funding Purposes
researchinnovationcommunityother
Keywords
early childhood education and careECECresearchuniversityNew South Waleschildcareinnovationpolicy translation
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What is the ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant?
The ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant is a research grant offered by Department of Education in Australia, providing Up to $400K in funding. The ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant is a New South Wales grants program under the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund that funds quality early childhood education and care research. It supports both leveraging existing post-award research and developing new innovative research with applied benefits for children, educators, services and communities across New South Wales.
2
How much funding does the ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant provide?
The ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant provides Up to $400K in funding.
3
Who is eligible for the ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant?
- Lead researcher must be employed by a university in New South Wales as the administering organisation.
- Lead researcher must be a permanent staff member at Senior Lecturer equivalent level or above.
- Lead researcher must demonstrate the skills and capacity to deliver the project.
- Administering organisation must be financially viable and likely to remain so for the duration of the project.
- Project must fit one of the two grant categories: Leveraging Grant or Innovation Grant.
- Leveraging Grant projects must be post-award research projects with existing funding evidence.
- Innovation Grant projects must be ambitious, innovative ECEC research aligned with ECEC research priorities.
- Project must align with at least one of the six ECEC Research Priority Areas.
- Project must have ethics approval or be likely to receive ethics approval from the relevant university ethics committee.
- If the project involves public preschools or schools, it must include evidence of approval or apply through the NSW State Education Research Applications Process (SERAP).
- Applications must be submitted by an authorised officer from the applicant organisation and endorsed by the relevant Research Office(s).
- Applicants must address all eligibility criteria in full or may be excluded.
4
When does the ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant close?
Applications closed on 22 Nov 2025.
5
What activities are funded?
Conducting early childhood education and care research projects in New South Wales, including leveraging existing funded research projects or developing new innovative research aligned to ECEC research priorities. Funded activities include research design, implementation, analysis, translation into policy and practice, and dissemination of findings.
6
How do I apply for the ECEC Strategic Research Fund Grant?
Start by checking your eligibility using the free Beta Docs eligibility checker. If eligible, Beta Docs' AI-powered platform can help you draft, review, and refine your application to maximise your chances of success.
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