AASW Practitioner Research Grant 2025/26
Applications should be forwarded by the due date to [email protected]
Reference
Joubert L., Webber M., Uggerhøj, L., Julkunen I., Yliruka L., Hampson R., Simpson G., Sim T., Alys-Marie Manguy, A-M. & Austin, M.J. (2022). The Melbourne statement on practice research in social work: Practice meets research. Research on Social Work Practice, 1-8. DOI: 10.1177/1049731522113983
AASW Practitioner Research Grant 2025/26 round – Grant Information and Requirements
The AASW invites applications for three competitive research grants: two $10,000 (inclusive of GST) and one $5,000 smaller start-up Grant from AASW member/s wishing to undertake a practitioner research project in an area of social work practice. All areas of practitioner research are eligible. At least one $10,000 grant is dedicated to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander social workers and/or research projects.
In offering these grants, the AASW encourages social workers to develop their capability in conceptualising, developing, and implementing practice research. Please feel free to contact us on email [email protected] if you wish to discuss any barriers to preparing your application.
Overview
Research is foundational to social work as a discipline. It is essential to enabling a strong voice for social justice, enabling transformational change, influencing policy, and ensuring a well-trained, highly skilled social work profession. Practice research is key to improving social work practice in health and social services and thereby promoting the wellbeing of service users and communities.
The purpose of this grant scheme is to build the skills and knowledge of social work practitioners in conceptualising, developing, and implementing practice research. The research grants are an initiative of the Australian Association of Social Workers National Research Committee.
Each grant will support a research team led by a Principal Investigator who is a social work practitioner engaged in social work practice outside of a formal research institution. Each team is encouraged to have a research mentor on the team who may be an academic. If further information is required on this, please email [email protected]. Applications that involve a partnership between a university, practitioners and services users, based on reciprocity and a mutual respect for each other’s expertise, are encouraged.
Successful applicant social work practitioners will develop and implement a practice research project which will take no more than 12 months and contribute to the evidence and knowledge base of social work.
In writing about the state of practice research in social work, Joubert et al. (2022) call for optimism given there is a move towards the shared space that both researchers and practitioners inhabit. This shared space promotes conversations, collaboration, and innovation. It is in this shared space that practice meets research and the promising future for practice research in social work lies (p.7).
The research, project or program grant can be used to support practice research or projects including, but not limited to:
- Research projects, including pilot research projects, focussed on a particular social work practice issue. Evidence-based practice research designed to produce, synthesise, implement and disseminate evidence in relation to social work practice.
- A start-up project such as a desktop or scoping review which draws on the literature to address a particular research question, for example, what is best social work practice or what gaps in knowledge exist in any given area of social work practice
- Evaluation projects which may comprise outcome evaluations of social work practice
Objectives of the grant scheme
The objectives of the program are to:
- Provide funding to practitioners to develop their practice-based research capacity by undertaking a research project
- Provide the opportunity to investigate current knowledge about an area of social work practice.
- Facilitate research partnerships towards fostering collaborative research networks
- Encourage mentoring relationships between practitioners and academic researchers.
Timelines
- First call for applications: Wednesday, 30 July 2025.
- Deadline for applications: Sunday, 30 November Midnight AEST. Late applications will not be accepted.
- Successful applications announced by end of January 2026
- Research project commencement – as soon as necessary Ethics Approval granted (preferably no later than 30 April 2026)
- It is anticipated that projects will be completed within 12 months. No additional funding will be provided for any extension required to complete the project.
Eligibility
General Conditions
- ONLY the Principal Researcher needs be a continuing member of the AASW. Up to four Co-Principal Researchers, including a social work research mentor, who may be an academic, can also be nominated.
- The applicant must be the Principal Researcher undertaking the project
- PhD candidates are eligible to apply
- Private practitioners are eligible to apply
- All applications must include all the required documentation as requested by the closing date. A lack of clarity or completeness in documentation may rule an application ineligible.
Specific Conditions
In addition to the general conditions, the following specific conditions apply:
- The research, project or program must commence in 2026
- The successful applicant must complete a mid-project progress report (emailed to Secretariat of the Research Committee at [email protected] highlighting key milestones and tracking to budget.
- The successful applicant must complete a final report which will include the findings for dissemination, research implications and a brief financial statement about project expenditure
- The Principal Researcher is responsible for the conduct of the grant and reporting to the AASW
- Acknowledge the AASW in any presentations and publications relating to the research, project or program
- Grant recipients are expected to present the outcomes of their research at an appropriate conference or through publication. Australian Social Work or Social Work Focus could be considered.
Funding rules
- Grant projects can have the support of a named partner organisation, and this support may be financial or ‘in-kind’ funding. A letter of support needs to be included in the application as well as information about which organisation will disburse the funds
- Up to 20% of each grant can be used to fund any necessary ethics approval from a registered Human Research Ethics Committee, that is, $2,000 of each $10,000 grant and $1,000 of the $5,000 grant. An academic research mentor on the team may be able to facilitate this.
- Funding cannot be transferred to another institution, project, or program.
- A maximum of 50% of funds may be used for work release.
- Applicants must be continuing members of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
- Applications must address all the selection criteria on the application form.
- Conference funding is limited to a maximum of 10% of the total of the grant awarded.
- Grant recipients are required to provide two reports on the project, at an agreed mid-point and a final report at the end of the project to the AASW.
Funding disbursement
The $10,000 grants will be disbursed in two payments. An initial payment of $6,000 will be made on signature of the contract between the AASW and the successful organisation. It is expected that part of this initial payment can be used to fund the nominated ethics committee application. A final payment for the balance of the grant will be made following satisfactory review of a midway progress report to be submitted at an agreed mid-point of the research and subject to the contract agreement.
The smaller start-up $5,000 grant will be disbursed in two payments. An initial payment of $3,000 will be made on signature of the contract between the AASW and the successful organisation. It is expected that part of this initial payment can be used to fund a nominated ethics committee application if required. A final payment for the balance of the grant will be made following satisfactory review of a midway progress report to be submitted at an agreed mid-point of the research and subject to the contract agreement.
Research Grant Submission Details
The submission must include:
- A completed AASW application form will include the project’s rationale; aims/objectives, the methodology including researcher positionality, data collection approaches and data analysis; timeframe, budget, who will benefit from the research and a specific plan for research mentorship and ethics approval
- CVs for all members of the research team
- Any other relevant attachments
Research Grant Selection Criteria
The grant is designed to provide financial support to help to meet the costs of conducting an important piece of practice research including (but not limited to): staffing, travel, library services, recording equipment, costs of an ethics application, software, or administrative support. Research that is intimately tied to practitioner issues is the priority.
The following selection criteria apply and must be addressed explicitly in the application:
- The capability and capacity of the research team to undertake the project as well as indication of support from the organisation in which the research will be conducted
- The significance of the practice issue and expected outcomes or contribution to social work practice.
- Links to current social work practice knowledge, demonstrated by a succinct account of recent research into the field of inquiry and other evidence.
- Appropriateness and feasibility of the aims and objectives/research question, method, plan for ethics approval, timeframe, scale, budget, and findings/knowledge dissemination plan to the practice research issue.
Each of the four selection criteria is assessed according to the following weighting:
Criterion 1 – 10%
Criterion 2 – 20%
Criterion 3 – 20%
Criterion 4 – 50%
If you have any queries relating to the Practitioner Research Grant, please contact:
Vanessa Paparone
Email – [email protected]
Telephone – 03 9320 1014