Endeavour Fund
The Endeavour Fund plays a unique role in the science system through an open, contestable process with a focus on both research excellence and a broad range of impacts.
The Fund encourages researchers to sample a diverse range of ideas and conduct excellent research, with transformational potential. It will provide the highest potential impacts across a range of economic, environmental and societal objectives, and give effect to Vision Mātauranga.
Vision Mātauranga booklet [PDF, 359 KB]
The funding available
Endeavour funding is available through 2 mechanisms:
- Smart Ideas
- Research Programmes
Applications for funding are invited annually.
Smart Ideas
This investment mechanism catalyses and rapidly tests promising, innovative research ideas with high potential for benefit to New Zealand, to enable refresh and diversity in the science portfolio. Applicants can request between $0.4 million to $1 million with a term of 2 or 3 years.
The indicative investment for Smart Ideas in 2019 is $18 million per year.
Research Programmes
This investment mechanism supports ambitious, excellent, and well-defined research ideas which, collectively, have credible and high potential to positively transform New Zealand’s future in areas of future value, growth or critical need. Applicants can request $0.5 million or more per year for a term of 3, 4 or 5 years.
The indicative investment for Research Programmes in 2019 is $40 million per year.
See the Endeavour Fund Investment Plan 2019-2021 and the Gazette Notice(external link) for details on the policy objectives, investment signals, funding targets and the amounts of money available for the Endeavour Fund.
Endeavour Fund Investment Plan 2019-2021 [PDF, 565 KB]
Who can apply
Proposals need to meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Gazette Notice.
See the Gazette Notice(external link) for full details on eligibility.
Funding decisions
The Science Board makes its investment decisions in accordance with the Gazette Notice(external link).
In deciding which proposals to fund, the Science Board considers the eligibility and assessment criteria, investment signals and other considerations in the Investment Plan and the Gazette Notice.
The Science Board’s funding decisions are informed by the reviews by independent expert assessors.
In making its funding decisions, the Science Board may decide to invest less than the total funding indicated and move funds between the investment mechanisms.
In this section
Application and assessment information
Everything you need to know about applying for funding through the Endeavour Fund and how applications are assessed.
Success stories
Details of the Endeavour Fund proposals approved for funding in 2018.
College of Assessors
The assessment of Endeavour Fund proposals is performed by independent national and international assessors contracted to our virtual “College of Assessors”.