Research Funding New Zealand

Research Funding New Zealand is a new independent board, being established to consolidate funding decision makers across the science, innovation and technology system.

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This will simplify processes and improve transparency. It will also ensure funding is aligned with the Science Investment Plan, which will set out strategic research priorities, and with the four pillars of national importance focused around the economy, environment, health and society, and technology.

Read more about the strategic approach to the science system:

A new funding strategy for the science system

Research Funding NZ will replace most existing decision makers across the system, including the Marsden Fund Council, the Science Board, the Health Research Council (HRC) and some of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) decision-making functions.

The decision to move to a single funding body is in no way a reflection of the existing funders in the system.

Research Funding New Zealand will be set up under the existing Research, Science and Technology Act 2010. This ensures the board operates independently, fairly and transparently from the start. At the same time, a Ministerial Advisory Group consisting of the same members will provide advice to the Minister on the Pillar Investment Plans. Schedule 1 of the Act outlines the key components you would expect to see in a Terms of Reference.

Research, Science, and Technology Act 2010(external link) — New Zealand Legislation

When the new Science, Innovation and Technology legislation comes into effect, Research Funding New Zealand’s full scope and purpose will be defined under that law. The board will be independent and not embedded in a government department. MBIE’s involvement is through providing secretariat support and the administration of the funding.

Research Funding NZ will oversee the development and implementation of Pillar Investment Plans detailing the mix of funds and their criteria required to achieve strategic objectives. The Pillar Investment Plans will be informed by the Science Investment Plan. Research Funding NZ will also be required to monitor and evaluate the performance and impact of investments. This will ensure public investment is delivering value for New Zealanders.

Health Research Council

The HRC will be disestablished with its functions transferred to either Research Funding NZ, MBIE, or Ministry of Health (MoH).

The HRC operates under the Health Research Council Act 1990, and the transition of functions will be phased over time. The HRC will continue to run funding rounds until the new system is fully operational. Detailed planning is underway to ensure contracts, ethics processes, and advisory functions continue seamlessly. Researchers can be confident their work will not be interrupted.

Where functions will move to

Funding decision making will move to Research Funding NZ and administration will move to MBIE.
Ethics review will move to the National Advisory Committee on Health and Disability Support Services Ethics (NEAC). NEAC will develop a new National Standard on Ethical Conduct in Human Research.
Scientific review for clinical trials will move to Medsafe.

The HRC performs some work which research institutions, government agencies and other parts of the sector perform too. These will combine with those parts, including:

Workforce development to MBIE, MoH and Health NZ.
National health research policy and advice to the MoH (with MBIE support).

The current advisory committees (e.g. Public Health Research, Biomedical Research and Māori Health Research committees) were set up under the Health Research Council Act 1990 following strict guidelines. Under the new system, Research Funding NZ will appoint the appropriate advisory groups to support decision making, including a Māori Health Research advisory group.