National Research Program

Arthritis Australia’s National Research Program (NRP) has been running for over 40 years and funds between $500,000 – $1 million in grants, scholarships and fellowships annually, with the vital support of our donors including the Australian Rheumatology Association Research Fund, ARA Victoria, the New Zealand Rheumatology Association, Arthritis and Osteoporosis WA and the Arthritis Movement, and our generous individual donors.

We also support the Florance and Cope Chair of Rheumatology at the University of Sydney. Professor David Hunter, the world’s leading expert in osteoarthritis of the knee, is the current Florance and Cope Chair.

We are the leading non government funders of arthritis research in Australia, and at least 72% of Australian arthritis researchers surveyed by Research Australia have been funded by Arthritis Australia.

The NRP plays a vital role as an incubator for early- to mid-career researchers, enabling them to develop their track record and succeed in winning larger-scale funding.

However, Arthritis Australia is committed to doing more to fund innovative research that addresses the unmet needs of people living with arthritis. In 2026 we have launched a new Ideas Grants scheme to back bold, innovative Australian research, with the support of Arthritis & Osteoporosis Western Australia.

We are developing new partnerships to grow this investment and maximise the funds available for ideas driven arthritis research.