I am pleased to share we have some exciting funding opportunities currently available for communities and individuals. Lowitja Institute seeding grants provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities a chance to transform local ideas into meaningful research. They support community controlled organisations who may be interested in developing a research project.
Numerous community controlled organisations that have been offered seeding grants have subsequently been awarded major grants from Lowitja Institute, so this funding stream is a valuable stepping stone to larger research initiatives. The current seeding grant round closes on 26 September. You can read more about the process below. We look forward to hearing from organisations ready to turn their ideas into valuable community research projects.
If you are looking to study in 2026, we are now taking applications for Lowitja Institute 2026 health and wellbeing scholarships. Find out more below on scholarship opportunities for students and early career researchers. If you are considering undertaking a Certificate IV, Postgraduate course or looking for a Higher Degree Research Top-Up scholarship, you may be eligible for a Lowitja Institute Scholarship. Be quick: applications close on 15 October.
And finally, it is with deep sadness that Lowitja Institute acknowledges the passing of Dr Charmaine Papertalk Green-Smith last week. The Yamaji woman was the inaugural recipient of the Neil Thomson Scholarship, co-funded by Lowitja Institute and Edith Cowan University’s Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet in 2017–18. Dr Papertalk Green-Smith was also known as an award-winning author, artist and community leader. We send our love to her family, friends and colleagues.
ngun-godjin
(thank you)
Paul Stewart
CEO
Studying in 2026? Lowitja Institute Health and Wellbeing Scholarships are now open
Applications for 2026 Lowitja Institute Health and Wellbeing Scholarships are currently open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and early career researchers across three streams. Applications close on 15 October 2025. These scholarships contribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership of health research by providing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to develop skillsin areas relevant to meaningful health research.
Congratulations to GLOWS Research Grant recipient organisations
We're proud to announce two further organisational recipients in the Guiding Local Opportunities for Wellbeing (GLOWS) Grant Program 2024–26, which supports research aimed at improving unacceptable health inequities in areas of HIV and viral hepatitis (HBV, HCV and HDV) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.
Large Research Grant
Our first Large Research Grant recipient is the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH), which is collaborating with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) and University of Queensland on the project ‘Exploring transformative potential of community-controlled outreach model to eliminate hepatitis C in south-east Queensland’. This aims to explore the effectiveness and ongoing sustainability of an innovative person-centred hepatitis C virus (HCV) outreach model of care designed and delivered to urban First Nations Peoples.
National Gathering Grant
The first recipient of a National Gathering Grant is theVictorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), which is collaborating with the Burnet Institute on the 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HIV and Viral Hepatitis Skills Sharing & Development Workshop' project. This aims to empower and support ACCHOs to prioritise HIV and viral hepatitis within their services and promote Aboriginal-led education, testing campaigns, and models of care that address stigma and shame.
Lowitja Institute's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Seeding Grants are now open across two streams: the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Seeding Grant and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Seeding Symposium.
Our Seeding Grants support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to grow small ideas, transform, and action research from community priorities into meaningful research projects.
In July we held two Q&A session provide details of the 2025 Seeding Grant round, including information on application opening and closing dates, and support mechanisms.
Gayaa Dhuwi acknowledges research excellence in social and emotional wellbeing
Congratulations to Associate Professor Graham Gee, winner of Gayaa Dhuwi's Leadership in Social and Emotional Wellbeing, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Award recognising his research in trauma and healing. Presented at Gayaa Dhuwi's National Conference 2025 #ProudFutures on Larrakia Country, the award is proudly sponsored by Lowitja Institute and presented by Jaki Adams, Executive Manager Research and Knowledge Translation (pictured below).
We also congratulate research fellow Michelle Gissara for receiving the Community Impact Award that recognises a community-driven individual that has positively influenced social and emotional wellbeing outcomes.
Congratulations to graduating Certificate IV Research Theory and Practice students
Our latest cohort of Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Theory and Practice students have now graduated.
This year nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates successfully completed Lowitja Institute’s accredited Certificate IV course.
Throughout this course the students gained experience using Indigenous research methodologies, applying thematic data analysis, planning and implementing ethical practices in research, and working in culturally safe ways with community to co-design research that matters to our mob. A key component of the course was the students’ collective research project titled ‘Learning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s experiences of the Australian 2023 Referendum’. The students presented the findings of their research at our International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference on Kaurna Country in June 2025.
This year was the first time that the newly re-developed and re-accredited course was delivered. Dr Kim O’Donnell was the lead teacher and facilitator of the course, and Dr O'Donnell created a culturally safe and inspiring learning environment. AHMRC Training was our course delivery partner and the OCHRe Network provided funding for program delivery.
As we celebrate Women's Health Week, National Indigenous Times featured Lowitja Institute's Executive Manager of Research and Knowledge Translation Jaki Adams celebrating 30 years of her work in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing. Congratulations Jaki!
