Health Research Council of New Zealand

What Health Research Council of New Zealand does

The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) is a Crown entity established under the Health Research Council Act 1990, operating as the principal government funder of health research in New Zealand. The organisation distributes government appropriations as competitive research grants to academic researchers, clinical investigators, universities, hospitals, and Māori and Pacific communities. Its core delivery platform is the HRC Gateway, an online portal that manages the full funding lifecycle from application through science assessment by external committees to post-contract reporting; the platform now exposes a public API for sharing Gateway data with external applications. Supporting infrastructure includes the HRC Research Repository (2,362+ funded studies over the past decade) and a Resource Library of ethics guidelines, peer review manuals, and policy documents.

The HRC's product surface is organised around distinct investment streams: general Project, Programme, and Explorer Grants; the Rangahau Hauora Māori investment stream; the Pacific Health Research Programme; dedicated health delivery research; and a portfolio of named fellowships (Sir Charles Hercus, Foxley, Clinical Research Training) and awards (Liley Medal, Beaven Medal, Te Tohu Rapuora, Te Ata Hāpara, Catalyst in the Community). The organisation is governed by a Council of 10 members appointed by the Minister of Health, chaired since 2015 by Professor Lester Levy, and led operationally by Chief Executive Professor Hannah Buckley alongside a small executive team of approximately 38 permanent staff.

The HRC's business model is that of a public funding agency rather than a commercial enterprise: it receives Crown appropriations, distributes them via competitive peer-reviewed grant rounds, and derives no revenue from product sales. Recent strategic context is dominated by Budget 2025's $29M reduction to the HRC and Catalyst Fund, and the New Zealand government's October 2025 announcement that the HRC's grant function will likely be absorbed into a consolidated Research Funding New Zealand body over a four-year transition.

Name

Health Research Council of New Zealand

Legal name

Health Research Council of New Zealand

Website

https://hrc.govt.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Health Research Council of New Zealand is a Crown entity and the principal government funder of health research in New Zealand, distributing competitive grants to universities, research institutes, hospitals, and Māori and Pacific communities through the HRC Gateway portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Health Research Funding

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Research Funding Agencies (Public/Quasi-Public) (HLAJALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Chronic Disease & Health Promotion Program Funding (HLAJALAJ), Health Workforce Development & Capacity-Building (HLAJAKAM)

Keywords

• Health research funding
• Government research grants
• Māori health research
• Pacific health research
• Clinical research fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The Health Research Council of New Zealand is a Crown entity funded primarily through government appropriations to distribute as health research grants to researchers, universities, and research institutions across New Zealand

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) is the principal government funder of health research in New Zealand, distributing government appropriations as competitive health research grants (Project Grants, Programme Grants, Explorer Grants, and Career Development Awards) to academic and clinical researchers, universities, and research institutions. Applications are submitted and managed through the HRC Gateway online platform, with dedicated funding streams for Māori (Rangahau Hauora Māori) and Pacific health research, plus postdoctoral fellowships and research excellence awards.

Product overview

The Health Research Council of New Zealand operates as the principal government funder of health research, functioning as a funding agency and grant-making body rather than a technology product company. Its core offering consists of HRC Gateway—a comprehensive online platform for managing the full funding lifecycle from application through contract reporting—and a Research Repository database of funded studies. The organization administers multiple funding streams including Project Grants, Programme Grants, Explorer Grants, and Career Development Awards, with specialized investment streams for Māori health (Rangahau Hauora Māori) and Pacific health research. Additional offerings include named postdoctoral fellowships (Sir Charles Hercus, Foxley, Clinical Research Training), and various awards recognizing research excellence (Liley Medal, Beaven Medal, Te Tohu Rapuora, Te Ata Hāpara, Catalyst in the Community). A Resource Library provides guidelines and policy documentation. The HRC Gateway platform includes a public API for sharing information with external applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HRC Gateway The primary online platform for managing health research funding, providing access to funding rounds, grant applications, contract management, research repository, and post-contract reporting. Researchers and their host research offices use the portal to create and submit applications, track status, and manage funded research contracts; includes a public API for sharing information with other applications.
• Research Repository A searchable public database containing details of HRC-funded studies over the past 10 years, including study title, lay summary, lead investigator, host organisation, funding amount, and contract duration, with 2,362+ results across various health research areas.
• Rangahau Hauora Māori Investment Stream A dedicated research investment stream building an evidence base contributing to Māori health gains. Research must uphold rangatiratanga (Māori leadership), advance Māori knowledge, resources and people, value Māori worldviews, and build Māori research capacity.
• He Ara Whakahihiko – Hauora Fund A 2026 funding round supporting high-quality biomedical and clinical research to improve Māori health outcomes, administered under MBIE's He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund.
• Māori Health Research Career Development Awards Career development awards for Māori health researchers including Masters Scholarships ($20,000 + tuition + $1,600 tikanga allowance), PhD Scholarships ($30,000/year + fees + $10,000 research expenses + $5,000 tikanga), and Postdoctoral Fellowships (salary up to $100,000/year + $100,000 research expenses + tikanga + conference allowance).
• Pacific Health Research Programme Funding programme generating knowledge to improve Pacific peoples' health outcomes, including Postdoctoral Fellowships (salary cap $100,000/year for 4 years + $105,000 expenses), PhD Scholarships ($30,000/year + $10,000 expenses + $3,000 mentoring), and Masters Scholarships ($20,000 + $1,000 tufungatika).
• Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship Advanced postdoctoral fellowship for emerging researchers (6–10 years post-PhD) to build New Zealand's capability for world-class research, with a package valued at $600,000 over four years full-time.
• Foxley Fellowship Fellowship enabling health sector professionals to undertake research sabbaticals at tertiary institutions, enhancing links between HRC-funded academic research and healthcare delivery/policy. Includes base salary plus $20,000/year research expenses for up to 2 years part-time.
• Clinical Research Training Fellowship Fellowship for medical, dental, psychology, nursing and allied health professionals to undertake specialised or further clinical research training, with up to $260,000 available for up to three years full-time or four years part-time.
• Liley Medal Annual medal established in 2004 recognising individuals or research teams whose recent research produced a significant breakthrough in health and medical fields; honours outstanding contributions of Sir William Liley at National Women's Hospital in Auckland.
• Beaven Medal Annual medal established in 2010 recognising excellence in translational health research with high impact on clinical practice and patient health; honours Professor Sir Donald Ward Beaven's work in translating research into clinical practice.
• Te Tohu Rapuora Medal Annual medal recognising contribution to Māori health leadership, awarded to individuals, research teams, or community groups demonstrating leadership, excellence, and contribution to advancing Māori health; includes medal, framed certificate, and $5,000 cash prize.
• Te Ata Hāpara Award Annual award acknowledging emerging Māori health research leaders, named after "te ata hāpara" (the dawn) to signify the next generation of Māori health researchers; recipients must be no more than 8 years since their most recent research qualification and of Māori descent.
• Catalyst in the Community Award Award established in 2025 recognising individuals or research teams whose recent research supported local, transformative, cross-disciplinary health research in partnership with communities over a 5-year period.
• Resource Library Digital repository containing statutory accountability documents, annual reports, research ethics guidelines, HRC rules, peer review manuals, Māori health advancement guidelines, and other policy documents for researchers and stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80 Māori Health Research Career Development Awards valued at $7.86M awarded between 2020-June 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026NHMRC is co-funding the Australian component of the REVOLUTION trial led by Professor Paul Young. The trial involves 50 hospital ICUs across New Zealand and Australia testing AI-guided oxygen therapy in ICUs, with the Australian patient recruitment funded by NHMRC.
• Ministry of Health New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint investment with Ministry of Health in 2018 of up to $2 million for mental health research focused on Māori and Pacific youth under the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD). Also jointly launched Māori Health Emerging Leader Fellowships in 2018.
• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe He Ara Whakahihiko – Hauora Fund forms part of MBIE's wider He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund and administers funding supporting health/hauora objectives of MBIE's broader investment framework.
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding trilateral agreement with NHMRC and CIHR aimed at improving health and wellness of indigenous peoples within the three countries. HRC has previously hosted indigenous health workshops with delegates from New Zealand, Canada and Australia.
• Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRC participates in GACD initiatives, having launched its first GACD initiative in 2018 jointly with Ministry of Health for mental health research focused on Māori and Pacific youth.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hrcnewzealand
• Facebookfacebook.com/HealthResearchCouncilNZ

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Health Research Council of New Zealand