In 2024, the Research Grant Program focuses on research that will help better protect consumers and building occupants from the most significant harms in the built environment, or research that will address new or emerging harms from products, materials, practices or technologies.
Research Grant Program 2024 – information webinar
An information webinar for researchers considering applying for a grant will be held on 22 February 2024.
The webinar, which will be recorded and published on the VBA website, will include a video that features reflections by past and current grantees and explain the grant application process and selection criteria.
How to apply for the Research Grant Program
Applications for the VBA’s Research Grant Program must be submitted using the application form which is available to download on the VBA website.
Applications close at midnight on Tuesday 2 April 2024 and will be assessed in April to June 2024, with applicants notified of the outcome of their application in late-June or early-July 2024, and an expectation to commence research from September 2024.
The VBA’s commitment to research
As Victoria’s building and plumbing regulator, the VBA conducts and promotes research that provides evidence to inform regulatory decision and influence improvements in the regulatory system.
Our research priorities address the greatest risk of harm to the health and safety of building occupants and consumers, helping to identify practical real-life solutions that will improve the quality of the built environment in Victoria.
Through research projects and collaborations during the past five years, the VBA’s research network has expanded to include more than 50 research institutions, government and industry partners.
Since 2021, the VBA has awarded six research grants, including to Deakin University, RMIT University, the University of Tasmania, the University of Sydney and Swinburne University of Technology.
To find out more about the VBA’s Research work, visit the Research webpage.
