The ARA Research Fund is a charity dedicated to supporting and promoting innovative research in the field of rheumatology. If you wish to contribute and support our cause, you can make donations through our dedicated website.

Click here to access the website and be part of our journey towards a brighter future in rheumatology research.

ARA Research Strategic Plan 2025-2029

ARA has a strong commitment to facilitating high quality and relevant research in the field of rheumatology and has had an ongoing commitment to research for over 15 years. In the past three years, our approach has been guided by the 2022 – 2024 Research Strategic Plan. We are proud of the progress made towards our aim of a thriving, high quality impactful research community. 

In the new research strategy, our vision is for research to improve the quality of care for people with musculoskeletal and rheumatic conditions. Our aim continues to be a thriving, high quality impactful research community. Australia has a very inclusive and well-connected rheumatology research community that punches well above its weight in rheumatology research internationally. The new plan builds upon this strong foundation with four pillars – capacity building, strengthening the research ecosystem, collaboration and advocacy.

The 2025-2029 research strategy is an ambitious plan which ‘levels up’ the enormous progress made in Australian rheumatology research to date. The plan includes advocacy for a significant boost to national competitive funding for rheumatology research, a fully coordinated interdisciplinary research pipeline informed by clinical questions and consumer need and building the careers of early-mid career researchers (EMCRs) to branch out, take risks and develop new areas.  
 

ARA Research Strategic Plan 2022-2024

Information on ARA funded and awarded grants are available here. This page has information on the President's Prize, Distinguished Service Medal, Parr Prize and the NEW Research Excellence Awards for early, mid and senior career researchers as well as the NEW Christina Boros Award for Paediatric Research.

The ARA Research Fund disburses grants annually for ARA members for rheumatological research through awards peer reviewed by the Arthritis Australia and RACP scientific review panels. For more information click here. 

If  you require a letter of support from the ARA for a grant application, there is a procedure you must follow, details can be found here.