Research and Innovation, in health, academia and industry, have a significant role to play in the national and global response to COVID-19. Consequently, the Government’s main research and innovation agencies have developed a coordinated Rapid Response Research and Innovation programme to help mitigate and manage the COVID-19 pandemic by unlocking the potential of Irish based researchers and innovators to join the global efforts.
This coordinated response is comprised of two complementary strands. Having two focus areas allows for sufficient specialisation and coordination while optimising available resources.
- The first focus area targets medical countermeasures, health service readiness, and social and policy countermeasures to COVID-19. This is led by The Heath Research Board and the Irish Research Council. Details of the call can be found here.
- The second focus area is an agile and adaptive initiative to combine the capabilities of industry and academia in the development of innovative solutions that can have a rapid demonstrable impact on the current COVID-19 crisis in Ireland. This is led by Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland and details of the call can be found here.
The agencies will work in partnership to coordinate applications and ensure a seamless and agile review and funding process, with the progress and results from each stream shared broadly. As the calls operate under a single programme, applications will be aligned by the agencies to the most appropriate call.
In dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, pace is critical and research funders around the globe have mobilised rapidly to provide a range of opportunities for researchers and innovative companies. The Rapid Response Research and Innovation funding proposal is an invitation to researchers and innovators in Ireland to support the efforts to reduce the impact of COVID-19.
Details of SFI's Five Point Plan which represents SFI’s contribution to the Irish Government’s National Action Plan in response to Covid-19, can be found on the SFI website.