NHMRC defines ‘Innovation and Creativity’ for the Ideas Grant scheme as health and medical research that seeks to challenge and shift current paradigms and/or have a major impact on a health research area through one or more studies that creatively:

• develop or use novel research concepts, approaches, methodologies, technologies or interventions
• propose a reinterpretation, refinement, improvement or new application of existing theoretical concepts, approaches, methodologies, technologies or interventions, or
• integrate and adapt concepts, approaches, methodologies, technologies or interventions from other research fields or disciplines for a new purpose or in a new way.

This focus on Innovation and creativity is worth 25 % and is partially assessing the opportunities for impact of your project, be it substantial breakthroughs or other impacts within your research area.

NHMRC defines ‘Significance’ for the Ideas Grant scheme as the extent to which the outcomes and outputs will result in advancements to the research or health area.

Significance within the Ideas grants is worth 20% and assesses the likely advances your work will make, the outcomes of your work with reference to knowledge, practice or policy, and the outputs you will deliver in addition to scholarly publications.