The Health Research Board (HRB) is a leading agency in Ireland supporting research that improves health, enhances healthcare delivery, and influences health policy. With a proven track record of funding collaborative networks, HRB promotes research initiatives in key policy areas. Its goal is to create sustainable research ecosystems that address pressing societal challenges. The HRB emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, meaningful stakeholder involvement, and a focus on translating research into practical, impactful solutions. Through various funding schemes, the HRB fosters innovation, builds research capacity, and ensures that evidence informs national and international health policies. Mental health has been recognized as a priority for investment due to its significant societal impact, and HRB is committed to advancing research in this critical field. HRB’s initiatives are designed to bring together a wide range of actors — researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and people with lived experience — to drive transformative change in health and social care.

The Collaborative Research Network in Mental Health Scheme by the HRB aims to establish a sustainable, independent, and interdisciplinary network to advance mental health research across Ireland. This network will be co-produced with individuals with lived experience and will align with the National Mental Health Research Strategy. It seeks to foster strong stakeholder connections, enhance research capacity, promote co-produced studies, and ensure the application of research findings to influence policy and service improvements. Eligible activities include creating member registries, mapping existing research, identifying community-driven research priorities, capacity building for early-career researchers, and systematic dissemination of findings. The grant supports network-related costs such as staffing, training, travel, public involvement initiatives, and dissemination efforts. A governance structure ensuring transparency and continuous engagement of new members is essential. The ultimate objective is to build a strong, coordinated research community that impacts mental health policies and practices across the island of Ireland.