icare offering research grants to enhance health outcomes for the workforce

icare is offering research grants to enhance health outcomes for the workforce, inviting researchers and institutions across NSW to apply for funding that supports individuals affected by dust diseases and their families.

What the Grant Program Covers

The NSW Dust Diseases Board has opened applications for funding aimed at assisting workers and communities impacted by occupational dust exposure, including conditions such as asbestos-related illness.

icare confirms these grants back a range of innovative research activities, spanning:

• Cutting-edge studies and investigative research into dust diseases
• Practical translation of research findings into everyday workplace practice
• Preventive strategies designed to enhance health results for workers suffering from asbestos exposure and other dust-related conditions

These initiatives reflect a broader commitment to community wellbeing, ensuring research findings reach the people who need them most.

Why This Funding Matters

Britt Coombe, Group Executive of General Insurance and Care at icare, underscored the critical role these grants play in encouraging innovation within research systems.

"Through this funding, we're investing in research that aims to improve outcomes for people exposed to hazardous dust through work. Whether it's pioneering new treatments, improving workplace safety systems, or translating findings into policy and practice that improve workplace safety, we want to attract our greatest researchers to pursue these opportunities," she said.

Supporting Research Teams and Safety Outcomes

Grant funding gives research teams the resources needed to investigate dust diseases thoroughly, from early diagnosis systems through to long-term treatment support.

Successful teams applying for this support will contribute to policy development, workplace safety systems and preventive frameworks that directly benefit workers exposed to hazardous dust conditions. Strong support networks between researchers, industry and affected communities remain essential to advancing outcomes for those living with asbestos-related diseases.

Organisations seeking to strengthen internal safety systems alongside this research push may find value in reviewing resources such as a Job Safety Analysis template or a Health Surveillance Record to support ongoing monitoring of at-risk workers.

How to Apply

Additional information on eligibility, funding categories and application deadlines is available on the icare NSW website. Employers looking to build broader workplace wellbeing support can also explore a Health & Welfare Policy to complement these research-backed safety systems.

For related industry recognition and safety initiatives, see coverage of the 2025 Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards finalists and the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2023 promotion.