Abstract
Launched in 2019, the RANZCP Foundation now celebrates its third year of supporting psychiatry and mental health research. Looking back over this formative period, it is incredible to reflect on what we have achieved so far.
With the launch of the Foundation came the formation of a new RANZCP Foundation Committee comprising many eminent and distinguished Fellows and past Presidents who have led the development of our strategy and direction with a new vision, mission and focus areas.
Supporting RANZCP members into psychiatric research is the cornerstone of our work. During the past three years we have awarded 30 grants to support members’ research projects, and in 2021 launched and awarded the first-ever Foundation-funded round of grants, the RANZCP Foundation Catalyst Grants. The breadth of projects funded so far has spanned many subspecialty areas, including addiction, depression, schizophrenia, perinatal mental health, and old age psychiatry.
The Foundation has also worked hard to raise funds and develop new funding opportunities with major donors, including our first major bequest, the Alexander Wallace de Winton Murdoch Legacy, that will support future research and projects in forensic and military and veterans’ psychiatry. To-date, RANZCP members have donated $135,569 with additional funds matched by the College Board’s more recent commitment to match member contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 annually.
The Foundation has also successfully undertaken a variety of activities to both benefit RANZCP members and acknowledge our donors. This includes free research webinars, donor updates, hosting a thank you reception at the Hobart Congress, as well as our first interactive virtual masterclass.