Stroke is Australia's second-leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability. Every hour, approximately six Australians have a stroke — over 56,000 strokes per year. Brain attack is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment, and its aftermath can mean months or years of rehabilitation for survivors. Grant funding supports research, rehabilitation programmes, community support, and prevention activities that improve outcomes for Australia's 475,000 stroke survivors.
Scale and impact
Types of stroke
Time is brain
The fundamental principle of stroke treatment: every minute of stroke treatment saves neurons. Getting to hospital immediately is critical — "FAST" (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) awareness drives emergency presentation.
Stroke Foundation Australia
The Stroke Foundation is the peak national stroke body:
- Stroke research grants
- National Stroke Audit (quality improvement)
- EnableMe (online community for stroke survivors)
- National Stroke Week awareness
- Clinical guidelines development
- Disability service connection
NHMRC
NHMRC funds significant stroke research:
- Clinical trials (thrombolysis, thrombectomy, rehabilitation)
- Basic science (stroke mechanisms, neuroprotection)
- Health services research (improving systems of care)
- Prevention research
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)
MRFF has funded stroke through:
- Specific stroke research initiatives
- Rehabilitation research
National Heart Foundation
Cardiovascular prevention overlaps with stroke — the Heart Foundation funds stroke prevention through:
- Blood pressure and atrial fibrillation management
- Lifestyle intervention
- Cardiovascular risk reduction
Stroke prevention
Emergency treatment
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is where most long-term outcomes are determined:
- In-patient rehabilitation
- Community rehabilitation (outpatient and home-based)
- Telehealth rehabilitation for rural patients
- Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT)
- Aphasia therapy (communication rehabilitation)
- Cognitive rehabilitation
Community support
Aphasia support
Aphasia — difficulty with language after stroke — affects approximately 30% of stroke survivors:
- Conversation groups
- Technology for communication
- Family communication training
- Community aphasia-friendly environments
Young adult stroke
Stroke in working-age adults requires specific support:
- Employment rehabilitation
- Parenting after stroke
- Financial impact support
- Mental health (depression common after young adult stroke)
Rural and remote stroke
Rural Australians face greater stroke mortality and worse rehabilitation access:
- Telestroke services (enabling specialist review in rural hospitals)
- Rural rehabilitation
- Long-distance outreach
Stroke research funding priorities include:
Treatment
- Expanding thrombectomy access (currently concentrated in major centres)
- Neuroprotection drugs (protecting brain tissue during stroke)
- Longer treatment windows
Rehabilitation
- Intensity of rehabilitation (more is better — what can be delivered?)
- Technology-assisted rehabilitation (robotics, VR)
- Cognitive rehabilitation (often underfunded vs physical rehabilitation)
- Brain stimulation therapies
Prevention
- Atrial fibrillation detection at population scale
- Cryptogenic stroke (unknown cause — ~25% of strokes)
- Secondary prevention adherence
Health services
- Implementation of stroke unit care everywhere
- Community rehabilitation models
- Peer support effectiveness
Evidence standards
Stroke has a high-quality evidence base — the Stroke Foundation clinical guidelines synthesise best practice. Applications must align with evidence-based recommendations. Departures from guidelines need strong justification.
FAST data
Use stroke statistics effectively — FAST recognition saves lives. Quantify stroke impact in your target community.
Rehabilitation intensity
Evidence consistently shows that more intensive rehabilitation produces better outcomes. Show how your programme delivers intensity — daily therapy, high repetitions, meaningful practice.
Carer impact
Stroke affects the whole family. Show how your programme supports carers — often partners who take on significant care roles while managing their own work and family.
Rural access
Stroke rehabilitation access in rural Australia is significantly worse than in cities. Applications addressing rural gaps are compelling to funders aware of geographic inequity.
Tahua's grants management platform supports stroke foundations and health funders — with research grant management, clinical programme tracking, survivor outcome measurement, and the reporting tools that help stroke funders demonstrate impact across prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and community support.