The James Martin Institute for Public Policy (JMI) has announced the 2024 winners of its Policy Challenge Grants.

Nine innovative research teams were selected through a competitive and rigorous selection process. These projects aim to develop and advance policy solutions in line with key government priorities including tackling social and affordable housing, the transition to a Net Zero economy, and redirecting investment to early intervention and prevention.

The nine projects are:

1. Generating affordable housing through community land trusts | Lead researcher: Louise Crabtree-Hayes (Western Sydney University)
2. Bringing community voices into policy: renewables in the Hunter | Lead researcher: Amanda Tattersall (University of Sydney)
3. Housing affordability and the teacher shortage: systemic implications | Lead researcher: Scott Eacott (University of New South Wales)
4. Integrated policies for Net Zero and affordable housing | Lead researcher: Ehsan Noroozinejad (Western Sydney University)
5. Aboriginal-led justice solutions: strategies for reinvestment | Lead researcher: Fiona Allison (University of Technology Sydney)
6. A new ‘build-to-rent-to-own’ model for ‘generation rent’ | Lead researcher: Caitlin McGee (University of Technology Sydney)
7. Advancing the Net Zero energy transition through co-design | Lead researcher: Simon Wright (Charles Sturt University)
8. Developing a place-based Childcare Stress Index | Lead researchers: Angela Smith and Rhonda Itaoui (Western Sydney University)
9. Integrating evidence on early intervention in government policy | Lead researcher: Alfredo Paloyo (University of Wollongong)

CEO of JMI Libby Hackett congratulated the nine successful teams:

Since the program’s launch in 2022, JMI has distributed $1.5m in grant funding to over 20 projects and provided dedicated and tailored support to project teams to enhance the policy impact of their work.

Previously funded projects are already helping to inform policy processes including, for example, a project related to the governance of facial recognition technology for NSW DigitalID.

An awards ceremony to celebrate this year’s winners will be held in November 2024 at The Mint in Sydney.