Research brief: Gender differences in Australian research grant awards, applications, amounts, and workforce participation

Our research examined gender differences in Australian government-funded competitive research grants. Specifically, we examined twenty years (2000–2020) of awarded grants and funding amounts according to the gender of the lead investigator. We also explored if observed gender differences in awarded grants mirrored application rates and/or research workforce participation by gender. The dataset contained 46,912 grants awarded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). We incorporated grant application data and research workforce data. We accounted for factors such as the career seniority of the lead investigator and the field of research.*Key findings*We found that fewer awarded grants were led by women than by men. Overall, success rates of grant applications did not vary according to the gender of the lead investigator. There were fewer women than men in the research workforce. The award rate (the number of awarded grants relative to workforce participation) was slightly higher for women than men. Most of the gender differences were largest at senior-career levels.Together these patterns yield a research ecosystem in which fewer women in the research workforce and leading grant applications likely result in fewer awarded grants led by women than by men. This pattern emerges despite a disparity in award rates favouring women. Gender differences in awarded grants reduced over time. This trend over time differs by career seniority. Gender differences in awarded grants varied by field of research. Proportionally fewer awarded grants were led by women in chemical sciences, mathematical sciences, earth sciences, engineering, technology, and physical sciences. These gender differences broadly mirror differences in application rates and workforce participation rates within each field of research.Funding amounts per awarded grant did not vary by the gender of the lead investigator. Cumulative funds awarded to women-led grants were lower ($7.4 billion) than cumulative funds awarded to men-led grants ($19 billion) – an outcome driven by numerically fewer awarded grants being led by women.*Conclusions*Gender differences in awarded Australian competitive government grants mirror unequal workforce participation. To resolve these differences, barriers to women’s entry and, more critically, retention and progression in the research workforce need to be addressed. The responsibility to remove barriers rests with several entities. We offer recommendations for higher education and research institutions, government, and research funders.