IAMHRF: Convene, Curate, Challenge & Celebrate for Increased Research Impact

The International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders (IAMHRF) is the only global network where funders of mental health research coordinate their spending and strategy. The group is now expanding its operations and preparing to become an independent organisation. This matters because mental health research is chronically underfunded and fragmented. Individual funders often work in isolation, duplicating efforts or missing opportunities to pool resources. The IAMHRF fills this gap by creating a shared space where funders can agree on common measurement standards, share data tools, and coordinate funding decisions. It also brings in people with lived experience of mental health conditions to help shape research priorities. If successful, the IAMHRF could transform how mental health research is funded globally. Instead of scattered projects, the sector would become more coherent and efficient. Better coordination means research money goes further, studies produce comparable data, and promising interventions reach people faster. The group’s new strategic plan focuses on convening funders, curating evidence, challenging current practices around diversity and equity, and celebrating successes. Over the next three years, the IAMHRF will expand these activities while transitioning to full independence, creating a permanent infrastructure for smarter, more collaborative mental health research funding.