IAMHRF Member News Roundup: first quarter of 2026 

Highlights from across the Alliance

From new investments in research participation to fresh evidence on youth mental health and innovative ways of amplifying lived experience, the first months of 2026 have seen members of the International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders (IAMHRF) advancing mental health research and collaboration in different ways. Across the alliance, funders are supporting more inclusive research systems, strengthening the evidence base for interventions and investing in community-level impact. Here are some highlights from IAMHRF members over the past quarter. 

The Graham Boeckh Foundation highlights the power of collaboration in mental health systems change

In a message to partners, President Ian Boeckh reflects on why collaboration has remained central to the foundation’s work since its early days. Fifteen years ago, the foundation set out to understand how a small organisation could drive meaningful change in mental health. The answer was large-scale collaboration across governments, philanthropy, researchers, service providers and communities. The approach has helped expand Canada’s Integrated Youth Services model to nearly 165 community sites nationwide, demonstrating how partnerships can translate ambitious ideas into lasting system change. As a founding member of IAMHRF, this foundation continues to emphasise collaboration as a cornerstone of progress in mental health research and practice. 

The Health Research Board (HRB) is leading a €10 million investment to strengthen public and patient involvement in health research 

A new five-year phase of the PPI Ignite Network will expand support for meaningful public and patient involvement (PPI) across Ireland’s health and social care research system. With €7.3 million from HRB Ireland and €2.7 million from university partners, the network will grow from seven to eleven university sites across the island of Ireland. The initiative also introduces a dedicated €500,000 seed fund to support new partnerships between researchers and PPI contributors. The next phase will broaden participation across research areas, including data science and AI projects, while embedding public co-leadership across governance structures. 

The Esler Family Foundation supports community initiatives through $500,000 in new grants 

The Esler Family Foundation has announced the first round of grants from its Inspiring Generosity Match Fund, a partnership with the Greater Worcester Community Foundation designed to strengthen community organisations across Worcester County in the United States. Thirty-eight nonprofits received grants of up to $25,000 supporting initiatives in mental health, youth opportunity and economic mobility. Each organisation will raise a dollar-for-dollar match by the end of 2026, potentially doubling the investment in their programmes. The initiative aims to expand philanthropic engagement while helping community organisations grow their fundraising capacity and deepen their local impact. 

Mariwala Health Initiative explores intersectional mental health narratives through a new zine

Mariwala Health Initiative has released Unfiltered: Mental Health Stories, a zine (small booklet) bringing together six accounts that explore the intersections of disability, caste, gender, work and poverty in shaping mental health experiences across India. Blending personal narratives with artwork, the publication aims to make complex ideas in mental health more accessible while amplifying voices often missing from mainstream discussions. Reflecting on the project, Director Raj Mariwala notes the long tradition of zines and self-published pamphlets in amplifying marginalised voices and challenging dominant narratives. The initiative highlights how storytelling and lived experience can help broaden how mental health knowledge is shared and understood. 

Wellcome commissions report on how youth anxiety and depression interventions work

A new report commissioned by Wellcome examines what current evidence tells us about how interventions for youth anxiety and depression achieve their effects — and where critical knowledge gaps remain. Synthesising global research across psychological, pharmacological, digital, lifestyle and social interventions, the report highlights several challenges, including limited mechanistic evidence, lack of prevention research and a concentration of studies in high-income countries. It also notes that young people’s perspectives are often missing from research design. The findings aim to guide future research investments towards studies that better explain how interventions work and how they can be adapted across different contexts. 

Wellcome launches call to strengthen lived experience collaboration in mental health research

Wellcome has launched a new Request for Proposals to explore how research institutions support collaboration with people who have lived experience of mental health challenges. The commission will map current institutional practices, from advisory groups to support structures for researchers with lived experience, and identify barriers that prevent meaningful collaboration from flourishing. While the work will focus primarily on institutions in the UK, it will also consider examples from other contexts. Insights from the project are expected to inform stronger institutional infrastructure that enables lived experience expertise to shape the development and delivery of mental health research.