By setting funding levels and programs, policymakers and funders directly influence what kind of research is being conducted, where and by whom, and at what scale. But our understanding of the distribution of mental health research funding is limited, potentially undermining the effectiveness of such investments. The IAMHRF 2020 Funding Landscape Report analyses over 75,000 research grants awarded by nearly 350 funders from over 35 countries, revealing for the first time the extent of mental health research funding.

The key findings of the IAMHRF 2020 Funding Landscape Report included:

  • 95 % of funding spent in high-income countries
  • <33% of funding focused on youth, where 75% of disorders manifest
  • <2% of funding for conditions causing >50% of lives lost
  • <7% of funding dedicated to prevention and 12% to evaluation of treatments
  • Self-harm and suicide receive one of the lowest levels of funding despite accounting for >50% of years of life lost due to mental illness

Read the full report