River’s Gift fund world leading research that will one day see the eradication of SIDS.
River’s Gift International and National SIDS Collaborations.
Since 2014 River’s Gift has provided research funding and collaborative support to the following organisations:
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Harvard Medical School
• The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health – Melbourne (FINMH)
• Adelaide University – formerly the University of South Australia (UniSA)
• The SIDS & Sleep Apnea Laboratory at the University of Sydney (USYD)
What is River’s Gift funding?
The research River’s Gift has funded may assist scientists to begin understanding of the underlying physiological and genetic mechanisms resulting in a SIDS death, and the development of neuro-diagnostic methods to allow the identification of infants who may have a vulnerability to SIDS.
River’s Gift has also funded the training of scientists in the field of SIDS, assisting to sustain Australia’s profile in the world of research and provide a local point of contact for expert knowledge and information.
With your help, we can do this! Let’s work together in Stamping Out SIDS.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 2026 FUNDING ROUND – NOW CLOSED
With our continued commitment to supporting research aligned with our mission, we recently invited expressions of interest to fund eligible research projects. This process has now closed.
Thank you to all applicants who submitted an expression of interest.
For information about future research support opportunities, please contact Karl Waddell at kwaddell@riversgift.org.
Previous Application Process (now closed):
All submissions were reviewed by the River’s Gift Research Committee. Successful nominees were invited on 26 September 2025 to submit a more detailed application.
Applications closed on 31 October 2025.
The applicant review process concluded on 21 November 2025, with all applicants informed of outcomes on 12 December 2025.
You can learn about out Current Projects here
More reading about the impact we are making
- SIDS Breakthrough: Why babies shouldn’t sleep face down
- SIDS research confirms changes in babies’ brain chemistry
- Listen to ABC Radio interview with River’s Gift’s Karl Waddell
- Could Genetics hold the key to preventing SIDS?
- Brainstem abnormalities found in SIDS infants, in all kinds of sleep environments
