Funders

Funding and Collaboration

TILDA was established in 2006 at Trinity College Dublin to create the first nationally representative, prospective study of ageing in Ireland. Originally modelled on the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS), TILDA generates robust evidence on the health, social and economic circumstances of adults aged 45 and over. The inaugural Wave 1 was conducted in 2009–2011, recruiting over 8,500 participants using a stratified household sampling frame to ensure national representativeness.

TILDA was initially established through joint funding from the Department of Health and The Atlantic Philanthropies, with additional support from Irish Life. The Health Research Board has managed the Department of Health’s investment since 2016. Since 2023, the Department of Health has become the sole core funder of the study. This sustained financial commitment ensures the continuity and scientific independence of the study.

Core Funding Partners

TILDA's current core data collection waves (from 2023) are primarily funded by the Department of Health, continuing a commitment established during the study's founding phase. We also acknowledge the crucial historical roles of the Health Research Board and The Atlantic Philanthropies in supporting the initial and subsequent waves of longitudinal data collection.

Project-Specific Funding & Grants

In addition to core funding, TILDA receives numerous competitive grants and supports specific sub-projects, ensuring high-resolution data on focused areas of health and ageing.