Dr David Plater has been involved with various successful grant applications and law reform and research projects. 

In 2013, Dr David Plater was part of a national team of researchers led by Professor Kate Warner of the University of Tasmania who were awarded an Australian Research Council Linkage grant of $252,124 to conduct an ongoing national study aimed at gauging informed public opinion on sentencing for sex offences by surveying the views of jurors in sex offence trials in all higher courts in Australia.

On 18 January 2017, Dr David Plater was part of a multidisciplinary researchers led by David Caruso based at the University of Adelaide who were awarded a grant of $93,000 by the South Australian Law Foundation to examine the role and effect of the new entitlement to communication assistance for vulnerable parties in the South Australian higher courts. David Plater later became the Chief Investigator on this project and it was successfully completed as a SALRI reference.  

In March 2018, with Professor John Williams awarded $30,000 from the State Government for SALRI to examine surrogacy law and practice in South Australia.

On 13 November 2018, Dr David Plater was awarded $8737 by the University of Tasmania as a 2019 Visiting Scholar to visit Hobart and progress joint research and law reform projects between the South Australian Law Reform Institute and the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute based at the University of Tasmania Law School.  

In February 2019, with Professor John Williams awarded $60,000 from the State Government for SALRI to examine the law of abortion in South Australia and make suggestions for any changes to law and practice.  

On 27 May 2019, Dr David Plater with Professor John Williams, Dr Sylvia Villios and Associate Professor Bernadette Richards were awarded a grant of $60,000 by the South Australian Law Foundation to examine the role and operation of powers of attorney in South Australia and make suggestions for law reform.  

On 28 March 2022, with Professor John Williams was awarded a grant of approximately $100,000 by the South Australian Government to conduct the independent statutory review of the operation of the Ageing and Adult Safeguarding Act (SA). 

In April 2022, with Professor John Williams was awarded a grant of $125,000 by the South Australian Government to conduct the independent statutory review of the operation of the Mental Health Act (SA). 

On 22 November 2022, with Professor John Williams and the Hon Adjunct Professor Geoff Muecke was awarded a grant of $50,000 by the Law Foundation of South Australia to examine the role and operation of suppression orders in South Australia.  

On 17 November 2023, with Professor John Williams, Associate Professor Beth Nosworthy, Associate Professor Sylvia Villios and Dr Mark Giancaspro received a grant of $71,000 from the Law Foundation of South Australia to examine new frameworks to facilitate supported decision-making to empower individuals with impaired decision making capacity.   

On 2 April 2024, with Professor John Williams, Professor Paul Babie and Professor Peter Burdon were awarded a grant of $100,000 from the South Australian Government to examine the operation of the Real Property Act 1886 (SA).

In January 2025, with Professor John Williams and the Hon Adjunct Professor Geoff Muecke were awarded a grant of $14,500 from the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration to examine the role and implications in South Australia on Indigenous jury particpation of criminal history jury disqualifications. 

On 20 March 2025, with Professor John Williams was formally awarded a grant of $125,000 from the South Australian Government to review the operation of the State's Bail Act.