1. RULES, RSO PROCESS AND APPLICATION SUPPORT
PROJECT GRANTS Round
RULES, RSO PROCESS AND APPLICATION SUPPORT
Gareth Rees – Senior Grants Officer, RSO

3. Project Grant Funding Rules and Eligibility
Here you will find funding rules, instructions to applicants, criteria (Attachment A Category descriptors) and proposal template. Please use them.
Eligibility is unchanged - can be CI on maximum of six project grant applications less the number of Project Grants scheduled to continue in If you are on a Program Grant - severe restrictions.
New Investigator Eligibility changed – A separate confirmation is due in RGMS by 25 January.

4. Significant Changes
Can now nominate B-GRPN - Grant Review Panel Nomination. This is included in minimum data.
No longer have the option of providing a request to not assess (ie Non-assessor is not included in the grant proposal in RGMS).
Formatting requirements are no longer as prescriptive – but there is still a template – please use it. Note section of funding rules which do set out minimum standards.
This is the last year for project grants in this form - NHMRC is currently considering a new approach.

5. APPLICATION PROCESS

6. Submission timeline – Project Grants
Minimum data is due 4.30 pm CST 15 February 2017 – RSO will check from 8 February 2017.
RSO Compliance Review from 15 February 2017 to 10 March 2017 – reviewed in the order they arrive – best efforts. Must arrive for review by 15 February to be eligible for DVCR near miss funding award.
New Process – Applications must be certified by the CIA in RGMS by 9.00 am 14 March 2017 to be submitted – late applications require exemption for Executive Dean which the CIA must seek ( to Exec Dean).
Applications close in RGMS – 4.30 pm CST 15 March 2017.

7. Your application Applications submitted through RGMS. Combination of:
CV separately entered and maintained by you in RGMS;
Specific Project Grant details entered into RGMS;
A grant proposal completed in the template and uploaded by you.
These produce your application which is presented as a summary document, an assessor document and a grant proposal document.
Applying for Cancer Council or Cancer Australia? – these require supplementary documentation – If you are applying please submit these for review and submission on the same timeframe as the Project Grant

8. Your application – NHMRC observations
review CV to remove duplicate publications and ensure reviews, editorials and articles are listed under appropriate headings
clearly state if proposal is follow-on from earlier project, and demonstrate success or otherwise of the earlier project
avoid contingent aims – where not possible, explain strategies if one aim fails
don’t add-on aims just to include a translation component - tends to weaken otherwise strong applications
don’t add-on aims just to extend number of funding years - each year should be fully justified
More info also at:

9. Budgets Justify your budget which means:
Don’t inflate or pad – Budget should be driven by the project.
Duration – does the research truly align with the requested duration.
Need for paid staff (ie PSPs).
Need for Direct Research Costs.
Do not include publication, conference attendance, computers or PhD stipends in costs.

10. Other issues
Do read criteria – project_grants_category_descriptors.pdf
Do provide your certifications – application cannot be submitted without – Don’t drip feed them give them as a batch.
Do include Flinders University as an admin institution if you are a CI on an other admin lead application – check that it is not FMC.
Don’t ignore relative to opportunity and career disruption – Do read the rules carefully and follow them if you include them.
Do use images and graphs in your project – Don’t make them small.

11. APPLICATION SUPPORT RSO Contacts Gareth Rees ext: 12199
Flinders currently have 14 project grants in RGMS – but we are expecting more
Grant submission – remember the due dates and the public holiday.
RSO Contacts
Gareth Rees ext: 12199 11