Applying for and managing an ARC grant
IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A DISCOVERY PROJECT GRANT IN 2012 PLEASE CLICK HERE. IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A LINKAGE PROJECT GRANT IN 2011 THEN CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION AND RESOURCES.
- Groundwork
- Application
- Getting the results of your application
- Managing your project
- Finishing your project
Groundwork
Determine the best funding opportunities for your project
This guide is specifically for ARC funded grants, however a multitude of different grants exist, so it is advantageous to look into which grant best suits your project.
Link to ARC Fellowships information (Laureate Fellows, Future Fellows and Super Science Fellowships)
Read Determining a funding source for information on finding the most appropriate grant.
Application
Prepare your application and budget
Determine the most appropriate ARC funding scheme for your project. The ARC website provides more information on the various funding schemes.
Once you know the scheme you wish to apply to familiarise yourself with the Funding Rules and Instructions to Applicants documents BEFORE you write your proposal.
Also check the Training and Seminars webpage for information sessions on the various ARC grants.
You should also check with your Research and Development Officer if there is an Expression of Interest (EOI) process. For the larger ARC schemes (eg Discovery) the Office of Research and Development requires researchers to submit a two page EOI form. This EOI provides basic information about your project, the research team and track record. This is then reviewed by the Dean of Research in terms of its suitability for submission in the current round. You will be contacted by the Dean and provided with advice on how best to move forward with the application. In some cases you may be advised to wait until the next funding round and use the time in between to further develop the project or strengthen the team.
The next step is to formulate your project team, budget, methodology and outcomes. Be very clear in your own mind about what you are doing, why do it and what are the outcomes.
If you are applying for a Linkage Project consider having an Australian Postgraduate Award Industry (APAI) on your project team. An APAI scholarship allows you to recruit a student researcher to assist with your research.
From April 2009, all ARC applications are completed on-line using the Research Management System (RMS), which replaces the old system - GAMS (Grant Application Management System).
To start an application you will need a RMS ID and password. If you had a GAMS id this should have been transferred across to RMS. For more information on accessing RMS please see this Tip Sheet.
In addition to yourself (the first named Chief Investigator), every other Chief Investiagtor, Partner Investigator who is specifically named on the application will also require a RMS ID. If in doubt ask your Research and Development Officer.
Complete your application in accordance with the Funding Rules and Instructions to Applicants. Please note that some sections are entered directly into RMS and other sections are created in Word, converted into pdf documents and then inserted into RMS.
You may wish to review the Tips on Writing Grant applications webpage and our Tools and Resources webpage for additional preparation notes.
Have your application reviewed
You should have your application reviewed by colleagues internal and external to Curtin. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) highly recommends getting your application reviewed by your Faculty Dean of Research and at least one other person who does not have specialised knowledge on your area of research.
Submit ONE copy of the draft application to us
The copy of the application sent to ORD for review should be a close to the final application as possible so that ORD can provide relevant and meaningful feedback.
Print out the entire application and submit one hard copy to the Office of Research and Development for review by the internal closing date. Please note that ORD cannot guarantee feedback on applications submitted after the internal closing date.
Receive feedback and make appropriate changes to your application
Use the feedback you receive from colleagues and the ORD to improve your application. ORD feedback is usually on things in the application that do not conform to the Funding Rules and / or Instructions to Applicants. This feedback is important as the ARC can rule ineligible an application that does not strictly comply with the Funding Rules and / or Instructions to Applicants.
Prepare your FINAL application
Ensure your application is finalised in RMS, has no grammar or spelling errors, and the lay-out is un-cluttered and easy to follow.
Hand deliver 1 hard copy of the final application to ORD with the completed Certification Pro-forma. ORD will let you know when the final application has to be provided.
ORD will also let you know when your application has been submitted to the ARC in RMS.
Accessing the results of your application
Receive feedback from your assigned assessors
The ARC will assign assessors to review your application. The comments made by the assessors will be provided to you in RMS, but you will only have a limited time to respond online via RMS - this is called the 'rejoinder period'. Please note that the rejoinder process for Discovery Project applications submitted in early 2009 (for $ to commence in 2010), will be managed via the old system - GAMS.
ORD will let you know well in advance of when the assessors comments are likely to be made available to you in RMS/GAMS and will offer an infomation session. You will have approximately 10 days from the opening of the rejoinder period to review the assessor comments and submit your response.
Your response to the assessors comments (your rejoinder) has to be finalised in RMS/GAMS in a very similar way to the application. ORD will track your progress in preparing the rejoinder and contact you to make sure that it's submitted on time.
When you have finished your response make sure that you print a copy for your records.
More information on the assessment process is available on the Tools and Downloads page as well as the ARC website.
If you are successful
If your application is successful you will receive formal advice from the ARC via ORD. You will also be advised of the process for accepting the grant and other important administrative matters.
If you are NOT successful
If your application is not successful you will receive formal advice from the ARC and ORD . In certain circumstances you may appeal the decision of the ARC on the outcome, ORD will advise you on the procedures to be followed if you believe you have grounds for an appeal.
The following suggestions may help you to find out why the application was not funded.
ARC does provide some feedback but this is usually limited.
Have your project team, mentors and Faculty Dean of Research to review your application in light of the outcome.
Consider a revised application in the next available round.
Managing your project
What type of ARC project you have (eg Discovery or Linkage) will determine what type of contract arrangements you will need. For both Discovery and Linkage grants Curtin will have a Funding Agreement with the ARC. Other contracts you may need are explained below:
For Discovery and Linkage Projects
If you will be forwarding a portion of the ARC funding to researchers from other Universities, Curtin will need a 'Collaboration Agreement' with each University. This agreement will set out the amount of cash that they will receive from the ARC funds paid to Curtin for their part of the project.
You won't need a 'Collaboration Agreement' if Curtin is the only University working on the project.
If you have Curtin enrolled students working on the project then they should sign a Student Intellectual Property and Confidentiality Agreement.
Your Research and Development Officer will help you prepare the 'Collaboration Agreement' and the Student Intellectual Property and Confidentiality Agreement.
For Linkage Projects only
Your Partner Organisations (e.g. Businesses, Government Agencies, Not-for-profit Organisations etc) that have agreed to provide cash and in-kind support will have to enter into a contract with Curtin to formalise their contribution.
For all matters to do with contracts / agreements the ORD will provide you with advice, procedures and standard templates for you to use.
Consider whether you need to apply for ethics approval
You should read our research ethics information to determine whether you require ethics approval for your project. If so:
Apply for the relevant ethics approval via the Office of Research and Development Ethics Officer.
Liaise with the Ethics Officer on any further information or clarification required.
Receive a copy of the approval.
Advise the Ethics Officer of any changes to the project that impact on animal or human ethics.
Request a new cost centre(s)
In consultation with your school/department administrative staff complete the Financial Services New Cost Centre Application form and return it to the Office of Research and Development. Please note that in the case of Linkage projects, where there are multiple fund sources (e.g. Businesses, Government Agencies, Not-for-profit Organisations as well as the ARC itself etc), a separate cost centre should be set up for each fund source.
You will receive advice from Financial Services that the cost centre has been established.
Your Research and Development Officer can provide help and guidance on the number of cost centres required to properly manage the finances of your project.
Please note that it is not necessary to raise invoices for ARC projects.
Start and run the project
Ensure that you:
Submit an annual Progress Report (due 31 January each year).
Submit an annual Progress Report on the progress of your APAI student(s), if applicable (due 31 January each year). APAI reports are for Linkage Projects only.
Monitor your project expenditure on a regular basis and correct errors as soon as they are found.
Submit an annual End of Year Financial Report (due 31 March each year). Please refer to the ARC End of Year Report page for more detailed information on this Report.
At the end of the project submit a Final Report via GAMS and ORD.
Advise your Research and Development Officer of any change to project personnel, collaborating partners, partner organisations, timelines etc as they will require formal ARC approval.
Finishing your project
As you are wrapping up the project
Submit a Final Report via GAMS and ORD. Ensure you are familiar with Curtin's Procedures for submitting Final Reports.
Liaise with your Research and Development Officer on what to do with any unspent funds. Ideally this will have been resolved as the project nears completion.
Close the cost centre(s) for the project via Financial Services.
Ensure any scholarly publications resulting from the project are recorded on the Publications module of the SCRIPT database.
