• Forms and guidelines
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• Funding opportunities
  • ARC
  • NHMRC
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  • AUS INDUSTRY
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• Grant application information
  • Role of the Grants Unit
  • Applications
  • Defining research
  • Costing research
  • ABS codes
  • ACGR
• Grants contacts
• Grants FAQs

Applying for a NHMRC grant

The process of applying for an NHMRC process is an interactive one where there should be copious consultations with your Head of School, successful NHMRC grant holders, other successful Colleagues and the Research Services Division.

The Research Services Division will be able to offer advice on

• How to get started – that is, the mechanics of the electronic process and use of the software.
• Assistance with the guidelines / finding your way through the website
• Grantsmanship
• Compliance issues

Information for first time applicants

(also for other Candidates who have not been successful in winning a NHMRC grant)

1. Before you start – STOP and consider – do you fit the necessary profile for success with the NHMRC?

• Is your track record strong enough?
• Is your publication list for the last 5 years strong enough?
• Or are you a New Investigator (PhD less than 5 years old) with a strong publication record? Can you take advantage of extra consideration?
• Is your idea novel, focused and appropriate for NHMRC?
• Do you have strong data already to support your research question?
  Information from a successful candidate (has received 10 years funding from NHMRC) suggests the proposal should contain data that is broken up into one-
  
  third published data
  one-third preliminary data
  one-third proposal that describes a novel, achievable and timely investigation to test a central hypothesis
  
  
• Is your research team strong enough?
• Are you able to commit real time – months – in preparing a strong, considered application? It will require many drafts to get a polished application that the reviewers and the assessment panel will enjoy reading and consider worthy of funding.

If you do not know the answer to these questions, please seek advice from your Head of School and from other successful NHMRC grant holders.

If another year of generating data, research publications or getting a stronger collaboration team would enhance your chances of success - please wait and develop your strategy for applying the following year.

2. It is vital that you read the funding advice for each type of NHMRC grant as it will contain information concerning eligibility, application process, peer review process –
For Project Grants – http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/types/granttype/projects/index.htm
FAQS for Project Grants – http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/apply/granttype/projects/faqs.htm

All guideline descriptions for all NHMRC grants can be found on the NHMRC web site – or see the list below where you will find the URL for each grant type.

*It is vital that the application complies fully with all the guidelines; otherwise, it will be excluded instantly without review.

3. At Deakin, there is an internal process of review and developing your NHMRC Project Grant for the forthcoming year - see the Timetables web page.

4. Every NHMRC grant must have an application ID number. This can be obtained from the NHMRC Research Administration Officer (RAO) – Dr Yvonne Lai.

5. If you need answers to your questions regarding grants and fellowships

Consult General Questions Answered
This site can provide valuable information about the NHMRC and what it wants.

OR

Contact
In the first instance, contact the RAO - Dr Yvonne Lai

Email grantnet.help@nhmrc.gov.au
Telephone 1800 500 983

6. For a project grant (and any other NHMRC grant), it is expected that there will be several rounds of review by your colleagues and also by the Research Services Division. Review of your grant for Grantsmanship is available from the Research Services Division. All issues concerning compliance will also be addressed by the Research Services Division.

7. It is expected that while writing your grant, issues concerning Animal / Human Ethics, Privacy, Genetic Manipulation or the use of Carcinogenic or Highly Toxic Chemicals will also be addressed.

8. Currently, NHMRC Project Grant applications are prepared using Informed Filler software which has an inbuilt electronic mail handling facility. At the specified date, your grant should be sent electronically to the RAO via the Colleague button for review. Any changes / suggestions will be made at that time, if there has been no other interaction with the Research Services Division.

9. One week before the external closing date, all finalised grants and all required certified signed pages will be sent to the RAO (via RAO button). All NHMRC grant submissions go through the RAO.

10. After submission, there may be two rounds of culling of grants considered unfundable.

• The first cull will occur for grants deemed not suitable for review.
• After the first round, all remaining grants will be sent assessments via the RAO.
• It is crucial that all responses be first class as an inadequate reply will result in a downgrading of the grant’s potential score. Furthermore, it is also possible that a very good response can turn around any poor assessment. It works both ways.
• Review of the Responses for grantsmanship is available from the Research Services Division.
• The second cull occurs after the responses have been assessed. Ultimately, this is when the response has not scored high enough for the grant to be considered suitable for funding.

11. Any grants remaining in the process after the second cull still have a chance of being successful.