Discovery Projects

Overview

The ARC Discovery Projects support fundamental research conducted by both individuals and teams.

The Discovery Projects aims to:

• Support excellent basic and applied research by individuals and teams
• Encourage high-quality research and research training
• Enhance international collaboration in research
• Expand Australia's knowledge base and research capability
• Enhance the scale and focus of research in the Australian Government's Science and Research Priorities.

National Interest Test

• Under the new National Interest Test, applications will need to meet the NIT definition and score highly in the competitive grants process to be recommended to the Minister for funding.
• Applicants will be asked to explain ‘the extent to which the research contributes to Australia’s national interest through its potential to have economic, commercial, environmental, social or cultural benefits to the Australian community’.
• The previous “benefit and impact” application text will be replaced with a compulsory field for the applicant to make their case against the NIT. This statement will be 100 to 150 words and in plain English. The NIT will apply to all future rounds.

To be eligible as a Chief Investigator on a 2021 Discovery Project you must, at 1 January 2021 and for the project activity period:
a. be an employee for at least 0.2 FTE at an Eligible Organisation; or
b. be a holder of an honorary academic appointment at an Eligible Organisation (as defined by the ARC) at an Eligible Organisation..

Honorary academic appointment means any honorary position that gives full academic status, as certified by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent in the application. For ARC purposes this relationship must include access to research support comparable to employees e.g. an emeritus appointment.  The person would not be considered to hold an honorary academic appointment if they hold a substantive, paid position elsewhere.

If you hold an Honorary or Professorial Fellow appointment  (holding no substantive paid appointments) and you wish to apply as a Chief Investigator please contact ric-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au as soon as possible to arrange DVCR certification.

ACTIVE PROJECTS & ACTIVE PROJECT ASSESSMENT DATE

Active Projects  mean a Project that is receiving funding according to the terms of the original Funding Agreement, or has any carryover funds approved by the ARC, or an approved variation to the Project’s end date. Therefore if a project has carried forward any funding and the end date has changed, the NEW end date determines an active project. Active projects can be viewed via the applicants RMS profile by selecting Person Profile > Current ARC Projects> end date.

The  Active Project Assessment Date (the date on which Active Project eligibility will be considered), is a scheme-specific date that nominates the date when Project and Application limit eligibility is assessed by the ARC.

The ARC will calculate active projects as at the closing time of submission of Proposals (and may calculate this rule again as other scheme rounds’ announcements are made and End of Year Reports are submitted.

For the 2021 Discovery Project Round to fulfill eligibility, ALL CIs must meet the following criteria as of the 1 Jan 2021:

Grant Guidelines  (note applicants should review all Limits on Project and proposal rules- See Sections 4.10 - 4.16 - page 15 of the Grant Guidelines)

Section 4.12:  Within the Discovery Program, a researcher can be funded for a maximum of:
a. two Projects as a CI
or
b. one ARC Fellowship and one Project as a CI.
c.  one ARC Fellowship or project if the individual is also a Director on an active ARC Centre of Excellence or a Special Research Initiative project.

Please contact RIC at RIC-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au:

1. If you or any of your CIs listed on your project are unsure if you meet the eligibility requirements OR
2. If you or any of your CIs have 2 active projects as of the 1 July 2021 - please contact RIC-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au to discuss  either formally amending your end date or arranging a Project or role relinquishment through a variation to fulfill eligibility.

SELECTION CRITERIA - new weighting

The new criteria weighting is as followed:

• Investigator(s)/ Capability: 35%
• Project Quality and Innovation: 40%
• Benefit:15%
• Feasibility:10%

RESEARCH OUTPUTS

Uploading research outputs to ARC RMS for ARC grant applications

Research outputs must first be added to an applicant's ARC Research Management System (RMS) profile before they can be selected for inclusion on an application. The University's recommended approach is to export research outputs from Minerva Elements as a BibTeX file and then import this file into RMS to achieve best data integrity.

See the information guide for the latest step-by-step guide: http://go.unimelb.edu.au/n65r

Please contact your local Faculty Research Office or Publication Coordinator for help with the process or to amend data in Minerva Elements. Faculty contacts:  http://go.unimelb.edu.au/y85r

Information sessions​: Uploading research outputs to ARC RMS for ARC grant applications

• Thursday 5 December 2:00-3:00pm, Dulcie Hollyock room, ground floor, Baillieu Library. ​
• Tuesday 14 January, 12:00-1:00pm, Dulcie Hollyock room, ground floor Baillieu Library.  ​

These sessions will demonstrate the University’s recommended approach to adding your research outputs to your ARC Research Management System (RMS) profile.  There will also be a Q & A segment. ​

Register your place: http://go.unimelb.edu.au/7j5r

Funding

The scheme provides $30,000-$500,000 funding per annum for projects of two to five years duration. Project costs can be used to hire research personnel, support HDR students, or fund teaching relief, equipment, consumables, Field Research, Travel, and dissemination costs. Discovery International Awards (DIAs) are no longer being awarded under Discovery Projects. Applicants can continue to seek this funding through multiple budget items in the Discovery Projects scheme. See section E of the Grant Guidelines for more information.

How to apply

1. Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI)

   The NOI should be completed early to provide RIC with the CI's contact details.

2. Updates RMS profile

   All CIs and PIs must obtain access to RMS and update profile information (see RMS information)

3. Review documentation

   Review the Discovery Project 2021 Funding Rules and the Instructions to Applicants and the FAQs. These documents can be found under the Support documents tab.

4. Complete the draft application in RMS

   Log in to RMS and complete the draft application.

5. Submit 'Review ready' application to RIC (28 Jan-30 Jan 2020)

   See the Submission Procedure document for information on review ready applications.

   Submit application via email to RIC (ric-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au) within the RIC internal submission period. Include the following:

   • PDF of the complete review ready* draft application (downloaded from RMS)
   • If applicable, the applicant should include an electronic copy of the Request Not to Assess form if they would like to request the exclusion of a potential assessor. This form can also be sent separately and is due by the 10th February, 5pm.

6. Application review

   Two RIC staff members will review the application and provide the applicant with feedback via email.

7. Complete the application

   After taking feedback from the RIC team into consideration, complete the application in RMS. It is suggested advice is sought from colleagues, faculty mentors, etc. before finalising the application.

8. Submit the UOM Authority to Submit form

   The form must be submitted to RIC via email before 5:00pm on the final internal closing date. This form should include:

   • Complete the compliance and eligibility section
   • Signature of all CIs and PIs
   • Signature of the Head of Department for each CI
   • Signature of the CEO (or delegate) for all Australian-based PIs

   Electronic signatures are permitted.

   This is an ARC requirement and the application cannot be submitted to ARC until received.

9. Final submission

   Before 5:00pm on the final internal Closing date, the applicant must:

   • Submit final application by clicking ‘Submit to Research Office’ in RMS
   • Email RIC (ric-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au) a pdf copy of the final application and a scanned, signed Authority to Submit form

   Note: Applications without a completed Authority to Submit form cannot be submitted to the ARC

10. RIC will submit the application

    Once the application has been submitted to ARC, you will receive an email from RIC confirming submission.

Supporting documents

ARC

• The ARC Discovery Projects website
• DP21 - Grant Guidelines NEW! Updated 8 October 2019
• DP21 Grant Guidelines Changes NEW!
• DP21 Instructions to Applicants NEW! 13 Nov 2019
• Research Outputs User Guide UPDATED 18 Oct 2019
• FAQs 2021 NEW
• ARC Medical Research Policy
• ARC Request Not to Assess form
• Draft Grant Agreement
• ARC College of Experts
• Australian Government Science and Research Priorities
• Rejoinder Assessment Review Request Form

RIC

• Register a NOI
• Grants Library of Successful Applications
• List of Faculty Grant Coordinators/Mentors
• RIC Authority to Submit form -  (Password protected. If you do not have a UoM login and need to access this form, e.g. international PIs, please email ric-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au)
• RIC Discovery Projects 2021 Applicant Guide
• Instructions for adding Research Outputs (see document and video) - NEW!
• Part F5  Research Load Template
• How to complete Management of Data in section C1
• Discovery Projects 2021 Salary Scales and Budget Preparation
• Research Impact Library Advisory Service (this can assist with metrics for sections F18).
• RIC ARC/NHRMC Major Grant Rounds Submission Procedure.
• RIC Top Ten Tips for DP21 applicants NEW!
• 2020 College of Experts Members - FOR Codes NEW!

NOTE: A RIC review cover sheet is no longer required, email submission is sufficient.

Instructional Videos

• Video - Setting up a RMS Account (2:22)
• Video - Completing G1 Table (2:10) Note: This video is a guide on how to complete DP21 F5 table.  The F5 table only includes funding from non-ARC sources.
• Video - Entering the Budget (7:56)

Seminars

• RIC Discovery Projects Seminar 12/12/2019 slides (UoM login required)
• RIC Discovery Projects Seminar 17/01/2019 audio and slides (UoM login required)
• RIC Discovery Projects seminar 17/01/2019 slides (UoM login required)
• RIC 2019 Discovery Projects seminar 15/01/2018 (UoM login required)
• RIC Discovery Projects Writing Tips seminar 23/11/17 audio. (Available to UOM applicants only & requires UOM login)
• RIC Discovery Projects Writing Tips seminar 23/11/17 audio and slides. (Available to UoM applicants only & requires UOM login)
• RIC Discovery Projects Writing Tips seminar 23/11/17 slides. (Available to UoM applicants only & requires UOM login)

How to write a rejoinder

• Rejoinder fact sheet Updated  16 June 2020
• 2020 ARC Rejoinder Webinar 19 June 2020
• Rejoinder information session slides June 13 2019
• Rejoinder Information session 2020 Seminar (UoM login required) June 13 2019
• Rejoinder Information session 2019 Seminar  (UoM login required) June 8 2018

Please note: Assessor comments should only include details on the Investigator(s)/Capability, Project Quality and Innovation, Feasibility, and Benefit.  Assessors should not be commenting on Eligibility and Compliance.  If you identify an assessment that contains inappropriate elements you may wish to have this reviewed by the ARC. You can do this by completing an ARC Assessment Review Request form within 3 working days after the opening of the Rejoinder period. Please note that applicants should never contact the ARC directly. Always speak to your Faculty or RIC first.

Contacts

Manage Your Grant