National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants (NISDRG)

Overview

The NISDRG program supports excellent research that deepens understanding of emerging science and technology and addresses intelligence and national security interests. The grants program will facilitate innovation and develop national security and intelligence capacity. It will also enable Australia’s National Intelligence and Security Communities to systematically engage with Australia’s research and technology community.

The NISDRG program provides support to research that aligns with the priority research areas identified by the Australian Government. These research areas are outlined in the Intelligence Challenges and the National Security Challenges developed under the broad National Security Science and Technology Priorities.

Priorities for National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants (NISDRG) Program
The Intelligence Challenges and the National Security Challenges have been developed under the broad National Security Science and Technology Priorities. The Challenges are priority research areas which will be updated from round to round.

NISDRG Program Round 3 (2023)
Funding for the NISDRG program round 3 is offered under two Grant Opportunities:

• Intelligence Challenges – funded by the Office of National Intelligence.
• National Security Challenges – funded by the Department of Defence, National Security Science and Technology Centre.

Each Grant Opportunity will be managed through an individual dedicated version of the Research Management System (RMS).

The Intelligence Challenges for the NISDRG program Round 3 (2023) are:  

• Covert collection challenges
• Space-based challenges
• Identity management challenges
• Emerging biological and material science exploitation challenges
• Cyber security, protective security and offensive cyber challenges
• Human behaviour and influence challenges
• Data-driven and real-time analytical challenges
• Situation awareness and multi-source assessment

The National Security Challenges for the NISDRG program Round 3 (2023) are:  

• Preparedness, protection, prevention and incident response challenges
• Border security and identity management challenges
• Investigative support and forensic science challenges

Objectives

The grant program objectives are to:

• support excellent fundamental research (sometimes called discovery, basic or blue sky research) in areas identified in the Intelligence Challenges and National Security Challenges;
• build Australia’s research capacity and capability in these areas by supporting researchers, fostering research trainees, and contributing to a greater body of open source research;
• enhance collaboration in the research, science and technology community that supports Australia’s National Intelligence and Security Communities; and
• support systematic and coordinated engagement between the research, science and technology community and Australia’s National Intelligence and Security Communities.

Applicants are required to submit an EOI outlining the proposed project and its alignment with the Intelligence Challenges or the National Security Challenges as relevant.

To be eligible as a Chief Investigator on a 2022 NISDRG Project you must, at the grant commencement date and for the project activity period:

• be an employee for at least 0.2 FTE at an Eligible Organisation; or
• be a holder of an honorary academic appointment  (as defined by the ARC) at an Eligible Organisation.
• be Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents or New Zealand Special Category Visa holders (CIs must reside in Australia for more than 50 per cent of the project activity period).

Selection Criteria

The criteria weighting is as followed:

• Project quality and benefit: 60%
• Investigator(s)/Capability: 25%
• Feasibility and Commitment: 15%

Funding

The scheme provides $400,000 and $600,000 funding per grant for up to three 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.  See section 5 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 NISDRG Grant Guidelines. These documents can be found under the Support documents tab. More documentation will be uploaded as it becomes available.

4. Complete the draft Application in RMS

   • To access the ONI portal of RMS please click on https://rmsoni.researchgrants.gov.au/.  To request a new account, go to https://rmsoni.researchgrants.gov.au/and click on the Request New Account link.
   • To access the Defence portal of RMS please click on https://defence.researchgrants.gov.au/.  To request a new account, go to https://defence.researchgrants.gov.au/ and click on the Request New Account link.
     
     Registered users of ARC RMS can login to either portal using their usual email address and password.  Note that the use of the portal is not linked to the ARC RMS accounts so you will not see any of you ARC projects when you log in.

5. Submit 'review ready' application to RIC (Monday 24 October 2022)

   Email RIC (ric-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au) a pdf copy of the draft application.

   *A 'review ready' draft application

   RMS Profile for personnel - should be updated because some parts of the application are auto-populated from the RMS profile

   Part A - Administrative Summary

   Part B - Classifications and Other Statistical Information

   Part C - Project Eligibility

   Part D - Project Description: This part can be incomplete, but should include Investigator/Capability and Communication of Results sections in D2.

   Part E - Project Cost (Budget Table and Budget Justification)

   Part F - Participant Details including ROPE

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 9am on the final internal closing date Friday 4 November 2022. 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 10.00 am on the final internal Closing date (4 November 2022), 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

• Grant Opportunity for NISDRG Intelligence Challenges
• Grant Opportunity for NISDRG National Security Challenges
• The ARC NISDRG Discovery Research Grants website
• NISDRG Grant Guidelines
• NISDRG Changes to Grant Guidelines
• NI23 Intelligence Challenges
• NS23 National Security Challenges
• Instructions to Applicants  - Full Application - Intelligence Challenges (EINI23)
• Instructions to Applicants  - Full  Application - National Security Challenges (EINS23)
• NISDRG FAQs V1.5 (released 1 November 2022)
• NISDRG Program Round 3 Full Application Q&A - YouTube
• Sample form EINI23
• Sample form EINS23
• RMS User Guide
• RMS - Submitting an Application
• RMS  -  Submitting a Request Not to Assess
• RMS  - Submitting a Rejoinder

RIC

• Register a NOI
• Instructions for adding Research Outputs (see document and video)
• NI23 Part F7 Research Load Template
• NS23 Part F7 Research Load Template
• NISDRG 2023 Salary Scales and Budget Preparation (UoM Log-in required)
• NI23 Authority to Submit Form (UoM Log-in required)
• NS23 Authority to Submit Form (UoM Log-in required)

Contacts

Manage Your Grant