National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants (NISDRG)

Overview

The National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants (NISDRG) program commenced in 2020 with funding from the Office of National Intelligence and the Defence National Security Science and Technology Centre (NSSTC).

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.

For funding commencing in 2024, the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) will provide funding for the program through the NISDRG Intelligence Challenge grants.

The Intelligence Challenges for the NISDRG program Round 4 (2024) 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

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 relevant Intelligence Challenges.

To be eligible as a Chief Investigator (CI) on a 2024 NISDRG Project you must, at the grant commencement date, and, if successful, 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).

All named investigators and personnel that receive salary support or stipends must be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or New Zealand Special Category Visa Holders.

Selection Criteria

The criteria weighting is as followed:

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

ICAS - Application Support  for eligible  applicants

Please note, the NISDRG program is piloting an Intelligence Challenges Application Support (ICAS) initiative to provide additional support to eligible applicants in the application process, details are available here .

If you think you meet the eligibility criteria to access this application support, please complete the Notification of Interest (NOI) Form and email it to RIC-arcDiscovery@unimelb.edu.au by COB Monday 31 July 2023.

Funding

The scheme provides $400,000 - $800,000 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.

Please note the NISDRG additional personnel awards (Section 5 table 3): NISDRG Fellowship and NISDRG Scholarship. These awards are included in the funding available to the project.

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. Update 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 and Instructions to Applicants and the FAQs. 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/.

   Registered users of ARC RMS can log into the ONI portal using their ARC RMS account details (email and password).  However, it's a separate (ONI) RMS portal so you will not see any of your other ARC projects when you log in.

5. Submit 'review ready' application to RIC (22 November 2023)

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

6. Application review

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

7. Complete the application

   After receiving feedback from the RIC team, complete the application in RMS. It is suggested advice is sought from  colleague, faculty mentors etc. before finalising the application.

8. Submit the UoM Authority to Submit (ATS) Form

   The form must be submitted to RIC via email before 9am on the final internal closing date Wednesday 29 November 2023.

9. Final submission

   Before 9am on the final internal closing date on 29 November 2023, the applicant must:

   1. Submit the application in RMS by clicking "Submit to Research Office
   2. Email RIC (ric-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au) a pdf copy of the final application and a completed and signed ATS form

10. RIC will submit the application to ONI

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

Supporting documents

ARC Documents and  Resources

• ONI RMS Login
• Grant Opportunity for NISDRG Intelligence Challenges
• The ARC NISDRG Program website
• NISDRG Grant Guidelines 2023 edition V2
• NISDRG Changes to Grant Guidelines V2
• NI24 Intelligence Challenges
• Instructions to Applicants - NISDRG Expression of Interest (EOI)
• NI24 Instructions to Application - Full application V1.3 - updated 24/11/2023
• NISDRG Sample Application Form - V1.3 - updated 24/11/2023
• NISDRG FAQs V1.2 - updated 9/11/2023
• DRAFT ONI - NI24 Grant Agreement V1
• RMS User Guide

RIC Documents and Resources

• Register an UoM Notice of Intent NOI
• Instructions for adding Research Outputs (see document and video)
• NI24 Part (F7) Research Load Template
• NISDRG 2024 Salary Scales and Budget Preparation (UoM Log-in required)
• NI24 Authority to Submit Form (UoM Log-in required)

Seminars

• NISDRG program Round 4  (NI24) Full Application webinar recording

• NISDRG program Round 4  (NI24) Expression of Interest (EOI) webinar slides & recording

Contacts

Manage Your Grant