Development Grants

Overview

NEW! NHMRC has updated the Direct Research Cost (DRC) Guidelines and the 2024 Personnel and Salary Support Package rates for funding commencing in 2025.

The Development Grants scheme provides financial support to individual researchers and/or research teams to undertake health and medical research within Australia at the proof-of-concept stage that specifically drives towards a commercial outcome within a foreseeable timeframe.

The Development Grants scheme will not fund early-stage research or knowledge creation research. Applicants are advised to consider directing such research proposals to the Ideas Grant scheme.

Research that aims to improve the health and health care outcomes which target an unmet or poorly met healthcare need for Australians is highly valued. Partnerships with industry/commercial partner/s for the proposed research are not essential at the application stage. However, applicants must provide comprehensive evidence of their strategies to commercialise their product and bring it to market.

The application must be supported by a detailed and feasible commercialisation business case that takes into account the regulatory pathway, protectable IP, commercial barriers and potential pathways to market.

Please note that all NHMRC documentation relating to this scheme can be found via Grant Connect - GO6877. If you don't already have one, you will need to create log in details for Grant Connect.

Notification of outcomes for the Development Grant scheme is expected in December 2024 with funding commencing in 2025.

Further Important information on the Development Grant scheme can be found on the NHMRC website.

Funding

The provisional funding allocation for the Development Grants 2024 grant opportunity is $15 million. NHMRC’s Research Committee annually reviews and recommends indicative budget amounts to be awarded across individual funding schemes.

The amount of funding for a Development grant will be based on assessment of the requested budget. Applications must clearly justify the requested duration and budget and how they will support the proposed outcomes of the research. Peer reviewers will consider this information and may recommend the reduction of the duration and/or budget to ensure the research aims and objectives can be achieved while ensuring value with money. A reduced budget does not reduce the scope of the proposed grant activity.

How to apply

Steps to be completed by Chief Investigator A (CIA):

1. Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI)

The NOI should be completed early to provide RIC with CIA contact details.

2. Complete/update Sapphire Profile and CV details

Each CI will need to obtain access to the Sapphire Grant management system to complete this step. Applicants (including all Chief Investigators and Associate Investigators) to Development Grants 2023 grant opportunity are required to submit a registration form available on the Sapphire Landing Page. Please note Profile data in Sapphire does not automatically sync with the RGMS Profile, applicants will need to update both Sapphire and RGMS Profile data.

3. Review the funding documents

The CIA should read the NHMRC Guidelines (GO6877) to applicants.

4. Complete draft application

Complete the draft application in the Sapphire Grant Management system.

5. Email a draft application to RIC

Send a draft Grant Proposal and application preview documents (Profile Report, Application Report, Application Summary) to RIC via email nhmrc-project@unimelb.edu.au for review by 10:00am on Monday 20 May 2024. A hardcopy is not required. To obtain your Sapphire application preview documents, click the "Preview" button on the top right corner and a zip folder consisting of the preview documents will be downloaded automatically.

6. Complete the application after feedback

After taking feedback from RIC into consideration, complete the application in the Sapphire Grant management system. Upload all documents paying special attention to formatting requirements. It is suggested to seek advice from colleagues, Faculty Mentors, etc. before finalising the application.

7. Certify the application in the Sapphire

Certify the application via the ‘Certification’ function in the left panel of your Sapphire application. The applicant will be given the opportunity to download their application and attachments prior to the two-stage confirmation prompt before submission. The application will be locked once certified and status then will be Submitted to RAO.

Please note that we have observed delays within Sapphire where the approvals tab to submit applications is taking ~15 minutes to load, as such there is a risk to the timely submission of your application if it is received after the RIC Final Submission Deadline. To minimise any delays or issues with the submission of your application we advise adhering to the RIC final submission deadline for this scheme.

8. Submit the UOM Authority to Submit form

Submit a UOM Authority-to-Submit form (DOCX 130.6 KB) in one pdf document to RIC via email nhmrc-project@unimelb.edu.au before 10:00am on Friday 7 June 2024. The form should include:

• CIA signature
• Head of Department/Institute Director signature

Written evidence (e.g. email) from all CIs and AIs is no longer required for applications submitted via Sapphire. Accepting an invitation to participate in an application constitutes a written agreement to be named on an application. CIAs cannot submit an application for RAO certification until all research team members on their application have accepted the invitation.

A hardcopy of the Grant management system application is not required.

Note that this is an NHMRC requirement and the application cannot be submitted to NHMRC until RIC receives this form.

9. RIC will submit the application

RIC will submit the application NHMRC and the CIA will receive Sapphire notification when this has been done.

Supporting documents

NHMRC Documents

• All NHMRC documentation relating to this scheme can be found via Grant Connect - GO6877
• Updated Personnel and Salary Support Package rates for funding commencing in 2025
• Updated Direct Research Cost (DRC) Guidelines
• Useful Sapphire links
  • Sapphire landing page for account registration, initiation of application, Learning and training resources
  • Sapphire help page

RIC Documents

• Download the Authority to Submit form (DOCX 130.6 KB)
• Download copies of previous successful Development Grant applications are held in the RIC Successful Grants Library (UoM login required)
• Refer to the List of Faculty Grant Coordinators/Mentors
• Watch the video recording of RIC's Development Grant Information Session 2024 (UoM login required)

NHMRC Open Access Policy

From 1 January 2024, all NHMRC grant holders must comply with NHMRC’s Open Access Policy. The policy requires full and immediate open access for NHMRC-funded research outputs.

For more information on how to comply refer to the UoM webpage on funder open access policies.

NHMRC policy on use of generative artificial intelligence in grant applications

NHMRC has released some key advice regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in grant application and peer review. Please refer to the NHMRC policy page and note the following:

• Application drafting Information provided to generative artificial intelligence (such as natural language processing models and artificial intelligence technology tools) becomes part of a public database and may be accessed by unspecified third parties. If you use generative artificial intelligence to assist with the drafting of your application, you must ensure you are aware of the potential risks involved, such as those related to security, confidentiality, intellectual property, privacy, the accuracy of information generated and possible plagiarism.
• Peer review Use of generative artificial intelligence in peer review Information provided to generative artificial intelligence (such as natural language processing models and artificial intelligence technology tools) becomes part of a public database and may be accessed by third parties. Peer reviewers must not input any part of a grant application, or any information from a grant application, into a natural language processing and/or artificial intelligence technology system to assist them in the assessment of applications. Use of generative artificial intelligence may compromise the integrity of NHMRC’s peer review process and be in breach of its Principles of Peer Review, the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the confidentiality undertaking of peer reviewers.

Contacts

Manage Your Grant