Ideas Grants

Critical Dates

ASAP

Register for Sapphire's 2 Step Authentication Process

Wednesday
20 March 2024

Applications open in Sapphire

Wednesday
17 April 2024
5:00pm AEST

Minimum Data due in Sapphire

Thursday
18 April 2024
10:00am AEST

RIC Internal Review Deadline*

Monday
13 May 2024
10:00am AEST

Final Submission due to RIC (application and ATS Form)

* Cancer Council NSW Project Grant applicants can submit supplementary documentation for review on this date. For final submission dates for these schemes, refer to Funding Partners below. Please note: all applicants for Cancer Council Victoria Grant-In-Aid will apply directly to Cancer Council Victoria at a later date.

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 Ideas Grant scheme is to support innovative research projects addressing a specific question(s). The expected outcomes are:

  • innovative and creative research
  • funding of researchers at all career stages, and
  • funding any area of health and medical research from discovery to implementation.

The Ideas Grant scheme is not intended to support research where a clinical trial or cohort study is the primary objective. Applicants seeking funding to conduct a clinical trial or a cohort study should apply, instead, to NHMRC’s Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grant scheme.

An Ideas Grant 2024 grant can be requested for between one and five years depending on the proposal. The maximum number of Chief Investigators (CIs) allowed on an Ideas Grant application is 10 (CIA-CIJ).

Please note that all NHMRC documentation relating to this scheme can be found via Grant Connect (GO6844). If you don't already have one, you will need to create log in details for Grant Connect.

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

Eligibility

Changes to Capping Rules for NHMRC Investigator, Synergy, and Ideas Grants

The NHMRC have updated their capping policy for grants held and applied for across the Investigator, Synergy, and Ideas Grant schemes. The relevant changes are:

  1. The capping limit of 2 grants has been streamlined, so there are no longer exceptions for CIs holding 2x ongoing Ideas Grants to apply for a third grant. CIs will no longer be able to hold more than 2 grants (CIs currently holding 3 grants will not be required to relinquish any existing held grants). For a full breakdown of how many applications a CI can submit based on the grants they currently hold, please see the NHMRC’s Eligibility Web Tool and Eligibility FAQs page.
  2. If a CI is named on an excessive number of applications in a round, only the most recently submitted application(s) will be ruled ineligible. Previously, all applications in a round would be ruled ineligible, not just the excess application.
  3. Eligibility will now be based on original end date of each held grant at time of award (i.e. not taking variations into account). This means some applicants previously capped may now be able to apply in this round.

RIC hosted a Zoom Information Session on Thursday 7 March 2024 to summarise the key changes to the capping rules. View the video recording and the slides on the NHMRC scheme seminars webpage.

Any questions regarding eligibility to apply for the 2024 Synergy and/or 2024 Ideas Grant schemes can be sent to nhmrc-project@unimelb.edu.au.

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 to complete this step. Applicants (including all Chief Investigators and Associate Investigators) are required to submit a registration form available on the Sapphire Landing Page.

3. Review the funding documents

The CIA should read the NHMRC Guidelines to Applicants available from Grant Connect (GO6844).

4. Complete draft application

Complete the draft application in the Grant management system.

5. Email a draft application to RIC

Send a draft Grant Proposal and application preview documents (Application Report and Application Summary) to RIC via email nhmrc-project@unimelb.edu.au for review by 10am Thursday 18 April 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 Grant management system. Upload all documents  as outlined in Guideline to Applicants, 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 Grant management system

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 in one pdf document to RIC via email nhmrc-project@unimelb.edu.au before 10:00am on the final internal closing date, Monday 13th May 2024. The form should include CIA and Head of Department/Institute Director signatures. Note that this is an NHMRC requirement and the application cannot be submitted to NHMRC until RIC receives this form.

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.

9. RIC will submit the application

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

Supporting documents

    NHMRC Documentation

    All NHMRC documentation relating to this scheme (including the proposal template) can be found via Grant Connect.

    Use the NHMRC scheme eligibility support tool.

    RIC Documents

    Authority to Submit Form

    Successful applications - Grants Library

    Seminars and Workshops

    RIC will be hosting two webinars on the 2024 NHMRC Ideas Grants scheme for funding in 2025:

    General Scheme Information Session

    RIC conducted an information session on Tuesday the 26th of March 2024 to present an overview of the scheme, describe any key changes in the funding rules and to provide an overview of the application process. A recording is available on demand and will be uploaded to this page shortly.

    Budget Information Session

    10am-11am on Wednesday the 27th of March 2024 to provide applicants with an overview of the NHMRC Ideas Grant budget and budget guidelines. We will provide an overview of common issues observed in application budgets. At the end of the session an opportunity for a Q & A will be provided for applicants to ask NHMRC Ideas Grant budget questions.

    The recordings and slides of the presentations will be uploaded to this page shortly after each session.

    We will also be hosting twice weekly One-on-One drop-in sessions on zoom on Monday and Friday at 10:30am for 30mins between Friday the 5th of April through to Friday the 10th of May 2024 to provide applicants with the opportunity to ask any questions one on one with a RIC staff member. A RIC staff member will be available in a zoom meeting over this entire time period for applicants to drop in and ask questions about the scheme or their application. A virtual queue will be set up in a zoom waiting room and attendees will be admitted in order when a RIC staff member becomes available.

    Join from PC, Mac, iOS or Android: https://unimelb.zoom.us/j/83328873927?pwd=UHpnOW1OcnZJRitxaUt4ZU96TkZ6UT09
    Password: 357512

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.

Funding Partners

Cancer Australia - PdCCRS

Cancer Australia is pausing its Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme for 2024 while it considers the outcomes of a recent review of its grant programs. This means that Cancer Australia will not be a funding partner for Ideas Grants 2024.

Cancer Council New South Wales (CCNSW)

CCNSW Project Grants are open to all Australian cancer researchers. Applications for funding are aligned with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Ideas Grants submission and review processes.

Cancer Council NSW Project Grants are:

  • open to research projects on any aspect of cancer, including its causes, mechanisms, prevention, treatment and care, and the organisation and performance of cancer control services
  • awarded for up to three years, commencing in 2025
  • valued up to $450,000 over three years
  • open to all Australian cancer researchers

Researchers wishing to apply for Cancer Council NSW Project Grants must complete:

  1. NHMRC Ideas Grant application. In the Sapphire application, applicants to select ‘Cancer Council’ as a funding option
  2. Supplementary Questions online grant submission form (offline UoM template (DOCX 358.9 KB) for sharing with research team and for submitting to UoM for review and final compliance check - current version from last year, to be updated once sponsor opens online form); and
  3. Consumer Review Form.

For Guidelines and Application forms, click here.

For further information on consumer involvement in research, and/or where to find a qualified consumer, click here.

Submitting your CCNSW supplementary documents

Applicants must meet Minimum Data and meet application deadlines for the NHMRC Ideas grants schemes.

If you would like your supplementary questions (CCNSW) to be reviewed by RIC, please ensure both documents are provided to RIC for review at the same time as your NHMRC Ideas application.

In order to ensure submission of your supplementary applications to these funding agencies, applicants email our office nhmrc-project@unimelb.edu.au by the following dates:

Contacts

Gabrielle Nagle

+61 3 8344 3578

Stefan Tomlins

+61 3 8344 4652

E: nhmrc-project@unimelb.edu.au