Applying for Grants and Consultancies at ANU
At the ANU, researchers must submit their grant or consultancy
applications to their local Business Office. The Business Office checks
and arranges internal approvals and then arranges submission of the
application to the funding organisation (for some schemes, the Research
Office coordinates submission of applications after they have been checked
by the Business Office).
Applications prepared in accordance with the ANU's procedures
[see "How to apply for a research grant or consultancy
to be administered by ANU"] are more likely to be of high quality
(and thus more competitive) because they go through a rigorous checking
and internal peer-review process. Following the procedures also avoids
unnecessary delays and problems (e.g. in having applications approved
for submission).
This page includes links to basic procedures for submitting
applications at ANU, closing dates for major schemes, and practical
tips and advice for applicants (of particular benefit for early career
researchers or new staff who are unfamiliar with the Australian research
funding system).
How to apply for a research
grant or consultancy to be administered by ANU
- Consult with Head/Academic Supervisor
Initial consultation with your Head/Academic Supervisor will assist
you in sorting out any potential approval problems in advance of
preparing your application. The sorts of issues to consider and
discuss include (not exclusively):
- Will the project impact on your (or others) ongoing responsibilities?
- If you are employed on a fixed-term contract, will it expire before
or during the proposed project period?
- Do you need any cash or in-kind contributions (local, central,
other) to support the application?
- Do you expect a budget deficit that will need to be covered by
your Department or Faculty/School/Centre?
- Are you requesting funds for salaries or scholarships, and for
whom?
- What space and infrastructure allocations would need to be made
for the project (e.g. office, lab, housing for infrastructure, etc)?
- Do you anticipate any restrictions on the University’s IP
rights?
- Meet with your local Business Office
- You will be allocated a contact in your Business Office.
- [This procedure is not required until the ARIES database goes
live] Together, you will enter basic data about your application
onto the ARIES database. In some areas, the Business Office will
require you to enter this data onto ARIES before this meeting.
- The Business Office will ensure you are aware of the application
procedures, advise you of closing dates, and let you know about
any other services they provide.
- The Business Office will give you a Timetable and Checklist Form
(RO-AP1B). The Form will
henceforth cover and circulate with your application (and be updated
as appropriate) until your application is ready for approval and
submission.
- Prepare draft application and send to Business Office
Before sending your draft application to the Business Office, check
it against the Funding Organisation/Client criteria and guidelines,
etc. Also check its general quality (spelling, grammar, presentation).
Do not send a sub-standard draft to the Business Office.
- Revise application and forward final version to Business
Office
- The Business Office and local peer-reviewers (if any) will provide
you with feedback on your draft application (unless it was not submitted
in time to arrange these reviews). You will be advised of any amendments
you must make in order for the application to be approved. Other
feedback is provided as “advice”: it is your decision
whether or not to make revisions based on such advice.
- Check your application again before you forward it to your Business
Office (who will arrange approval and submission of the application
to the Funding Organisation/client).
- Keep a copy of your application.
- Applicants are ultimately responsible for the quality and accuracy
of applications, regardless of involvement of the Business Office,
local peer-reviewers or anyone else in the application process.
- Does the funding organisation/client require you to submit the
application electronically? If so, you must not submit the application
until the Business Office has advised you that it has been approved
for submission.
- What happens next
- You must check with the Business Office before providing the Funding
Organisation/Client with further details about your application (in
some cases, e.g. if the budget changes significantly, the approval
process may need to be repeated).
- If the Funding Organisation/Client advises you directly about the
outcome of the application, you must copy that advice to your Business
Office immediately.
- If the application is successful, your Business Office will discuss
the acceptance process with you.
- If the application is unsuccessful, your Business Office might be
able to provide you with advice that may assist you with future applications.
Tips/advice on preparing applications see below.
See the Research Funding &
Consulting Opportunities page for finding funding.
Grantsmanship! Tips and advice for applicants
Useful Links:
- Tips
on Writing a Research Proposal
- How
to Respond to Assessor's Reports (The Rejoinder Process)
- ARC
Postdoctoral Fellowship Suggested Application Preparation Timetable
- Building
a Good Track Record (Applied to ARC Discovery)
- Advice
for Early Career Researchers
- The
Art of Grantsmanship
