Funding opportunities

Here you can find general information on research funding opportunities and where to get started.

What is the definition of research?

Last updated 08/04/2024

Federation University Australia recognises the Australian Government's Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) definition of research and experimental development (R&D) as follows:

‘creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge.’

The HERDC definition of R&D is consistent with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) definition set out in the 2015 Frascati Manual.

For a more extensive definition, please refer to section 3 of the HERDC Specifications found at the official Education website.

The collection of research data and income in the annual HERDC return is dependent on several factors including but not limited to:

  • The original source of income;
  • project activities and budget;
  • contractual obligations and restrictions of the project.

For further information on the classification of research income, please refer to section 4 of the HERDC Specifications.

For advice on whether or not your planned project and/or funding application fits within the Australian Government HERDC specifications, please contact research.funding@federation.edu.au in the early stages of planning.

All research projects must be processed through the Research Funding Team section of Research Services.

We subscribe to Research Professional, an online database of research funding opportunities and awards. This subscription enables researchers to search for available content, and set up email alerts to stay informed on new funding opportunities relevant to individual research discipline(s).

To get you started with this new and exciting funding opportunities system, the Research Funding Team has assigned you to a broad discipline work group. You will receive a weekly email alert with a list of current research funding opportunities relevant to this discipline work group. However whilst this search has been set up for you, you will have the ability to change and refine your email alert and work group preferences based on your specific needs.

Key features of Research Professional include:

  • An intuitive interface to make browsing for funding as simple as checking your email.
  • Shared resources, allowing you to benefit from saved searches and folders of bookmarked items created for you by your administrators.
  • Ability to set up targeted email alerts on funding opportunities within your area of research interest
  • Powerful search tools to help you find exactly the funding opportunities that interest you.

To help you get started on the site, you might want to take a look at the available help resources. These include:

Please log in to Research Professional. Here you can log in via our Federation University Australia account. Please see the PDF below for instructions on logging in:

How to login to Research Professional - FedUni staff (503kb,pdf)

If you are a FedUni researcher and have any queries about Research Professional and managing your account, please contact your FedUni Research Funding administrators:

  • Tina D'Urbano - Ph: (03) 5122 6872
  • Jane Tuppen - Ph: (03) 5327 6735

Email: research.funding@federation.edu.au

The ARC run a range of different research funding schemes throughout the year. If you are interested in applying for ARC funding, please visit the ARC website to determine which scheme best suits your research project and needs.

Please speak to your Centre Director or nominee if you are interested in applying for a particular scheme. All research funding applications must be school approved before submission. Forms to begin the application process can be found on our Funding Forms page. Budget costing pro formas for research projects can be found at Research finance.

Applications for all ARC schemes require significant time and development. Some general things to consider before applying for an ARC grant:

  • Do you have an up to date RMS account? All ARC applications are submitted through the online RMS portal.
  • What are your current time commitments and how will an ARC project fit into your schedule?
  • Have you read the relevant scheme Guidelines, Instructions to Applicants (ITAs) and other documentation? This information can be found via GrantConnect.
  • What support is available through your Centre or Institute?

For information on current ARC schemes and dates running through FedUni, please visit our ARC and NHMRC due dates page.

For all ARC administrative, budget and RMS enquiries, please contact research.funding@federation.edu.au.

The NHMRC run a range of different research funding schemes related to medical research throughout the year. If you are interested in applying for NHMRC funding, please visit the NHMRC website to determine which scheme best suits your research project and needs.

Please speak to your Centre Director or nominee if you are interested in applying for a particular scheme. All research funding applications must be Centre approved before submission. Forms to begin the application process can be found on our Funding Forms page. Budget costing pro formas for research projects can be found at Research finance.

Applications for all NHMRC schemes require significant time and development. Some general things to consider before applying for an NHMRC grant:

  • Do you have an up to date Sapphire account? All NHMRC applications are submitted through the online Sapphire portal.
  • What are your current time commitments and how will an NHMRC project fit into your schedule?
  • Have you read the relevant scheme Guidelines, Instructions to Applicants (ITAs) and other documentation? This information can be found via GrantConnect.
  • What support is available through your Centre or Institute?

For information on current NHMRC schemes and dates running through FedUni, please visit our ARC and NHMRC due dates page. 

For all NHMRC administrative, budget and RGMS enquiries, please contact research.funding@federation.edu.au.

In most cases, a Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) stems from a successful bid (application) to the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) run by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER). A CRC bid involves a broad pitch to justify the creation of a CRC and commitments from interested higher education provider (HEP) and industry participants.

Following the establishment of a CRC via a Commonwealth Agreement, HEP and industry collaboration terms are confirmed via a Participants Agreement. Other parties may also be involved in a CRC as non-Participants.

Once a CRC is up and running and the Participant Agreement and other relevant agreements are in place, Projects can be initiated under that CRC via pre-approved Project Agreements. Selected Participants and non-Participants are involved in CRC Projects based on their areas of expertise and the focus of the Project.

For the purposes of HERDC government reporting, any CRC research income received by a CRC HEP Participant (as per the Commonwealth Agreement) is captured as Category 4 income (see HERDC Specifications for Category definitions and further information).

Process for CRC Bids

As CRCs are different to other research funding applications and projects, Research Services and the DVCRI have articulated how best to fit CRC administration and processes into our existing Research Funding policy and procedures.

The following steps are very broad and it may be required to adjust these on a case by case basis. Generally, if your Centre proposes to participate in a CRC bid these are the steps to take:

Pre-award CRC Programme bid

  1. Internal Centre processes (i.e., researcher(s) and Centre Director discuss opportunity and go through any relevant approvals)
  2. Lead FedUni Project Manager/Chief Investigator/Researcher (Lead CI) notifies the Research Funding Team (RFT) at research.funding@federation.edu.au of their intentions to participate in a CRC bid and confirms Centre support.
    1. No internal Research Funding paperwork is required at this stage
    2. The Lead CI liaises with RFT as required throughout the application process.
  3. Any DISER, other HEP or funding body paperwork that requires institutional approval and/or sign off for a CRC bid must be submitted to research.funding@federation.edu.au in the first instance.
    1. RFT will arrange DVCRI, VC or COO sign off as required.
  4. RFT works with Lead CI and other relevant parties to assist with the bid submission where required.

Post-award CRC Programme bid

  1. Lead CI notifies RFT of award of CRC or vice-versa
  2. RFT coordinates Participant Agreement negotiations and sign off for FedUni
    1. Including liaising with relevant parties ie. Legal Office, DVCRI, Centre and Lead CI.

Once the CRC Commonwealth and Participant Agreements are fully executed, processes for individual Projects to be funded by the CRC can commence.

Pre-award CRC Projects

3. Lead CI submits Centre Director or nominee signed FEOI form to RFT for all CRC Projects that FedUni are involved in as they arise (within 15 business days if possible). Early submission is appreciated.

4. Business as usual and as per Research Funding policy and procedures (i.e., RFT arrange DVCRI approval of FEOI, Lead CI submits FSC and budget for Project, RFT coordinate Project Agreement review and sign off, etc)

Post-award CRC Projects

5. Research Finance arrange invoicing for Projects as per usual and coordinate with Centre Director regarding CRC contributions.

Please contact the Research Funding Team (RFT) at research.funding@federation.edu.au for any queries about CRCs.

General enquiries

If you would like to enquire about a particular research funding scheme or the general process for all research funding applications, budgets, grants and contracts, please contact the Research Funding Team on research.funding@federation.edu.au.