Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Federation Fellowships - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2007
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3.1.1 All amounts referred to in these Funding Rules are to be read as exclusive of GST (if any), unless expressly stated otherwise.
3.1.2 The level of salary and salary-related (on-cost) funding which will be provided by the ARC for a Federation Fellow is $A250,970 per annum (2006 dollars) plus 28% on-costs. These salaries are substantially higher than those payable under other Fellowship Schemes in the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program.
3.1.3 In addition to salary and salary-related (on-cost) support, the ARC may provide Federation Fellows with Start-up Project Funding of up to $400,000, providing the request is well justified and the Federation Fellow at the closing time for submission of Proposals:
was not involved as a Chief Investigator in an ARC Discovery Projects project or Linkage Projects project; and
was not eligible to be a Chief Investigator in:
the ARC Discovery Projects funding round for funding commencing in 2007; or
the ARC Linkage Projects funding rounds for funding commencing in 2007.
3.1.4 Proposals requesting Start-up Project Funding must describe and justify the need for, and the amount of, funding being sought from the ARC. This support, if approved, is to assist researchers who may not otherwise have been able to work on their proposed project as expeditiously as those researchers with ongoing access to significant resources at their proposed Host Organisation. If approved, Start-up Project Funding will be paid during the first two years of the Fellowship.
3.1.5 The Administering Organisation must provide a high level of financial support (cash and in-kind) for the research project which is to be undertaken by the Federation Fellow. These contributions must meet the “minimum funding contribution requirements” specified in Appendix 4. Administering Organisations may, however, provide financial support in excess of the minimum funding contribution requirements specified in Appendix 4.
3.1.6 A Proposal must, therefore, demonstrate the Administering Organisation’s commitment to the Federation Fellow by providing a detailed outline of the Administering Organisation’s contributions towards the research costs of the Federation Fellow.
3.1.7 If the ARC considers that a Proposal does not meet the minimum funding contribution requirements for the Administering Organisation, the Proposal will not be recommended or approved for funding.
3.1.8 The ARC reserves the right to recommend a level of Start-up Project Funding for a project at a level which may differ from that requested in the Proposal.
3.2 Duration of funding
3.2.1 Funding for Federation Fellowships is normally awarded for five years, subject to sufficient funds being available for the Federation Fellowships scheme, the provisions of the ARC Act and continued satisfactory performance.
3.3 Types of research supported
3.3.1 Subject to Section 3.5, the Federation Fellowships scheme supports excellent research by world-class researchers, including:
pure basic research which is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge without looking for long-term benefits other than the advancement of knowledge;
strategic basic research which is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge directed into specified broad areas that are expected to lead to useful discoveries. It provides the broad base of knowledge necessary to solve recognised practical problems; and
applied research which is original work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge with a specific application in view. Such research is undertaken either to determine possible uses for the findings of basic research or to determine new ways of achieving some specific and predetermined objectives.
3.4 Areas of investigation/work not supported
3.4.1 The Federation Fellowships scheme does not support the following work:
clinical medical and dental research and training. These areas of research are generally covered by other Commonwealth Government funding agencies, such as the NHMRC;
activities leading solely to the creation or performance of a work of art, including visual art, musical compositions, drama, dance, designs and literary works. These areas are generally covered by other Commonwealth Government agencies, such as the Australia Council for the Arts;
scholarly investigations that, while important in themselves, do not lead to conceptual advances or discoveries, or to novel practical outcomes or applications. Projects such as uncritical biographical compilations and purely descriptive catalogues or editions that do not involve original research are not funded;
production of teaching materials, even though some research may be involved in their production;
compilation of data, unless this is an integral part of a project, in which case the Proposal must include a statement indicating the research objectives to which the data would contribute; and/or
development of research aids and tools (including computer programs), unless they form an integral part of the Proposal, in which case the Proposal must include a statement indicating the research objectives to which these activities would contribute.
3.5 Restrictions on budget items
3.5.1 Federation Fellowships supports only costs which directly support a research project. The ARC may in its absolute discretion determine whether any project costs meet this requirement.
3.5.2 The Federation Fellowships scheme has restrictions on the following budget items:
Capital works and general infrastructure Capital works and general infrastructure costs are not funded in whole or part under Federation Fellowships.
Special Studies Programs Funds are not provided for travel or related expenses for researchers when on a Special Studies Program.
International students’ fees and Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) liability Funds are not provided to pay the fees of international students or HECS liabilities for Australian students.
Computer facilities for molecular analysis Applicants for projects involving molecular biology should be aware that a number of organisations provide access to a range of databases and a large suite of analysis programs. As a result, Proposals seeking funding for computer facilities to undertake molecular analysis must justify such needs very thoroughly and to the satisfaction of the ARC.
Basic facilities The Administering Organisation must agree to provide the following basic facilities (where relevant to the Proposal), which will not be funded under the Federation Fellowships scheme:
accommodation (e.g. laboratory and office, suitably equipped and furnished in standard ways);
access to workshop services (e.g. machine tools and qualified technicians available to each member of staff, according to need, for research);
access to film or music editing facilities;
access to a basic library collection;
standard reference materials or funds for abstracting services;
provision of computers (excluding access to high-performance computers or other specialised applications) and basic computing facilities such as word processing and other standard software; and
use of photocopiers, telephones, mail, fax, email and internet services.
f. Publication Costs
Publication costs, including page costs, will not be funded under Federation Fellowships.
g. Costs not directly related to a project
Costs not directly related to a project will not be funded, for example costs of a personal nature such as child care.
3.6 Number of proposals and funded projects
3.6.1 Federation Fellowship candidates may not be nominated for a Federation Fellowship on more than one Federation Fellowships Proposal in this funding round. Submitting Proposals that exceed this limit may result in all Proposals involving the Federation Fellowship candidate not being recommended or approved for funding.
3.6.2 The funding rules for other ARC funding schemes may specify limits on the number of Proposals or projects Federation Fellows may hold under those schemes.
Section 3 - Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Federation Fellowships - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2007 - Funding | Zoe