Australian Research Council Funding Rules for schemes under the Discovery Program (2017 edition)
A7Funding
Start here
Get a plain-English read of A7
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Australian Research Council Funding Rules for schemes under the Discovery Program (2017 edition).
A7.1.1 The level and period of funding for schemes under the Discovery Program are outlined in Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A7.1.2 The ARC reserves the right to recommend funding levels which may be less than those requested in the Proposal, and a duration of funding which may differ from that requested in the Proposal.
A7.1.3 Subject to these Funding Rules, Funding for a Project will commence:
a. on the Funding Commencement Date for the scheme;
b. after Ministerial announcement;
c. on a date set by the minister, or
d. in line with other arrangements approved by the ARC
whichever is the later.
A7.1.4 Other Commonwealth funding may be used to augment ARC funding. However the ARC will not fund the same research activities, infrastructure or Project previously funded or currently being funded through any other Commonwealth funding. Full details of any financial assistance received for, or in connection with, the research activities or Project must be disclosed in the Proposal and on an ongoing basis.
A7.1.5 Any funding awarded will be subject to sufficient funds being available for the Project, the provisions of the ARC Act and continued satisfactory progress of the Project.
A7.1.6 All amounts referred to in these Funding Rules are to be read as exclusive of GST (if any), unless expressly stated otherwise.
A7.1.7 The Administering Organisation is responsible for any and all financial and taxation implications associated with receiving funds.
A7.2 Budget Items Supported
A7.2.1 Project funding may be sought for budget items that directly support a research program contained in a Proposal, including:
a. access to national and international research and infrastructure facilities including specialist archives, collections and databases;
b. access to Technical Workshop Services linked to and justified explicitly against the Project (for example, machine tools and qualified technicians);
c. expenditure on Field Research essential to the Project, including technical and logistical support and travel and accommodation costs;
d. expert services of a third party if the services are directly related to and essential for the proposed Project. Such services include, but are not limited to:
language translation services, transcribing services;
Section A7 - Australian Research Council Funding Rules for schemes under the Discovery Program (2017 edition) - Funding | Zoe
purchase of bibliographical or archival material (electronic or hard copy); and
data collection and analysis services;
e. equipment (and its maintenance) and consumables essential for the Project. Funding will not be provided for equipment or consumables that are considered to be for broad general use;
f. personnel, for example postdoctoral research associates, research assistants, technicians and laboratory attendants. Salary support must be requested at an appropriate salary level for the Administering Organisation, including 30 per cent on-costs. Where the scheme-specific Parts of these rules contain a specified salary level, only funding up to this level may be requested from the ARC;
g. Higher Degree by Research stipends at a rate of $26,694 per year (2017$);
h. publication and dissemination of Project Research Outputs and outreach activity costs;
i. specialised computer equipment and software essential to the Project;
j. teaching relief for CIs, as specified for each scheme in Parts E and F (not available for Recipients of ARC Awards or Fellowships);
k. Travel Costs essential to the Project, as specified for each scheme in Parts B to F of these Funding Rules;
l. web hosting and web development specific to the Project;
m. workshops, focus groups and conferences that are essential for the conduct of the proposed research (including reasonable hospitality costs such as morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea); and
n. reasonable essential extraordinary costs to allow a participant who is a carer, or who personally requires care or assistance, to undertake travel essential to the Project.
A7.2.2 For all other scheme-specific budget items supported, refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A7.2.3 All budget items must be justified in the Proposal to the satisfaction of the ARC.
A7.3 Budget Items Not Supported
A7.3.1 Budget items which are not supported by ARC funding and should not be requested in the budget include:
a. Bench Fees or similar laboratory access fees;
b. capital works and general infrastructure costs;
c. costs not directly related to the Project, including but not limited to professional membership fees, professional development courses, fees for patent application and maintenance, equipment for live music or drama performances, visas, relocation costs, entertainment costs, insurance, and other indirect costs;
d. fees for international students or the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) and Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) liabilities for students;
e. salaries and/or on-costs and/or Higher Degree by Research stipends, in whole or in part, for CIs or PIs; and
f. salary top ups for personnel above the salary level specified in these Funding Rules.
A7.3.2 The following basic facilities must be provided and funded by the Administering Organisation, where relevant, and are not funded by the ARC:
a. access to a basic library collection;
b. access to film or music editing facilities;
c. accommodation (for example, laboratory and office space, suitably equipped and furnished);
d. basic computer facilities and standard software; and
e. standard reference materials or funds for abstracting services.
A7.3.3 For all other scheme-specific budget items not supported, refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.