Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Federation Fellowships - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008
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6.1.1 All amounts referred to in these Funding Rules are to be read as exclusive of GST (if any), unless expressly stated otherwise.
6.1.2 The level of salary and salary-related (on-cost) funding which will be provided by the ARC for a Federation Fellow is $A256,052 per annum (2007 dollars) plus 28 per cent on-costs. These salaries are substantially higher than those payable under other Fellowship schemes in the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program.
6.1.3 In addition to salary and salary-related (on-cost) support, the ARC may provide Federation Fellows with Start-up Project Funding of up to $500,000, providing the request is well justified and the Federation Fellowship candidate 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 2008; or
the ARC Linkage Projects funding rounds for funding commencing in 2008.
6.1.4 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 projects 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.
6.1.5 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.
6.1.6 A Proposal must, therefore, demonstrate the Administering Organisation’s commitment to the Federation Fellowship candidate by providing a detailed outline of the Administering Organisation’s contributions towards the research costs of the Federation Fellowship candidate.
6.1.7 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.
Section 6 - Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Federation Fellowships - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008 - Funding | Zoe
6.1.8 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.
6.2 Period of funding
6.2.1 Financial assistance may be payable under these Funding Rules for Federation Fellowships projects in respect of the financial year 2008-09 and any subsequent years to which the ARC Act applies. Funding for approved projects will commence with effect 1 July 2008, unless other arrangements are approved by the ARC.
6.2.2 Fellowships are funded for five years, subject to sufficient funding being available for the Federation Fellowships scheme, the provisions of the ARC Act and continued satisfactory progress of the Federation Fellowship project.
6.2.3 The ARC reserves the right to recommend Start-up Project Funding for a duration different from that requested in the Proposal.
6.3 Types of research supported
6.3.1 Subject to Sections 6.4 and 6.5, 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. Such research 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.
6.4 Areas of investigation/work not supported
6.4.1 The Federation Fellowships scheme does not support the following work:
Medical and Dental Research;
activities leading solely to the creation or performance of a work of art, including visual art, musical compositions, drama, dance, film, broadcasts, designs, and literary works. These areas are generally covered by other Commonwealth funding 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
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.
6.4.2 If the ARC considers that a Proposal seeks funding for any of the items not permitted under Sections 6.4 or 6.5, then to that extent part or all of the Proposal will not be recommended or approved for funding.
6.5 Restrictions on budget items
6.5.1 The Federation Fellowships scheme supports only costs which directly support a research project. The ARC may in its absolute discretion determine whether any project costs meet this requirement.
6.5.2 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 in 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, Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) liability and Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) liabilities.
Funds are not provided to pay the fees of international students or HECS or HELP liabilities for students.
d. 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.
e. 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, including laptops (excluding access to high-performance computers or other specialised applications) and basic computing facilities such as printers, word processing and other standard software; and
use of photocopiers, telephones, mail, fax, email and internet services.
f. Publication costs
Publication costs, including printing and 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.
6.6 Number of Proposals and funded projects
6.6.1 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.
6.6.2 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.