Notification of Intent to Apply for External Grant Funding (NOI)

By now most, if not all, researchers will be aware of a change in the planned process for applying for external funding.  There has been the typical academic discussion around this process, but Research Branch has sought, with the support of he PVC, HOS and Assistant Dean Research, to implement these changes to streamline the process and to have the correct resources in place when they are most needed.

The New Process

Lodgement of a NOI will trigger a sequence of events:

On receipt of a completed NOI the Research Branch will forward a detailed workflow document with a process timeline.  Within this document your roles and requirements are identified along with the key dates that must be met. 

The NOI will also:

  • Identify the number of grants that Research Branch and the research staff within the Faculty might expect to see in the major rounds. This allows allocation of resources
  • Allow access to funding to support the development of these applications from Central funds
  • Allow the Faculty Research Team to assist with research environment, ERA and other associated statements
  • Allow identification of fellowship and other applications that will require substantial support from both Faculty and Central
  • Allow discussions between staff, Heads of School, Assistant Deans and the PVC to commence regarding resourcing and budget issue that may eventuate during the application process
  • Potentially identify issues that may result in applications being ineligible, e.g. too many applications, wrong assignment of CI / PI status, application for health related grants to the ARC, etc

There are hard and fast deadlines 4 weeks (compliance checking) and 2 weeks (full application final deadline) out from the Canberra submission deadline for each major granting round (e.g. ARC and NHMRC). 

The NOI process is not onerous, it will take 5-10 minutes to complete, it does not lock a researcher into applying for the funding, or from changing the details of the project. 

The NOI is a device to allow allocation of resources and to streamline the communications between the researcher and Research Branch. 

We strive to increase grant success through submission of higher quality grant application, rather than simply increasing the numbers of grant submissions.