NHMRC Grants

Scheme Calendar ||  Sapphire ||  NHMRC Submission Procedure ||  NHMRC Mailing List

NHMRC Grants information is distributed by Research Grants. To receive up to date NHMRC grants information, please subscribe to our NHMRC mailing list.

Please also review our ARC/NHMRC Grant Rounds Submission Procedures (PDF) for essential information regarding NHMRC application submission.

NHMRC Grant Program

In 2018 the NHMRC implemented a new grant program structure. The NHMRC Project Grants, Program Grants and full suite of Fellowships schemes have been replaced with three new schemes: Investigator Grants, Synergy Grants and Ideas Grants.

In addition, the Strategic and Leveraging Grants stream has been designed to support research that addresses identified national needs as well as a dedicated funding stream for Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies.

The NHMRC continues to administer funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

Grant Guidelines for all NHMRC schemes are available on GrantConnect and scheme information can also be accessed via NHMRC’s website.

Schemes Calendar

Open Schemes

All currently open MRFF opportunities (including those not managed by the NHMRC) can be found on our MRFF page.

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to commence their application in Sapphire ASAP after the scheme opens so that they can:
  • book their preferred day for an Eligibility and Compliance Check through the online booking system.
  • receive a copy of the scheme Essential Instructions developed by Research Grants to assist you in the completion of your application.
• To enable the allocation of appropriate resourcing, bookings must be made prior to the defined scheme Eligibility and Compliance Check period. Access to book an Eligibility and Compliance Check will no longer be available once the Eligibility and Compliance Check period has commenced. This does not apply for schemes with continuous rounds (i.e. ARC Linkage Projects and NHMRC Partnership Projects).
• The University deadline for final application (the internal deadline) requires the provision of a submission-ready proposal to Research Grants submitted via Sapphire, as well as a fully signed application coversheet.

Sapphire

The NHMRC schemes uses Sapphire for all grant rounds.

For more information on how to activate your Sapphire account, please visit the NHMRC website or contact research-applications@newcastle.edu.au

CI Eligibility Limits and Sapphire

Unlike RGMS, Sapphire does not contain the functionality to perform validation checks to identify potential eligibility issues.

Research Grants strongly recommends that CIAs ensure all CIs carefully check to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements for the specific scheme – noting that for some schemes eligibility is limited to one application as CI.

The NHMRC will rule all applications ineligible in instances where any CI (CIA-CIJ) is in excess of the maximum number of grants they are eligible to apply for or hold.

Please contact Research Grants if you are unsure of your eligibility so we can assist.

NHMRC Submission Procedure

• Eligibility and Compliance Checks ARE NOT compulsory but are highly recommended to avoid application eligibility and compliance issues.
• Research Grants is unable to provide advice on any grant or fellowship scheme after the Eligibility and Compliance Check period unless you have obtained a booking.

• Eligibility and Compliance (E&C) Checks are completed electronically.
• If you opt not to book an E&C Check, only institutional issues will be checked prior to submission to the NHMRC and you, as the lead CI, are responsible for the eligibility and compliance of your application.
• To enable the allocation of appropriate resourcing, bookings must be made prior to the defined scheme Eligibility and Compliance Check period. Access to book an Eligibility and Compliance Check will no longer be available once the Eligibility and Compliance Check period has commenced. This does not apply for schemes with continuous rounds (i.e. ARC Linkage Projects and NHMRC Partnership Projects).
• No application is approved for submission without the provision of a completed, fully signed application coversheet (DOC).
• Please ensure that all University of Newcastle cash and in-kind contributions including those that are approved by Research and Innovation Division (central) are listed on your coversheet. If a cash or significant in-kind contribution is made from a source other than College/School/Central, please ensure you provide an email from the authorised University representative confirming the provision of this cash and/or in-kind contribution to the application.

If you have any further questions, please contact research-applications@newcastle.edu.au or call +61 2 4921 7733