Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS)
National Taxonomy Research Grant Programme (NTRGP)
2018-19 How to complete an application for a Capacity-building Grant
Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) National Taxonomy Research Grant Programme (NTRGP)
2018-19How to complete a Grant application document – Capacity-building Grants
Applications close 2pm AEDT[1]2 November 2017
This How to complete a Grant applicationdocument will take effect on 7 September 2017 and will remain in effect until otherwise amended.
The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) is committed to ensuring that the process for providing funding under the National Taxonomy Research Grant Programme (NTRGP) is in accordance with the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Grant Rules and Guidelines.
Note: The Programme Rules, this How to complete a Grant applicationdocument and the Application Form may be amended by the ABRSin accordance with changing programme requirements. Any amendmentsmade to these documents will be published on the ABRS website.
This How to complete a Grant applicationdocument will provide you with examples on how to complete an application under the 2018-19Capacity-BuildingGrants stream of the NTRGP.
Applicants should read the Programme Rules prior to reading this How to complete a Grant applicationdocument and before completing an Application Form.
To view the Programme Rulesor the Application Form for the 2018-19Capacity-Building Grants stream of the NTRGP, please refer to the ABRS website:
Orcontact the ABRS on:
Business and GrantsManager
Email:
Phone: 02 6250 9558
Please note: for the purposes of this document ‘Applicant’ refers to the Student or Researcher and ‘Host Institution’refers to the institution that will submit the application and manage the grant on behalf of the Applicant.
Applications must be submitted by the Host Institution contact, by clicking on the ‘Submit’ button at theend of the Application Form.
The Australian Government, including the Department and its officers, employees, agents and advisors:
- are not, and will not be, responsible or liable for the accuracy or completeness of any information in or provided in connection with the Programme Rules and this document;
- make no express or implied representation or warranty that any statement as to future matters will prove correct;
- disclaim any and all liability arising from any information provided to an applicant, including errors in, or omissions contained in that information;
- except in so far as liability under any statute cannot be excluded, accept no responsibility arising in any way from errors or omissions contained in the Programme Rules and this document; and
- accept no liability for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of that person, or any other person, placing reliance on the contents of this document or any other information provided by the Australian Government in respect of the 2018-19Capacity-BuildingGrants stream of the NTRGP.
Completing an Application Form
- To complete an Application Form, applicants must have Adobe Reader version 8.1or later installed on their computer. To install the latest version of Adobe Reader, please go to the Adobe website:
- Once text has been added to text boxes, click outside the text box to expand the text box and show the entire contents. Please note that italics, bold and dot points will not work in the Application Form.
- Some sections within the Application Form are relevant to Student applicants only (i.e. those applicants applying for Honours or Masters Scholarships or RTP Scholarship Top-Ups). If an applicant selects a Non-salaried Researcher Grant as the grant type they are applying for, those sections not relevant to Researchers will be hidden within the Application Form and will not need to be completed. However, all other questions MUST be completed. Applicants applying for a Non-salaried Researcher Grantand host institution contacts (where applicable) should check the Application Form thoroughly before finalising and submitting it to the ABRS.
- All amounts listed in this application form are excluding GST, and where specified are either per annum or for the life of the grant.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2017
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to:
Director
Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS)
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
Email:
1.Eligibility and Priorities
1.1 Eligibility
Applicants must answer a set of questions to help determine their eligibility for a Capacity-building Grant
1.2 Grant Type
Applicants need to identify which grant they are applying for by selecting a grant type from the drop down list provided.
Once you have chosen a grant type from the drop down list provided, an additional series of eligibility questions will present on the form. These questions also help to identify eligibility and they must be completed.
Additional Student Eligibility Questions (Honours/Masters)
Additional Student Eligibility Questions (RTP Scholarship Top-up)
For the Honours, Masters and RTP Scholarship Top-up grant streams, an applicant must provide the date they will complete their studies.
Additional Student Eligibility Questions (Non-salaried Researcher)
1.3 Priority Areas for Research Grants 2018-19
Projects funded under the 2018-19Capacity-Building Grants stream of the NTRGP must support the ABRS Priority Areas of Research. Applicants should familiarise themselves with the priority areas before completing this section of the Application Form.
Applicants will need to identify the specific criteria that their proposal targets, by checking the box next to each one. More than one criteria can be selected, if more than one criteria applies.
Example
Please Notefor vascular plant groups in 2018-19–for those that select sub-priorities 1.1 and 1.4;funding will be prioritised towards taxa listed in the Final Priority Plant Taxa List for projects relating to the Flora of Australia.
Summary of Priority Areas
Applicants will need to provide a brief summary, using no more than 1400 characters (approximately 200 words), explaining how the ABRS Research Priorities selected above are supported by the proposed project.
When answering this question, state clearly how the project supports each Priority.
2. Host Institution Details
Please note: If applicants are applying for a Non-salaried Researcher Grant and, if successful, the grant will NOT be administered by a host institution, this section will be hidden in the Application Form and will not need to be completed.
However, if Non-salaried Researcher Grants will be managed by a host institution, then this section must be completed.
2.1 Host Institution to Administer the Grant
Full details of the host institution,through which the grant for this project will be administered if successful, must be provided. This should be the institution at which the Student is studying or with which the Researcher is employed/affiliated.
ABN Details
Enter the host institution Australian Business Number (ABN) in the space provided and click on the ‘ABN Lookup’ button. This will automatically enter the Legal Name of the institution in the relevant field. Then enter the trading name into the space provided.
Example
Entity Details
Applicants are required to complete the Entity eligibility questions. If your host institution is incorporated, please include the relevant details. You may need to contact your host institution to find out what these are.
Host Institution Address
Applicants are required to enter the street address of the host institution. If the street address is different from the postal address, please include both by checking the ‘This address is a PO Box or Locked Bag’ box.
Example
2.2 Authorised Person Details
Applicants must include the contact details of the Research Grants Officer (or equivalent, i.e. Grants Administrator) from the host institution. This person will be the primary contact for the ABRS. All contact with the host institution regarding this project will be through the host institution contact and copied to the Principal Investigator.
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3. Participant Details
3.1 Student/Researcher Details
Please include the full details of the Student or Researcher who will be undertaking this project, including a postal address.
3.2 Student Education
Please note: this question is not applicable to Non-salaried Researcher Grant applicants and will be hidden in the Application Form if this grant type is selected.
Tertiary Qualifications
Student applicants must include the details of all tertiary qualifications received, commencing with the highest qualification obtained.
To add a row, click on the ‘Add tertiary qualification’ button at the bottom of the table. Applicants can add a maximum of 20 rows. To delete a row, click on the ‘Delete’ button next to the row you want to delete.
Example
Academic Awards and Achievements
Student applicants must include the details of any academic awards or achievements (if any) received over the last five years.
Students must also attach a copy of their most recent academic transcript to the application.
To add a row, click on the ‘Add award/achievement’ button at the bottom of the table. Students can add a maximum of 20 rows. To delete a row, click on the ‘Delete’ button next to the row you want to delete.
Example
Research Experience
Student applicants are required to provide a brief outline of any research or employment experience they have received, relevant to the proposed project. Responses should be limited to no more than 1400 characters (approximately 200 words).
Example
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3.3 Supervisor(s)
Please note: this question is not applicable to Non-salaried Researcher Grant applicants and will be hidden in the Application Form if this grant type is selected.
Student applicants must include the contact details for their supervisor(s). If you have more than one supervisor, please include details for all supervisors. Applicants must also attach a curriculum vitae for each supervisor listed.
To add a supervisor, click on the ‘Add Supervisor’ button at the bottom of the question. Applicants can add a maximum of 20 supervisors. To delete a supervisor, click on the ‘Delete’ button within the table of the supervisor you wish to delete.
Supervisory and Research Experience
Students need to include brief details about the experience of their supervisor(s). This should include things such as how long they have been a supervisor and what other experience they have had in supervising. Responses should be limited to no more than 1400 characters (approximately 200 words).
Roles and Responsibilities of Supervisor
Students need to detail the roles of their supervisor(s) in relation to their studies. Responses should be limited to no more than 1400 characters (approximately 200 words)
4. Project Details
Project Title
Provide a brief project title, using no more than 150 characters (approximately 20 words), that will describe the proposed project. Should this application be successful, the project title will be used on all correspondence, e.g. funding agreements, email correspondence, and on the ABRS website.
The Project Details section of the application should be used by applicants to describe the project and what the project will achieve if it is funded by the ABRS. Applicants can choose to include references in this section; however, they will be included in the character limits of each question.
Project Summary
Applicants should provide a brief description of the project and its outcomes. This description may be used in public reporting of the grant if the Application is successful. Limit your response to 700 characters (approx 100 words)
Project Aim
Applicants should clearly state the primary aims of the project and why the project is necessary, i.e. what it is anticipated the project will achieve. Responses should be limited to 2000 characters (approximately 350 words).
Project Justification and Feasibility
Applicants should indicate what the proposed work will accomplish (include the number of taxa to be treated if applicable) and why the project is necessary. For example, in the case of a taxonomic revision, it would beappropriate to state why it is considered that a revision is desirable (for example, new material, newtechniques, areas not previously collected). Responses should be limited to 3000 characters (approximately 500 words).
Personnel and Facilities
Applicants should provide a statement on the role of each project participant and provide a brief description of the facilities available to them at the institution where the researcher will be based.Responses should be limited to 2000 characters (approximately 350 words).
Methods
Applicants should detail the research procedures and techniques this proposal intends to use. In the case of fieldwork, give justification of its need, locations to be visited and the estimated time to be spent at each. Please note what is already available in collections. Applicants shouldalso detail the techniques they propose to use in relation to analysis of specimens. Responses should be limited to 2000 characters (approximately 350 words).
Taxa to be described
Applicants are asked to appropriately identify the group of organism the proposal targets, using the drop down list provided. The ABRS will accept only one group of organisms per application. If your proposal targets more than one group of organism, applicants should identify the largest group of organism the proposal targets. In addition, applicants will need to estimate the number of taxa to be described.
Example
Outcomes and Outputs
Applicants must record their proposed project’s outputs (for example,publications in international journals, keys or checklists) and outcomes (for example, to advance scientificknowledge and understanding of a potential bio-indicator for pollution). The response to each should be limited to 2000 characters (approximately 350 words).
Contribution to the ABRS
Applicants should describe the contribution their proposed project will have toward the aims and activity of the ABRS. Responses should be limited to 2000 characters (approximately 350 words).
5. Budget and Co-funding
5.1 Project Budget
Applicantsmust provide a brief outline of what the funds for the proposed project would be used for. The project budget should cover the life of the grant, e.g. for an RTP Scholarship Top-Ups, the budget should equal approximately $30,000 (excluding GST). Total costs may be slightly under (up to 0.5%) the grant amount.
Expenditure must be quoted in AUSTRALIAN dollars and must not include Fringe Benefit Costs (FBT). All amounts listed in the example budget are GST exclusive.
Applicants should also include any ‘in-kind’ support from their host institution (if applicable).
To add a row, click on the ‘Add expense, button at the bottom of the table. Applicants can add a maximum of 20 rows. To delete a row, click on the ‘Delete’ button next to the row you want to delete. If you wish to record a nil balance against a field, please ensure you enter a ‘0’ in the space provided.
Table below to be used an example of the structure only
Project Budget Outline
Applicants are required to provide a brief outline of why the expenses listed in the budget table are necessary for the project. Responses should be limited to 2000 characters (approximately 350 words).
Example
6. Governance and Assessment
6.1 Previous and Current Grants
Applicants must include a list of any previous or current ABRS grants from the past 5 years.
To add a row, click on the ‘Add Grant’ button at the bottom of the table. Applicants can add a maximum of 20 rows. To delete a row, click on the ‘Delete’ button next to the row you want to delete.
Example
ABRS Grant Reports
Applicants must have submitted all reports for previous and current ABRS grants, due on or before the close date of applications (2 November 2017) in order for their application to be eligible. If reports are outstanding, applicants must attach these to the application when submitting. This can be done under the Supporting Documentation section.
Outputs and Outcomes of Previous ABRS Grants
Applicants must summarise the outputs and outcomes of all ABRS grants from the last 5 years. Responses should be limited to a maximum of 2000 characters (approximately 350 words) per section.
Example
Publications List
Applicants should include a list of relevant publications from the past 5 years, resulting from previous or current ABRS grants.
To add a row, click on the ‘Add Publication’ button at the bottom of the table. Applicants can add a maximum of 20 rows. To delete a row, click on the ‘Delete’ button next to the row you want to delete.
Example
6.2 Other Grants
Applicants should include a list of other relevant grants from the past 5 years
6.3 Academic Referees
Applicants must provide the details of two persons as referees, who have been asked to support the proposed project. The referees should be research scientists who are familiar with your most recent work.
In the case of Students, one referee should be the Head of the Department or School.
Example
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7. Declaration and Submission
7.1 Supporting Documents
Applicants are required to provide additional information to support your proposal. Each attachment must be no more than 2 megabytes in size, with the total size of all attachment not exceeding 10 megabytes.
To add an attachment, click on the ‘Add’ Button next to the relevant attachment type to search your local computer. To remove an attached file, click on the ‘Remove’ button next to the relevant attachment type.
Applicants will not be able to submit an application unless the required attachments are included.