Grants
ABRS National Taxonomy Research Grant Program
The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) National Taxonomy Research Grant Program provides grants for taxonomic research. Grants are awarded for research projects where the primary aim is to undertake taxonomic research on the Australian biota or to develop products that aid in the dissemination of taxonomic information. The program also supports projects that build Australian taxonomic capacity.
The 2009/2010 grants round, a partnership between ABRS and CReefs, is NOW OPEN.
Applications close 7 November 2008.
To enquire about grant conditions or applications please contact the Business Manager or the Director.
A revised ABRS National Taxonomy Research Grant Program to better meet national needs
In April 2008, the ABRS Advisory Committee recommended restructuring of the National Taxonomy Research Grant Program both to increase the pool of funds available to support high priority research and to streamline administration of available funding. The new model, which is endorsed by the Advisory Committee and will come into effect in the 2009/2010 grants round, is designed to:
- Increase funding for taxonomy — through enhanced co-funding opportunities
- Build the taxonomic workforce — in line with recommendation 1.2 of the National Action Plan for taxonomy in Australia (see the Proceedings of the National Taxonomy Forum, p. 6)
- Simplify administration processes — for ABRS and the Advisory Committee
- Simplify the application process — for applicants
Features
The new program features:
- Fixed grant amounts — Applicants will now apply for grants under a scheme of set levels of funding (see below under Types of Grant). The funds available for new grants will vary over the next few years as the changes to the National Taxonomy Research Grant Program are implemented. However, subsequently, this feature will enable ABRS to predict in advance the exact number of grants available each year.
- Fully funded grants — Successful grant applicants are now guaranteed of receipt of the full amount of funding requested, via fixed grant amounts.
- Capacity-building grants and research grants — The new program has a designated capacity-building allocation aimed at building the taxonomic workforce, as well as funding for research grants of various specified sizes.
- A cash co-funding requirement for Research Grants — All ABRS Research Grants (except ABRS/CReefs Tropical Marine Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants)will now be co-funded. That is, applicants must have obtained a commitment for the applicable amount of cash co-funding for their application to be considered (see Types of Grants below).
- Substantial Supplement Partners — ABRS will partner with organisations or consortia interested in bringing significant funding to a broad area of taxonomy research to secure matching funding for that area from the National Taxonomy Research Grant Program. ABRS is pleased to announce that CReefs is ABRS’s first Substantial Supplement Partner, beginning in the 2009–10 grants round a three-year investment of $200 000 per year. ABRS welcomes further Substantial Supplement Partners for the 2010–11 grants round.
Benefits of the new program
- Increased support for early career researchers (including provision for retired taxonomists to mentor younger researchers through support for non-salaried researcher positions)
- Provision for major, national-scale investigations incorporating multiple researchers and institutions
- New, simpler application forms, meaning significantly less time spent in applying for grants
- A guarantee that grant applicants will receive the funding requested
Types of Grants
To increase the total pool of funds available for taxonomic research, ABRS has made a number of modifications and clarifications to the set of grants it awards. The grant program now features two streams of funding — Research Grants and Capacity-Building Grants. Under the new model, each type of grant will be for a fixed annual amount of funding.
New Grant Application Forms
In association with the changes to the National Taxonomy Research Grant Program, ABRS has developed new grant application forms. There is now one form for Research Grants and one for Capacity-Building Grants. Guidelines for completing each application form are now included in the same document as the application form, allowing for step-by-step instructions for completing the form. The guidelines in each form include conditions and requirements to be met to receive grant funding and ABRS research priorities, as well as general instructions on completing the application forms. Failure to comply with the guidelines for completing the application forms will result in disqualification of your application.
All grant recipients are subject to the terms of the ABRS Grants Conditions of Award. ABRS is currently reviewing the Conditions of Award for 2009/2010. These will be made available online by December 2008.
Assessment Criteria and Process
Grants are approved by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts on an annual basis. The following selection processes are used to provide recommendations to the Minister on grant applications to be approved:
ABRS priority areas for grants — 2009/2010
Projects funded under the National Taxonomy Research Grant Program must be public good in focus and support the Australian Government’s National Research Priorities. Within the National Research Priorities, the following specific criteria will be used by ABRS to determine whether a project is eligible for an ABRS grant.
- Biodiversity, Conservation and Vulnerable and Endangered Species
- Public, Plant and Animal Health
- Building Taxonomic Capacity
These criteria will be used in the 2009/10 grants round and applicants must address one of more of these criteria within the relevant section of the application form. However, the criteria are subject to revision and ABRS invites useful feedback from the research community by 30 March 2009.
Reporting
ABRS grant recipients are required to report to ABRS on the progression of their grant/s. Failure to submit a Progress Report by the due date will result in cancellation of the grant and ALL future funding.
Please note: applicants for 2009/2010 grants must have submitted all progress/final reports associated with previous ABRS grants for their application to be considered.
Reporting forms
ABRS has reviewed the timelines associated with reporting on the progress of grants and has changed reporting requirements for grants that will be awarded from the 2009/2010 grants round onwards.
For grants awarded in 2008/2009 or earlier, reporting requirements remain unchanged from the requirements specified in grant agreements. This means progress/final reports are due by 15 December each year.
From 2009/2010, new grantees will be required to provide one notification report in December of the first year of the grant, a Progress Report in May of the first year of the grant and a Final Report in May of the final year of the grant. The final grant payment will be linked to acceptance by ABRS of this Final Report. This will help ensure ABRS can monitor the outcomes of the grant program. This reporting requirement must be taken into account by grant applicants in planning the scope of a proposed project.
- Progress Report Form (Doc - 120 KB)
The Progress Report form must be completed by existing grant recipients who wish to receive the next installment of their grant. See the Grant Renewals section below. - Final Report Form (Doc - 60 KB)
For grants awarded before 2009/2010, the Final Report is due in the first December following the completion of the grant. In future grant rounds (beginning 2009/2010), the Final Report will be due in May of the final year of the grant. - Financial Acquittal Form (Doc - 40 KB)
It is the responsibility of grant recipients to ensure this form is submitted for each grant year. Financial acquittals for each financial year (1 July – 30 June) are due by 30 September.
Note: All reporting forms are to be submitted both electronically to abrs.grants@environment.gov.au AND as hard copies.
If you are not sure what sort of grant you have or the required reporting requirements, please contact the ABRS Business Manager.
Reporting for single-year grants
A Progress Report is not required for single-year grants. A Final Report must be submitted at the conclusion of the grant.
For single-year grant funds awarded for 1 July 2007 – 30 June 2008, the Final Report will cover the period 1 July 2007 – 30 June 2008 and must be submitted by 15 December 2008.
No single-year grants were awarded for 2008/2009. The single-year grants awarded in the next grants round (2009/2010) will be Honours/Masters Scholarships and non-salaried researcher grants only.
Grant year
Grant year is defined as the twelve-month period commencing on 1 July and ending on 30 June, specified in the offer of grant, during which the grant will be paid.
Grant renewals
Grants awarded prior to 2009/2010 and listed as having indicative funding do not require new applications, although future years of funding are dependant on the submission of:
- Financial acquittals due by 30 September of each year
- Satisfactory progress reports by 15 December in the relevant grant years
- A final report by 15 December of the final grant year.
Proposed changes to grants previously approved with indicative funding
When indicative funding has been allocated for a multi-year grant, any proposed change to the intended research, particularly resulting in an increased budget, must be applied for as a new application on the relevant form. Such grants will be assessed on a competitive basis with new applications, to determine if they are to be funded.
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