Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2026
Tender ID: 580314
Tender Details
Tender Description
The Discovery Projects scheme provides grant funding to support research projects that may be undertaken by individual researchers or research teams.
The Discovery Projects scheme objectives are to:
- support excellent pure basic, strategic basic and applied research, and research training, across all disciplines excluding clinical and other medical research, that addresses a significant problem or gap in knowledge and represents value for money;
- expand research capacity in Australia by supporting excellent researchers and teams;
- foster national and international research collaboration;
- create new knowledge with economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia; and
- enhance the scale and focus of research in Australian Government priority areas.
Eligibility:
An application may only be submitted through the Research Office of an Eligible Organisation listed in the Grant Guidelines. The application must nominate at least one Chief Investigator (CI); the first named CI will be the Project Leader. Additional CIs and Partner Investigators (PIs) may be nominated in the application.
To be eligible to apply as a CI or PI, the individual nominated must as at the grant opportunity closing date: have met their obligations regarding previously funded projects, including submission to the ARC of satisfactory final reports.
At the grant commencement date a CI must be an employee for at least 20 per cent of full time equivalent (0.2 FTE) at an Eligible Organisation; or be a holder of an honorary academic appointment at an Eligible Organisation and not employed at another organisation for more than 0.2 FTE.
A CI must reside for more than 50 per cent of their time in Australia for the project activity period and must not be undertaking a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) during the project activity period.
A CI can be concurrently funded through the Discovery Program for a maximum of: two projects as CI; or one ARC Fellowship and one project as a CI; or one ARC Fellowship or project if the individual is also a Director on active ARC Centre of Excellence or a Special Research Initiative project. Limits will be calculated at the closing time for submission of applications and may be re-calculated as other grant opportunity announcements are made.
To be eligible to apply as a PI the individual nominated must not meet the eligibility criteria for a CI as at the grant commencement date or during the project activity period.
For other eligibility requirements refer to the relevant Grant Guidelines.
Location
New South Wales : Central West : Far North Coast : Far West : Hunter : Illawarra : Mid North Coast : Murray : New England : Orana : Riverina : Southern Highlands : Sydney
Queensland : Cairns & Far North Queensland : Gladstone : Mackay Whitsunday Region : Mount Isa & North West Region : Rockhampton : South East Queensland : South West & Darling Downs : The Central West : Townsville : Wide Bay Burnett
Victoria : Barwon South West : Gippsland : Grampians : Hume : Loddon Mallee : Melbourne
South Australia : Adelaide : Eyre & Western : Far North : Fleurieu & Kangaroo Island : Limestone Coast : Murray & Mallee : York & Mid North
Northern Territory : Barkly : Big Rivers : Central Australia : East Arnhem : Greater Darwin : Top End
Australian Capital Territory
Tasmania
