Overview of Funding Activities

The WRI Board has agreed that the WRI will:

1. Promote scientific excellence; 
2. Support novel, creative and innovative cross-disciplinary research that would not be done if the WRI did not exist; 
3. Value researchers and support them to achieve their research aspirations;
4. Promote the highest standards of ethical conduct in research; and
5. Operate in an open, transparent and professional fashion.

This will be achieved by:

1. Promoting an international focus whilst maximising opportunities from national programs;
2. Fostering internationally-competitive research; 
3. Focusing investment on new and novel activities that cross traditional discipline boundaries both on the Waite Campus and more broadly across the University; 
4. Catalysing new collaborative activities with Waite collocated partners and other research organisations; 
5. Leveraging WRI funding to achieve a high return on investment; 
6. Supporting the acquisition of new leading-edge research infrastructure and resources; and 
7. Developing and maintaining a cohort of high quality researchers.

The WRI Board also decided that the WRI will not directly fund research projects (e.g. staff or running costs) but rather will provide support mechanisms that allow researchers to develop high quality proposals for external funding by helping to overcome the barriers to achieving this. It also decided that support should not be given to bridge staff between grants, extend students at the end of their PhDs, fund projects that are extensions of existing work or which are based in a single laboratory, provide funds for travel to conferences, or support the purchase, repair, servicing or relocation of "routine" or replacement equipment.

The WRI will announce a call for applications in late March with a view to a 1 July 2013 commencement of funding. All applications will be assessed by the WRI scientific advisory committee consisting of key individuals from the School and the co-located partners. The WRI may seek additional information to assist consideration of proposals if required.

Queries and applications should be addressed to the WRI Executive Officer (via email) in the first instance:

Email: carolyn.gadd@adelaide.edu.au
Telephone: 08 8303 4184

One of the objectives of the WRI is to increase success in grant applications. To this end, the WRI has engaged the services of a Sydney-based grant writer, Tony Souter, who has worked successfully with staff in a number of other universities.

Tony will work with staff to help them to develop their applications. His preferred method is to have early discussions on the strategy, logic and clarity of scientific thought early in the process, and for this he needs at a minimum:

• the opening page of the project description with scientific innovations included
• the track record section

Later in the process, he will wordsmith their applications by working collaboratively with staff in real-time via the internet using Google Docs and Skype so that changes in wording can be jointly agreed during a session.

The WRI is happy to make Tony's services available to staff for the preparation of all grant applications for sums greater than $200,000 including for Fellowships and DECRAs. He is also willing to help with applications to funding bodies such as GRDC and GWRDC in addition to the ARC.

His availability varies throughout the year, and he is in high demand from all his client universities as deadlines approach. Therefore, the earlier staff can start working with him the better. For instance, staff who missed out on Discovery or Linkage applications in recent rounds but who wish to resubmit an application would profit from engaging with Tony now rather than closer to the closing dates. It would also be useful to engage with him if you are applying to a funding body for the first time.

If you wish to use Tony's services, please contact the WRI Executive Officer, Carolyn Gadd.

The WRI aims to build capacity on the Waite by increasing the number of large collaborative programs based on the Waite Campus. The WRI will support the preparation of these large grant applications by providing seed funding to allow staff to participate in major multi-partner, multi-disciplinary research applications such as, but not limited to, those for Centres of Excellence or Cooperative Research Centres. In addition to funds, the WRI will provide Institute staff and resources to help facilitate discussions that will enhance the development of multi-partner proposals, for instance, helping to facilitate workshops to clarify key elements of the proposal and help overcome potential disagreements between partners.

The WRI aims to attract high quality individuals to the Waite, especially through applications for prestigious fellowships. For instance, the WRI will pay for individuals to come to the Waite to discuss opportunities, support them in writing Fellowship applications, and may provide some start-up funds. Identification and encouragement of such individuals is a particular priority for the WRI. The WRI also provides support for existing Waite-based researchers to apply for fellowships by providing grant writing assistance.

Sponsoring conferences that raise the profile of the WRI nationally and internationally and bring significant groups of scientists to the Waite Campus is seen as an effective way of raising awareness of the Waite and its activities.

The WRI will selectively support purchases of strategic equipment that will bring new research opportunities and will leapfrog capabilities beyond those of competitors.