International Funding

Primary funding agency of the United States government for biomedical and public health research.

Resources

• UoA guide for submitting NIH applications
• UoA external funding application process
• NIH application guide
• NIH application writing guide
• NIH: 'Develop your budget' guide
• NIAID: 'Create a budget' guide
• NIGM tips for new NIH grant applicants
• NIMH common mistakes in writing applications
• FIC FAQs (especially relevant to applications that involve foreign components)
• Grants.gov application guide
• RePORTER: an NIH tool that allows users to search a repository of NIH-funded research projects and access publications, including other valuable information for researchers in the planning process

The DoD supports a wide variety of innovative research through its grant programs:

Congressional Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP)
Manages Congressional Special Interest Medical Research Programs (CSI) encompassing breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers, neurofibromatosis, military health, and other specified areas. Available opportunities can be found on the following peer reviewed programs.

• Autism
• Breast Cancer
• Chronic Pain Management
• Ovarian Cancer
• Peer Reviewed Cancer
• Peer Reviewed Medical
• Prostate Cancer
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Other specified areas

Asian Office of Aerospace Research & Development (AOARD)
International office that services the Asia-Pacific region (including Australia) of the US Air Force of Scientific Research (AFOSR) which is a leading research agency for science and engineering research.

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Manages over 250 Programs through six Technical Offices. Current large investments are being made in artificial intelligence and electronics. Available opportunities can be found on the Sam.gov website.

Please note: DARPA accepts applications in the form of contracts and grants, each handled by a separate team in the University. Please contact rbinternational@adelaide.edu.au for grant enquiries and businessdevelopment@adelaide.edu.au for contract research.

Resources

• Informal guide to key US Defence research agency funding (for Australian researchers)
• UA guide for submitting US Department of Defense (DoD) applications (under development)
• Indirect cost recovery (overheads) - for US applications only (under development)

Multidisciplinary research funding for organisations addressing global health, education, and market-place inequities. Available Global Grand Challenges can be found on the grant opportunities webpage.

• Tips for BMGF applicants
• Recent BMGF funding success – Professor Darryl Russell (Adelaide Medical School)

A planned 7-year European Union programme funding research, technological development, and innovation. Available opportunities are on the announcement page.

European Research Council - Synergy Grants
To fund a group of two to four outstanding researchers, with complementary skills, knowledge and resources, work together on ambitious projects in a wide range of scientific domains. For the first time under the 2019 Work Programme, one PI per Synergy Grant group at any one time can be hosted or engaged by an institution outside of the EU or Associated Countries, such as Australia. Recent ERC funding success – Professor Volker Hessel (School of Chemical Engineering).

NHMRC – European Union (EU) Collaborative Research Grant scheme provides a contribution to Australian researchers participating in leading international collaborative research that has been favourably evaluated for funding under select European Commission Horizon 2020 topics.

ARC/ERC Implementing Arrangement
On 13 February 2019, the ARC announced a new Implementing Arrangement with the European Research Council (ERC) designed to provide opportunities for ARC funded early career researchers from Australia to pursue research collaborations with European researchers supported through a relevant ERC grant. 

Supports international and interdisciplinary collaborations in basic research, focusing on complex mechanisms of living organisms. The program supports novel, innovative and interdisciplinary basic research focused on the complex mechanisms of living organisms. Topics range from molecular and cellular approaches, to systems and cognitive neuroscience and the interactions between organisms. A clear emphasis is placed on novel collaborations that bring biologists together with scientists from fields such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science and engineering to focus on problems at the frontier of the life sciences.

Further information

A research-charity based in London UK that supports discovery research in any discipline through a simplified set of funding schemes designed to encourage a broad range of applications to tackle three global health challenges – mental health, global heating and infectious diseases.

Further information

One of the largest charitable organizations in the US that provides grants in three program areas: mathematics and physical sciences; life sciences and autism research.

Further information

Australia-China Science and Research Fund (ACSRF)
Supports strategic science, technology and innovation collaboration between Australia and China. The ACSRF facilitates activities that support enduring partnerships between Australian and Chinese researchers, encourage the application and commercialisation of research outcomes and provide early career researchers the opportunity to gain relevant Australia-China research experience.

Recent ACSRF funding success

• Australia-China Joint Research Centre of Offshore Wind and Wave Energy Harnessing led by Professor Ben Cazzolato at School of Mechanical Engineering

• Australia-China Joint Research Centre of Grains for Health led by Dr Iain Searle at School of Biological Sciences

Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF)
Facilitates collaboration between Australian and Indian researchers, building longer-term alliances between Australian and Indian research organisations to support the continued development of both nations. Under the AISRF, collaborative research projects promote research capacity and maximise the application, commercialisation and sustainability of research outcomes.

Recent ACSRF funding success

• Photonic Viropsy: Harnessing light on chip for precise SARS–CoV–2 diagnosis led by Dr Abel Santos, School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials

Global Innovation Linkages
Program supports Australian businesses and researchers to collaborate with global partners on strategically focused, leading-edge research and development projects. It supports projects focused on developing high quality products, services or processes that respond to industry challenges, with funding of up to $1M per grant over a maximum period of four years.

Global Connections Fund
Supports Australian businesses and researchers to explore opportunities and collaborate on projects with global partners in areas of strategic importance to Australia. It increases linkages and collaborations with partner economies, promotes researcher industry engagement and knowledge transfer, and encourages translational activities, end use development and commercialisation outcomes.

The DFAT International Relations grant program supports professional, community and institutional linkages between Australia and its partners on contemporary issues of shared interest including business, education, innovation, science, technology, the arts, media and sport. Available opportunities can be found on individual Foundation, council and institute pages:

• Australia-ASEAN Council
• Australia-China Council
• Australia-India Council
• Australia-Indonesia Institute
• Australia-Japan Foundation
• Australia-Korea Foundation
• Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR)
• Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR)
• National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.