Discovery Program: Discovery Projects Grant Opportunity Guidelines (2026 edition)

Contents

Discovery Program: Discovery Projects Grant Opportunity Guidelines (2026 edition)Opening date: | Available on GrantConnectClosing date and time: | Available on GrantConnectCommonwealth policy entity: | Australian Research CouncilEnquiries:Researchers are required to direct requests for information to the Research Office within the Administering Organisation.ARC Contacts are on the ARC website.Date grant opportunity guidelines released:Type of grant opportunity: | Restricted competitiveAustralian Research Council Act 2001I, Jason Clare, Minister for Education, having satisfied myself of the matters set out in section 58 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001, approve these grant opportunity guidelines under section 59 of that Act.Dated 22 July 2026Jason ClareMinister for Education

Contents #

1. Discovery Program processes.........................................42. About the Discovery Program.........................................6Objectives...........................................................6Intended outcome....................................................6About the Discovery Projects grant opportunity.............................63. Grant amount and grant period........................................74. Eligibility criteria....................................................7Who is eligible to apply for a grant?.......................................7What are the eligibility requirements for applications?........................7Who is eligible to be an Other Organisation?...............................8Who is eligible to be a named participant?.................................8Chief Investigators....................................................8What are the limits on the number of applications and projects per named participant? 9Security, Defence or International Relations of Australia.....................105. What the grant money can be used for.................................10Eligible grant activities................................................10Ineligible grant activities...............................................106. The assessment criteria.............................................117. How to apply.......................................................13Application process..................................................13Participant’s responsibilities............................................13Your research security and research integrity responsibilities.................14Chief Investigators...................................................14National Interest Test Statement........................................14Timing of the grant opportunities........................................148. The grant selection process..........................................15Assessment of grant applications.......................................15Due diligence.......................................................15Research integrity..................................................16Research security..................................................16Who will approve grants..............................................169. Notification of application outcomes..................................1610. Successful grant applications........................................16Grant Agreements...................................................16Assurance and Compliance At Award....................................17How we pay the grant................................................17Peer Review Obligations..............................................1711. Announcement of Grants............................................1812. How we monitor your grant activity...................................18Keeping us informed.................................................18Reporting..........................................................18Grant Agreement Variation............................................19Governance compliance..............................................1913. Probity............................................................20Appeals process....................................................20Conflict of interest...................................................20Privacy and protection of personal information.............................20Confidential information...............................................22Freedom of information...............................................22Appendix A – Glossary......................................................24Acronyms..........................................................24Definitions.........................................................25Appendix B: Eligible Organisations...........................................33

Discovery Program processes #

The Discovery Program is designed to achieve the Australian Government’s objectives for research and innovationThis grant opportunity sits within the Discovery Program under the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP), which contributes to the ARC’s Outcome 1: growth of knowledge and innovation through managing research funding schemes, measuring research excellence and providing advice.The ARC works with stakeholders to plan and design the grant program according to the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles 2024 (CGRPs).The grant opportunity opensWe (the ARC) publish the grant opportunity guidelines and advertise on GrantConnect.You (the Administering Organisation) complete and submit an applicationYou will complete an application form on the ARC’s Research Management System (RMS), and address all of the eligibility requirements, the National Interest Test and the assessment criteria to be considered for a grant.We manage the assessment of all applicationsWe manage the assessment of applications against eligibility criteria and assessment criteria.Your application will be assigned to Detailed Assessors within relevant discipline groups to undertake in-depth assessments.Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) members will then assess Your application, consider any Detailed Assessors’ ratings and comments, and assign a final score.The ARC may seek and consider additional information, including information relating to research security and research integrity, and from third party sources including other Commonwealth agencies, to provide advice to the decision maker in relation to Your application.We make grant recommendationsThe SAC considers applications and makes recommendations to the ARC Board on which are to be funded, including the level and duration of funding.The ARC Board then makes an assessment, considering the assessment criteria and the SAC’s advice, compliance with the eligibility criteria and grant application process, alignment with Australian Government priorities, and other advice relevant to the application. The ARC Board may also consider advice from other Commonwealth agencies and make its own independent enquiries.If the Minister decides the ARC Board should not fund a project for reasons relevant to security, defence or international relations of Australia, the Minister must notify the ARC Board, advise the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and table a statement in Parliament as required under the ARC Act. The ARC Board must comply with the Minister’s notice.Grant decisions are madeThe ARC Board decides which applications are to receive funding, including the level and duration of funding.We notify You of the outcomeWe advise You if Your application was successful or unsuccessful through RMS.We complete assurance checks and enter into a grant agreement with YouIf You are successful, You and all named participants must complete assurance and compliance checks in RMS. Completion of these checks is required before the grant offer can be accepted and a grant agreement entered into through RMS.Delivery of the grantYou undertake the grant activity as set out in Your grant agreement. We manage the grant, by working with you, monitoring Your progress and making payments.Evaluation of the grant opportunityWe evaluate Your specific grant activity and the individual grant opportunity as a whole.We base this on information You provide to Us through Your reports and additional information that we collect from various sources.The ARC administers funding of excellent pure basic, strategic basic and applied research in all disciplines under the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP), excluding medical research. The ARC does not fund experimental development.Priority 1: Transitioning to a net zero futurePriority 2: Supporting healthy and thriving communitiesPriority 3: Elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systemsPriority 4: Protecting and restoring Australia’s environmentPriority 5: Building a secure and resilient nation.

Objectives #

excellent, internationally-competitive research by individuals and teams;research training and career opportunities for the best Australian and international researchers;international collaboration; andresearch in Australian Government priority areas.

Intended outcome #

The intended outcome of the Discovery Program is to contribute to the growth of Australia’s research and innovation capacity. Increasing Australia’s research and innovation capacity generates new knowledge and results in the development of new technologies, products and ideas, the creation of jobs, economic growth and an enhanced quality of life in Australia.

About the Discovery Projects grant opportunity #

This document includes the grant opportunity guidelines for the Discovery Projects scheme under the Discovery Program.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 with 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; andThe grant commencement date and active project assessment dates for this Discovery Projects grant opportunity will be available on the ARC website.For this Discovery Projects grant opportunity, applications for the levels and durations of funding listed in Table 1 will be considered.Table 1: Discovery Projects funding and grant duration.Category | DetailsProject funding | Between $30,000 and $500,000 per yearProject funding duration | Up to five consecutive years

Eligibility criteria #

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?#

We will only accept applications from Eligible Organisations listed in Appendix B. The Eligible Organisation that applies will be the ‘Administering Organisation’ (i.e. ‘You’).

What are the eligibility requirements for applications?#

Organisation roles available under the Discovery Projects grant opportunity are:Administering Organisation;Other Eligible Organisation; andYou can only submit one application for the same project in any grant opportunity. This includes applications which fundamentally have the same research intent, approach, and outcomes, regardless of any variations in the research, the named participants and/or organisations.Your application must nominate at least one Chief Investigator (CI). The first named CI on the application will be the Project Leader.You must ensure that any additional certification requirements, applied by the ARC as a result of findings of breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018), are provided at the grant opportunity closing date for any named participant on an application.Your application must include a certification by Your Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent that You have in accordance with the University responsibilities defined in the ARC Research Security Framework (2026 version) assessed research security risks in relation to the application, including in relation to participation of all named participants, and where risks are identified, have ensured appropriate mitigations are in place for the duration of the project.Your application must not include medical research as detailed in the ARC Medical Research Policy (2025 version) on the ARC website.

Who is eligible to be an Other Organisation?#

Organisations that are not Eligible Organisations but that are named as a participating organisation on an application will be Other Organisations.An Other Organisation cannot be included on the National Redress Scheme’s website on the list of ‘Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme’ (www.nationalredress.gov.au).

Who is eligible to be a named participant?#

Roles that named participants may be nominated for under these grant opportunity guidelines are:Chief Investigators (CIs); andA Project cannot commence until all named participants meet the eligibility criteria in these grant opportunity guidelines for the selected role they are to perform.An application will be deemed ineligible if a named participant is the subject of a decision by the ARC’s CEO or delegate, that any application they make to the ARC will be excluded from consideration for a period of time, whether or not they otherwise meet the eligibility requirements, for research integrity reasons. Such decisions will generally reflect consequential action taken by the ARC in response to findings of a serious breach of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018 version) (including a finding of research misconduct, where this term is used). This is an ongoing criterion, including findings made during the application and assessment process.As at the grant commencement date, or if successful, at any time during the project activity period, named participants who:meet the eligibility criteria to be a CI, cannot elect to be a PI; andAll named participants in an application must have met their obligations regarding previously funded projects, including submission of satisfactory final reports to the ARC at the grant opportunity closing date and any relevant consequential actions that may have been applied under the ARC Research Integrity and Other Misconduct Policy (2026 version).

Chief Investigators #

CIs must meet at least one of the following criteria as at the grant commencement date, and, if successful, for the project activity period:be an employee for at least 0.2 FTE at an Eligible Organisation; orCIs must reside in Australia for more than 50% of the project activity period. Any significant absences including fieldwork or study leave directly related to the project must have approval from You and must not total more than half the project activity period. In extraordinary circumstances, a change may be approved by Us via a formal Variation request.CIs must not undertake a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) during the project activity period.The Project Leader must have a demonstrated capacity to manage the project.

What are the limits on the number of applications and projects per named participant?#

The limits in clauses 4.20 to 4.26 only apply to CIs.The limits are designed to ensure that named participants have the capacity to undertake each project.A named participant can only apply for one Discovery Projects application in the current round.A named participant can only apply for a Discovery Projects application in the current round if they have not been previously awarded any Discovery Projects in the last two Discovery Projects rounds: Discovery Projects 2027 (DP27) and Discovery Projects 2026 (DP26). Named participants cannot relinquish a DP27 or DP26 grant or withdraw from a role on an awarded DP27 or DP26 grant in order to meet the eligibility criterion under this clause 4.22.A named participant can be concurrently funded through the Discovery Program for a maximum of:two projects as a CI; orone ARC Fellowship and one project as a CI; orAt the grant opportunity closing date, We will count:the number of Discovery Program CI roles or ARC Fellowships that the individual will hold on active projects on the grant opportunity’s active project assessment date;whether the named participant will hold an ARC Centres of Excellence and/or Special Research Initiatives Director role on active projects on the grant opportunity’s active project assessment date;the number of Discovery Projects applications We are currently assessing which include that named participant as a CI; andApplications for Australian Laureate Fellowships, Future Fellowships, DECRA, ARC Centres of Excellence or Special Research Initiatives do not need to meet the project limit requirements at the grant opportunity closing date. If an Australian Laureate Fellowships, Future Fellowships, ARC Centres of Excellence or Special Research Initiatives application is successful, named participants must meet the project limits under clause 4.23 before the project can commence. Project limits can be met by relinquishing existing active project(s), or withdrawing role(s) on existing active projects, or withdrawing application(s) that would exceed the project limits. This may not need to occur until all outcomes are announced.If a Project must be relinquished or a role be withdrawn to meet the limits under clauses 4.23 and 4.24 at the grant opportunity closing date for a Discovery Projects application, We must approve the Variation before the grant opportunity closing date. Any relinquishment or role withdrawal Variation submitted or approved after the grant opportunity closing date will not be taken into account when counting the number of projects under clauses 4.23 and 4.24.It is Your responsibility to determine if applying for, or holding, a project under these grant opportunity guidelines will affect an individual researcher’s eligibility for other ARC grant opportunities as other ARC grant opportunities may have different project limits. We reserve the right to change project and application limits in future grant opportunities.

Security, Defence or International Relations of Australia #

Pursuant to the ARC Act, the Minister may at any time give a notice stating that, for reasons relevant to the security, defence or international relations of Australia, the ARC Board should not approve a grant. The ARC Board must comply with any such notice from the Minister. Accordingly, if the Minister issues such a notice in respect of an application, that application will be ineligible to receive funding.

What the grant money can be used for #

Eligible grant activities #

The Discovery Program supports research activities that meet the definition of ‘research’ as defined in the Glossary.You can only request and spend the grant on eligible expenditure items that directly support the project and in accordance with any additional conditions or special conditions in the grant agreement.Eligible expenditure items may include:salary support for other personnel, for example, research associates and assistants, technicians and laboratory attendants at an appropriate salary level, including 30% on-costs, at the employing organisation;stipends for HDR at 1.0 full time equivalent (FTE) each at the level indicated on the ‘Salaries and Stipends’ page of the ARC website;teaching relief for CIs up to a total of $50,000 per CI per year per project;equipment (and its maintenance) and consumables, including specialised computer equipment and software essential to the project; andexpenditure on field research essential to the project, including technical and logistical support, travel expenses (including accommodation, meals and incidental costs); andreasonable essential costs to allow a participant who is a carer, or who personally requires care or assistance, to undertake travel essential to the project.

Ineligible grant activities #

Unless the following activities meet the definition of research, the Discovery Program does not support production of:computer programs, research aids and tools;data warehouses, catalogues or bibliographies; orteaching materials.You cannot request or use grant funds for the following activities/expenditures:research activities, infrastructure or projects previously funded or currently being funded through any other Commonwealth grant;medical research as detailed in the ARC Medical Research Policy (2025 version) on the ARC website;experimental development, as defined in the Glossary;activities leading solely to the creation or performance of a work of art, including visual art, musical compositions, drama, dance, film, broadcasts, designs and literary works, unless those works are directly related to the project’s research activities and demonstrably research based;contracted research or consultancy arrangements where one or more Organisation(s) is seeking expert external assistance, not available within their own organisation, to develop specific applications or outputs that involve little innovation or are low risk;bench fees or similar laboratory access fees;access to a basic library collection;access to film or music editing facilities;work accommodation (for example, laboratory and office space, suitably equipped and furnished);basic computer facilities such as desktop computers, portable computer devices, printers, word processing, and other standard software; andstandard reference materials or funds for abstracting services;capital works and general infrastructure costs;costs not directly related to the project, including but not limited to professional membership fees, professional development courses, fees for patent application and maintenance, equipment for live music or drama performances, equipment for gallery and museum exhibitions, visas, relocation costs, entertainment costs, purchase of alcohol, insurance, mobile phones (purchase or call charges) and other indirect costs;fees for international students or the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) and Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) liabilities for students;salaries and/or on-costs, in whole or in part, for CIs or PIs; andHDR stipends for CIs or PIs, in whole or in part.The application form includes text limits and file size limits. You must address each assessment criterion in accordance with the limits specified in the ITAs available on GrantConnect or visible in the application form in RMS.You must address all of the relevant assessment criteria in Your application. We will assess your application based on the weighting given to each criterion.The assessment criteria for the Discovery Projects grant opportunity are:Investigator(s)/Capability 30%The:- Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE) including:- record of high-quality research outputs appropriate to the discipline;- evidence of excellence in research training, mentoring and supervision (where appropriate); and- the capability of the investigator or team to build collaborations both within Australia and internationally.Project quality and innovation 45%The:- contribution to an important gap in knowledge or significant problem;- novelty/originality and innovation of the proposed research (including any new methods, technologies, theories or ideas that will be developed);- clarity of the hypothesis, theories and research questions;- cohesiveness of the project design and implementation plan (including the appropriateness of the aim, conceptual framework, method, data and/or analyses); and- extent to which the research has the potential to enhance international collaboration.Where a project involves Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander research (as defined in the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research 2020) these criteria apply:- the project’s level of collaboration, engagement, relationship building and benefit sharing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and First Nations Organisations and Communities;- the project’s strategy and mechanisms for Indigenous research capacity building within the project;- the project’s level of internal leadership of Indigenous research;- the project’s adherence to the Maiam nayri Wingara Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles (2018); and- the project’s understanding of, and proposed strategies to adhere to, the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research (2020) and NHMRC’s guidelines on Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities (2018).Benefit 15%The:- new or advanced knowledge resulting from outcomes of the research;- economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia; and- potential contribution to capacity in the Australian Government priority areas.Feasibility 10%The:- cost-effectiveness of the research and its value with money;- time and capacity of investigator or team to undertake the research;- suitability of the environment for the research team and their project, and for HDR students where appropriate;- availability of the necessary facilities to complete the project; and- extent to which the project’s design, named participants and requested budget create confidence in the timely and successful completion of the project.

How to apply #

Application process #

Instructions To Applicants will be made available on GrantConnect on the opening date of the grant opportunity and applicants must follow the processes described in those Instructions, including regarding attachments to applications.Your application must be completed in RMS. We will not accept applications received after the closing time, at either stage, other than in exceptional circumstances (such as due to natural disasters) in which case We will discuss this with You, and if We agree, invite You to make a late application.You cannot change Your application after the closing date and time, unless invited to by the ARC.We reserve the right to seek evidence to support the certification of applications at any point.Questions during the application periods should be directed to the Administering Organisation’s Research Office. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions will be posted on GrantConnect.If You wish to withdraw Your application, You must inform Us in writing.

Participant’s responsibilities #

All named participants in an application must:take responsibility for the authorship and intellectual content of the application, appropriately citing sources and acknowledging all significant contributions, including from third parties;ensure that any additional requirements or requests for information, applied by Us are provided at the grant opportunity closing date; andhave an up-to-date RMS profile that includes declarations relating to foreign affiliations, relationships and financial interests as outlined in the ARC Research Security Framework (2026 version). This ongoing obligation applies at each stage of the assessment process and through the duration of the project. If, during the assessment process We find that any named participant’s RMS profile does not include all required declarations relating to foreign affiliations, relationships and financial interests, We may recommend to the ARC Board that Your application not be considered further.

Your research security and research integrity responsibilities #

You must, consistent with the ARC Research Security Framework (2026 version):ensure that all named participants comply with clause 7.7.c (up-to-date RMS profile) at each stage of the assessment process;before lodging an application, assess research security risks in relation to the application, including in relation to participation of all named participants;where risks are identified, ensure appropriate mitigations are in place for the duration of the project; andYou must comply with, and ensure that all named participants on Your application comply with, all applicable requirements of the ARC Research Integrity and Other Misconduct Policy (2026 version) and the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018 version).

Chief Investigators #

The CI must:Hold or obtain a legal right to work and reside in Australia, prior to the commencement of the project; andmeet relinquishment and any other requirements specified in the grant agreement.

National Interest Test Statement #

Applicants must provide a National Interest Test statement: a brief statement that articulates the benefits of the proposed research in plain English in general terms beyond the period of the grant.

Timing of the grant opportunities #

The Discovery Projects scheme typically accepts one round of applications each year.You must submit Your application between the round opening and closing dates and times specified on GrantConnect.

The grant selection process #

Assessment of grant applications #

We will review Your application against the eligibility criteria. If ineligible, We must not recommend the application for funding.All applications will be considered through a competitive peer review process, based on:a. how well it meets the weighted assessment criteria;b. how it is ranked against other applications; andc. whether it provides value with money (as defined in the Glossary).Applications will undergo peer review assessment and recommendations will be made to the ARC Board from a Selection Advisory Committee, along with advice, when necessary, from the ARC.You are responsible for ensuring that your application is complete and accurate. Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). We will investigate any incomplete, inaccurate, false or misleading information and may recommend to the ARC Board that Your application not be considered further.For the avoidance of doubt, this includes failure to disclose any:conflict of interest of any named participant, including but not limited to matters described in sections 3.1 and 3.3 of the ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy (2025 version) on the ARC website; andWe may seek advice and information on security or other matters from Commonwealth agencies and third-party sources at any time during the process. We may consult with You about this information.During the assessment, We may request additional information, which does not change the nature of Your application.

Due diligence #

Due diligence activity may be undertaken at eligibility, assessment or decision-making stages. The ARC may consider the outcomes of due diligence activity and provide advice to the ARC Board and/or Minister.We may seek additional information about you, project partners, related entities and associated entities, and related personnel from third party sources, including other Commonwealth agencies, for due diligence purposes. The ARC may also consider information that is discovered through the normal course of business. See clauses 13.9 to 13.17 (Privacy) for information on how we use the information provided to us.If the ARC identifies risks which would affect the assessment, it may ask You to comment on these, subject to security considerations. If the ARC identifies risks that cannot be adequately mitigated, it may recommend that the ARC Board exclude Your application from further consideration or recommend that the Minister instruct the ARC Board not to fund Your application under section 47(8) of the ARC Act.The ARC Board may approve applications pending specific conditions based on the advice from the ARC.

Research integrity #

The ARC may consider the relevance of any Research Integrity Event to the proposed research outlined in the application.We may undertake actions, and exercise any rights, expressed as being able to be undertaken or exercised by the ARC under the Research Integrity and Other Misconduct Policy (2026 version) (including precautionary and consequential actions) to address or mitigate any potential or proven risks regarding any named participant on Your application.

Research security #

The ARC may provide advice to the Minister on whether the applicant or any named participant has affiliations, relationships or financial interests with any foreign entities which may be contrary to Australia’s sovereignty, values and national interests.In order to protect against risks relevant to the security, defence or international relations of Australia, We may share relevant outcomes of due diligence with other Commonwealth agencies for the other agencies’ grant-related purposes or research security purposes in relation to specified individuals, entities or projects. This may include information in Your application, and personal information of named participants in RMS.

Who will approve grants #

The ARC Board will decide which grants to fund, after considering the advice from peer review, any advice from the ARC, and alignment with Australian Government priorities. The ARC Board’s decision is final in all matters.The outcome of all applications will be published in RMS.If your grant application is successful, We:a. will give You a copy of the ARC Board’s approval no more than 21 days after the ARC Board’s decision;b. may give You earlier notice of the ARC Board’s approval and may impose a short embargo on announcements in order to enable parties to co-ordinate announcements; andc. will list Your grant on GrantConnect no more than 21 calendar days after the date of effect.

Successful grant applications #

Grant Agreements #

You must enter into a grant agreement with Us to receive a grant.We use the ARC’s template grant agreement which contains standard terms and conditions that cannot be changed. A sample grant agreement for this grant opportunity is available on GrantConnect. Any special conditions will be identified in the grant offer.You will have 60 calendar days from the date of offer to execute the grant agreement.We must execute a grant agreement with You before We can make payment. We are not responsible for any of Your project expenditure unless and until a grant agreement is executed.

Assurance and Compliance At Award #

If your grant application is successful, You and all named participants on the project must complete compliance and assurance checks before You are able to accept the grant offer in RMS.These checks will include, but not be limited to:a. information about the project’s start and end dates;b. confirmation that governance and compliance with ARC policies are in place as set out at 12.7 - 12.14;c. declaration of actual, potential and/or perceived conflicts of interest in relation to the project;d. updated person profile and confirmation that ORCID is linked within your RMS profile; ande. confirmation that any additional research security requirements outlined in special conditions have been met.All successful applications must complete the at-award stage to confirm compliance with the above clauses within 60 days of the announcement before the offer can be accepted, in line with the grant agreement.

How we pay the grant #

Payments will be made in accordance with the grant agreement.The grant offer will specify the approved grant amount. We will not pay more than the approved grant amount. If you incur extra costs, You must meet them.Grant funding may be subject to indexation.All amounts referred to in these grant opportunity guidelines are exclusive of the GST, unless expressly stated otherwise.Any grant awarded will be subject to sufficient funds being available for the project, the provisions of the ARC Act and the continued satisfactory progress of the project.

Peer Review Obligations #

Unless notified otherwise by the ARC, CIs will be obligated to assess up to 20 new applications for ARC funding per annum for the project activity period (with the required number being at the ARC’s discretion) in accordance with instructions provided by the ARC.Failure of obligated assessors to honour this commitment may result in the ARC taking action in accordance with the grant agreement, including:suspending some or all of the Project (including expenditure of the grant funds) until obligations are met;requiring that the non-compliance or inability be remedied; andplacing conditions on the consideration of any future grant applications.The outcome of all applications will be published in RMS.The ARC will mint a Grant digital object identifier (DOI) using information provided in the grant application and the At Award compliance form.We will publicise and report offers and grants awarded, including the following information about the project:a. Your name and any other parties involved in or associated with the project;b. named participants and their organisations;c. the project description (the title and summary descriptions);d. Your National Interest Test statement;e. classifications and international collaboration country names; andf. the ARC grant funding amount.You should ensure information contained in the project title, summary descriptions and National Interest Test statement will not compromise Your requirements for confidentiality (such as protection of Intellectual Property).We may publish a project description, including title and summary, which differs from that provided in the application.

How we monitor your grant activity #

Keeping us informed #

Throughout the application process and the term of any resultant grant agreement, You must inform Us of any changes to Your:a. name;b. addresses;c. nominated contact details; ord. bank account details.

Reporting #

You must submit reports in line with the grant agreement. Reports must be submitted through RMS, unless otherwise advised by Us. Reporting may include:a. End of year reports;b. Final reports; andc. Post-project reporting.We will monitor progress by assessing Your reports and may conduct site visits or request records to confirm details of Your reports if necessary. We may re-examine claims, seek further information or request an independent audit of claims and payments.We may evaluate the project to measure how well the outcomes and objectives were achieved. This evaluation may use information from Your application and reports, as well as additional information we collect from various sources. We may contact You after grant completion to assist evaluation.

Grant Agreement Variation #

The grant agreement will outline the circumstances in which Variations are required. Variations are subject to the ARC’s approval and further information can be found in the grant agreement.You should not assume that a variation request will be successful. We will consider your request based on provisions in the grant agreement, the likely impact on achieving outcomes and any national security risks.

Governance compliance #

All applications and ARC-funded research projects must comply with the requirements for responsible and ethical research practice specified in the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018 version), the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2025 version), the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research (2020 version), and other codes, guidelines, practices and policies on the ARC website, including the ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy (2025 version) and any actions that have been applied under the ARC Research Integrity and Other Misconduct Policy (2026 version).All research projects must comply with the ARC Open Access Policy (2026 version) on the dissemination of findings, on the ARC website.All applications and ARC-funded research projects must comply with the ARC Research Security Framework (2026 version), on the ARC website.For research requiring ethics approval, an ethics plan, along with the required ethics committee approval, must be in place before commencement of the project.Subject to clause 12.12, Intellectual Property arrangements should be negotiated between You, Other Eligible Organisations and Other Organisations as relevant. We do not claim ownership of any Intellectual Property arising from the project.The AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research (2020 version) provides that Indigenous peoples should have the right to manage the collection, interpretation and use of their information. Where relevant, ownership management and communication of research data and results should be negotiated between Indigenous peoples and the researcher or other parties based on the principles of Indigenous data sovereignty and governance.A data management plan must be in place which addresses the matters referred to in clauses 12.11 and 12.12 before the project commences, in line with the grant agreement.All named participants applying for grants must have a persistent digital identifier such as an Open Researcher and Contributor Identifier (ORCID) in their RMS Profile prior to commencement of the project.The ARC will make sure that the grant opportunity process is fair, is conducted according to the published grant opportunity guidelines, incorporates appropriate safeguards against fraud and corruption, unlawful activities and other inappropriate conduct and is consistent with the CGRPs and the ARC Act.You should be aware that if you are awarded a grant, you will be subject to the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 (NACC Act) as a ‘contracted service provider’ within the meaning of that Act.

Appeals process #

We will only consider appeals against the NCGP administrative process and not against committee decisions, assessor ratings and comments, or the assessment outcome or recommendations from the ARC advice, notices by the Minister, or decisions by the Board on which applications to fund. Appellants must identify the specific guideline/legislative instrument clause, policy or procedure which they believe has been incorrectly applied.You must submit an appeal using the form on the ARC website and have it authorised by the Administering Organisation’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent.The appeals process is set out on the ARC website.

Conflict of interest #

You will be asked to certify as part of Your application that any perceived, potential or existing conflicts of interests have been declared to You or that, to the best of Your knowledge, there is no conflict of interest that relates to or affects Your application. Each named individual or organisation must make this declaration about any aspect of the application or project to You at the date of submission.If a conflict of interest exists or arises, You must have documented processes in place to manage that conflict for the duration of the project. Processes must comply with the grant agreement, which includes requirements relating to the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018 version), the ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy (2025 version) and any relevant successor documents.We will handle any conflicts of interest as set out in the grant agreement and Australian Government policies and procedures. Refer to the ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy (2025 version) on the ARC website.

Privacy and protection of personal information #

We treat your personal information according to the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. This includes letting you know:a. what personal information We collect;b. why We collect Your personal information; andc. who We give Your personal information to.‘Personal information’ means information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable:a. whether the information or opinion is true or not; andb. whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.Your personal information can only be disclosed to someone else for the primary purpose for which it was collected, unless an exemption under the Australian Privacy Principles applies. For example, information can be used or disclosed for a secondary purpose where this is required or authorised by law and, in some cases, grant programs are subject to statutory frameworks that allow disclosure.the primary purpose of assessing Your Application (described at clause 8) and in relation to Our funding of research projects; andthe secondary purpose of assisting other Commonwealth agencies in relation to their funding of research, including funding which may have no connection to Us.As part of Your application all named participants must acknowledge the collection of personal information by the ARC. In order to protect against research security risks, including issues relevant to the security, defence or international relations of Australia as outlined in the ARC Act, We may share personal information with Commonwealth agencies and others. This may include information in your application, and personal information of named participants in RMS.Each named participant must have an RMS user profile. In order to complete a profile, participants must answer a question about their Indigenous status. If participants prefer not to answer this question they should choose "unstated". Except as otherwise expressly stated in these grant opportunity guidelines, information about Indigenous status is not used to assess applications. However, it will be visible to the ARC and other users of RMS. It will also be used as part of the ARC’s evaluation of the program as a whole.We may also share personal information You give Us with other Commonwealth entities for purposes including government administration, legislative compliance, research evaluation, data analysis or service delivery, according to Australian laws. The ARC may also share your information with the Minister, Ministerial staff, disclose to other external bodies, publish (i.e., if an application is successful for ARC and non-ARC grants, the ARC, and/or other agencies to whom the ARC provides services (ARC Policy Partner) and/or the relevant Minister may also publish the researchers' names, fields of research and institutions and the amount of the grant) and disclosure to ARC Policy Partner staff and contractors, evaluators and assessors who may be involved in grant assessment or legislative compliance. The ARC may also export and use data from grant management in the RMS to contribute to reports on whole of Australian government research activity.As part of Your application, You declare that You will comply with the Privacy Act 1988, and the Australian Privacy Principles and that You will impose the same privacy obligations on any officers, employees, agents and subcontractors that You engage to assist with the activity, in respect of personal information You collect, use, store, or disclose in connection with the activity. Accordingly, You must not do anything, which if done by Us would breach an Australian Privacy Principle as defined in the Privacy Act 1988.You must ensure that:a. if any personal information is not provided directly by an individual participant (via RMS), the individual has consented to that information being used and disclosed in accordance with these grant opportunity guidelines;b. You obtain the consent of researchers to publication of their names, fields of research and institution; andc. You notify individual participant researchers (including from collaborating or partner organisations) if You receive notification that an ARC Policy Partner and/or relevant Minister intends to publish their names.

Confidential information #

The Australian Government may use and disclose confidential information about grant applicants and grant recipients to support any other Australian Government business or function.Subject to clause 13.20, We will keep any information in connection with the grant agreement confidential to the extent that it meets all of the four (4) conditions below:a. You clearly identify the information as confidential and explain why We should treat it as confidential;b. the information is commercially sensitive;c. revealing the information would cause unreasonable harm to You or someone else; andd. You provide the information with an understanding that it will stay confidential.We will not be in breach of any obligation of confidence if the information is disclosed to:assessors and other Commonwealth employees and contractors to help Us manage the program effectively, including for an integrity or research security purpose;Our employees or contractors so We can research, assess, monitor and analyse Our programs and activities;employees or contractors of other Commonwealth agencies for any purposes, including government administration, research or service delivery;other Commonwealth, State, Territory or local government agencies in program reports or consultations;the Auditor-General, Ombudsman, Privacy Commissioner or National Anti-Corruption Commissioner, or staff of their respective agencies;a responsible Minister or Parliamentary Secretary;a House or a Committee of the Australian Parliament; orThe grant agreement may also include any specific requirements about special categories of information collected, created or held under the grant agreement.

Freedom of information #

Documents in the possession of the Australian Government, including those about this program, are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act).The purpose of the FOI Act is to give members of the public rights of access to information held by the Australian Government and its entities. Under the FOI Act, members of the public can seek access to documents held by the Australian Government. This right of access is limited only by the exceptions and exemptions necessary to protect essential public interests and private and business affairs of persons in respect of whom the information relates.The Freedom of Information process is set out on the ARC website.Appendix A – Glossary

Acronyms #

Definitions #

For the purposes of the Discovery Program grant opportunity guidelines, terms have the meanings defined below.Term | DefinitionAboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person | as provided by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), a person of Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person and is accepted as an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person by the community in which they live or have lived.active project | a project that is receiving funding according to the terms of an existing grant agreement, or has any carryover funds approved by the ARC, or an approved variation request to the end date for the project.active project assessment date | the date on which active project eligibility will be considered for project and application limits per named participant.Administering Organisation | an Eligible Organisation which submits an application in accordance with these grant opportunity guidelines.applicant | the Administering Organisation that submits an Application in response to these grant opportunity guidelines.application | an application for funding submitted in accordance with these grant opportunity guidelines.applied research | original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific, practical aim or objective. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/australian-and-new-zealand-standard-research-classification-anzsrc/latest-releaseARC Board | The ARC Board is appointed by the Minister and consists of the Chair, Deputy Chair and up to seven other members. The ARC Board’s function includes determining priorities, strategies and policies from the ARC.ARC College of Expertsthe body of experts of international standing appointed to assist the ARC to identify research excellence, moderate external assessments and recommend applications for funding. Its members are specialist and generalist experts in their knowledge fields drawn from the Australian research community.The ARC website provides information on who is a member of the College of Experts.ARC Fellowshipa named Fellowship position within any ARC grant program where the salary is funded wholly or partly by the ARC.ARC Policy Partner | an Australian Government agency that engages the ARC to support their research grants program, while retaining responsibility for policy direction, approvals and funding for the grant program.ARC website | the website accessed using www.arc.gov.au.assessment criteriaare the criteria against which applications will be considered as set out in these grant opportunity guidelines.Australian Government priority areas | any areas identified by the Australian Government as priorities for research.bench fees | fees that an organisation charges for an individual to use infrastructure which would normally be provided by the organisation for their employees. This infrastructure may vary and could include, for example, an office or laboratory space with appropriate equipment, or access to non-specialised equipment owned by the organisation.Chief Investigator or CI | a participant who satisfies the eligibility criteria for a Chief Investigator under these grant opportunity guidelines.closing date | The applicable closing date and time for the grant opportunity published on Grant Connect.consultancy | the provision of specialist advice, analysis, assistance, services or products to another organisation(s), generally where the consultancy services are for the sole or preferred use of that other organisation(s).date of effect | the date on which a grant agreement is signed or a specified starting date.Detailed Assessors | assessors who are assigned applications to review for their specific expertise in a field of research.digital object identifier or DOI | a unique persistent identifier for a published digital object, such as an article or a report, issued by the DOI Foundation and its registration agencies such as Crossref and DataCite.Discovery Program | a program within the NCGP which comprises: Australian Laureate Fellowships, Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, Discovery Indigenous, Discovery Projects, Future Fellowships and other grant opportunities as updated from time to time.eligibility criteria | the mandatory criteria which must be met to be eligible to be awarded a grant. Assessment criteria may apply in addition to eligibility criteria.Eligible Organisation | an organisation listed as an eligible organisation in Appendix B of these grant opportunity guidelines.experimental developmentexperimental development is systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience and producing additional knowledge, which is directed to producing new products or processes or to improving existing products or processes.https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/australian-and-new-zealand-standard-research-classification-anzsrc/latest-releasefield research | the collection of information integral to the project outside a laboratory, library or workplace setting and often in a location external to the participant’s normal place of employment.grant activity | the project/tasks/services that the grantee is required to undertake. A project consists of a number of grant activities.grant agreement | the agreement entered into by the ARC and an Administering Organisation after an Application is approved to receive funding.grant commencement date | the date on which grant funding may commence.grant opportunity guidelines or grant guidelines | these grant opportunity guidelines, approved as funding rules by the Minister under section 59 (including as varied under section 60) of the ARC Act.grant offer | in respect of a project, the details for the grant funding listed in RMS under ‘Grant Offers’ showing the project details and grant funding amount.GrantConnect | the Australian Government’s whole-of-government grants information system, which centralises the publication and reporting of Commonwealth grants in accordance with the CGRPs.grantee | the Administering Organisation which has been selected to receive a grant.grant opportunity | the specific grant round or process where a Commonwealth grant is made available to potential grantees. Grant opportunities may be open or targeted, and will reflect the relevant grant selection process.grant opportunity closing date | the last day on which applications for a grant opportunity will be accepted for consideration for a specific grant opportunity.grant recipient | an individual or organisation who has received grant funding from the ARC.GST | has the same meaning as given in the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999.Higher Degree by Research (HDR)a higher degree by research including: a Masters Degree (Research), that meets the level 9 criteria of the Australian Qualifications Framework (Second Edition, January 2013); and a PhD, that meets the level 10 criteria of the Australian Qualifications Frameworks (Second Edition, January 2013).Honorary academic appointment | An honorary academic appointment for eligibility purposes means a position that gives full academic status to the researcher, as certified by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) (or equivalent) in the application. The researcher must have access to research support comparable to employees e.g., an emeritus appointment. The researcher is not eligible to be a Chief Investigator using their honorary academic appointment if they are employed by an organisation other than an Eligible Organisation for more than 0.2 FTE.in-kind contributions | A contribution of goods, services, materials and/or time to the project from an individual, business or organisation. Values should be calculated based on the most likely actual cost, for example, current market, preferred provider or internal provider rates/valuations/rentals/charges (that is in the financial year of the date of the application) of the costs of labour, work spaces, equipment and databases. The calculations covering time and costs should be documented by the Administering Organisation. The ARC may require these calculations to be audited.Indigenous Data Sovereignty | as provided by the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research (2020 version) which refers to the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to exercise ownership, control, and governance over data that is about them or may affect them. This includes authority across all stages of the data lifecycle, from creation and collection to access, analysis, interpretation, management, dissemination and reuse.Instructions to Applicants | a set of instructions prepared by the ARC to assist applicants in completing the application form.Key Performance Indicators | a set of quantifiable measures that the ARC uses to monitor and report on progress of research outcomes.legislative instrument | a law on matters of detail made by a person or body authorised to do so by the relevant enabling legislation.medical research | medical research as defined in the ARC Medical Research Policy (2025 version) available on the ARC website.Minister | The Minister responsible for the administration of the ARC Act.named participants | individual researchers nominated for particular roles in an application.national interest | the extent to which the research contributes to Australia’s national interest through its potential to have economic, commercial, environmental, social or cultural benefits to the Australian community.ORCID Identifier | a persistent digital identifier for an individual researcher available on the ORCID website, www.orcid.org.Other Eligible Organisation | an organisation listed in Appendix B of these grant opportunity guidelines which is not the Administering Organisation on an application.Other Organisation | an organisation that is not an Administering Organisation or Other Eligible Organisation that contributes to the research project.participants | all named participants on an application (i.e. CIs, PIs); and all unnamed researchers such as postdoctoral research associates and postgraduate researchers working on a project.participating organisation | An organisation on an application (i.e., Administering Organisation, Other Eligible Organisations and Other Organisations)Partner Investigator | a named participant who satisfies the eligibility criteria for a Partner Investigator under these grant opportunity guidelines.PhD | a qualification that meets the level 10 criteria of the Australian Qualifications Framework Second Edition January 2013.Postdoctoral Research Associate or PDRA | a postdoctoral research associate funded by the Commonwealth through the Administering Organisation, who will be employed on the project.Postgraduate Researcher or PGR | a postgraduate research student funded by the Commonwealth through the Administering Organisation, who will undertake a HDR through the project.Preprint or comparable resource | A preprint or comparable resource is a scholarly output that is uploaded by the authors to a recognised publicly accessible archive, repository, or pre-print service (such as, but not limited to, arXiv, bioRxiv, medRxiv, ChemRxiv, Peer J Preprints, Zenodo, GitHub, PsyArXiv and publicly available university or government repositories etc.). This will include a range of materials that have been subjected to varying degrees of peer review from none to light and full review. Ideally, a preprint or comparable resource should have a unique identifier or a DOI (digital object identifier). Any citation of a preprint or comparable resource should be explicitly identified as such and listed in the references with a DOI, URL or equivalent, version number and/or date of access, as applicable.projectan application approved to receive grant funds, and in respect of which both parties have accepted a grant offer under an ARC grant agreement.For clarity: references to ‘Project’ include the entire Project, and any part of, or an activity within, the Project; and Fellowships and Awards are types of Projects.project activity period | the period during which a project is receiving grant funding according to the original grant offer, or has any carryover funds approved by the ARC, or an approved variation to the project’s end date. During this period, the project is known as an active project.project end date | the expected date that the project activity is completed and by which all grant funding will be spent.Project Leader | the named participant from the Administering Organisation who is the first-named CI on an application.pure basic researchbasic research carried out for the advancement of knowledge, without seeking long-term economic or social benefits or making any effort to apply the results to practical problems or to transfer the results to sectors responsible for their application.https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/australian-and-new-zealand-standard-research-classification-anzsrc/latest-releaseresearchthe creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies, inventions and understandings. This could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it is new and creative.research infrastructure | the assets, facilities, services, and coordinated access to major national and/or international research facilities or consortia which directly support research in higher education organisations and more broadly, and which maintain the capacity of researchers to undertake excellent research and deliver innovative outcomes.Research Integrity EventMeans any:event that the ARC Research Integrity and Other Misconduct Policy (2026 version) states that an Administering Organisation must report to the ARC;adverse comments or findings made by a court, commission, tribunal, or other statutory, professional or academic body, regarding the conduct or performance of a Project Participant that impacts, or could reasonably be perceived to impact, on the:- proper conduct of a Project in accordance with this Agreement;- Project Participant’s capability, fitness, or reputation, in connection with a Project; or- ethical and appropriate conduct of research in connection with a Project; orother significant matter, including the commencement of legal, regulatory or disciplinary action involving a Project Participant that might adversely impact on:- compliance with this Agreement, Commonwealth policy, or applicable laws;- the Commonwealth’s reputation; or- the public interest or confidence in a Project, any associated research, or the ARC’s funding or support of a Project or any associated research.Research Office | a business unit within an Eligible Organisation that is responsible for contact with the ARC regarding applications and projects.Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE) | an ARC policy framework used to consider and assess the quality and research excellence of a named participant within the context of the participant’s career and life experiences. One key element is that the assessment process takes into account the quality rather than simply the volume or size of the research contribution.research output | all products (including Preprints or comparable resources) of a research project that meet the definition of research.Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) | a group of experts from academia and industry appointed to assist the ARC to evaluate applications and to provide a recommendation for funding to the ARC Board. A SAC may be drawn from the ARC College of Experts.selection process | the method used to select applications to which funding is awarded. This process may involve comparative assessment of applications or the assessment of applications against the eligibility criteria and/or the assessment criteria.Special Condition | a condition included in the grant offer by the ARC that is identified as being a special condition, or is otherwise reasonably apparent that it is intended to be a special condition.strategic basic researchexperimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge directed into specified broad areas in the expectation of practical discoveries. It provides the broad base of knowledge necessary for the solution of recognised practical problems.https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/australian-and-new-zealand-standard-research-classification-anzsrc/latest-releasetravel costs | the domestic and international economy travel costs associated with the project, including to foster and strengthen collaborations between researchers in Australia and overseas.value with money | in this document refers to ‘value with relevant money’ which is a judgement based on the application representing an efficient, effective, economical and ethical use of public resources determined from a variety of considerations, including merit of the proposal, risk, cost and expected contribution to outcome achievement.Variation of Grant Agreement (Variation) | a written request sent by the Administering Organisation to the ARC, including via RMS, requesting or proposing a variation to the grant agreement.We | the Australian Research Council (ARC). ‘Us’ and ‘Our’ are also used in this context.You | the Eligible Organisation that submitted the application. ‘Your’ is also used in this context.

Appendix B: Eligible Organisations #

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at legislation.gov.au, © Commonwealth of Australia, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Compilations may have been reformatted.