Frequently asked questions
1. I have just heard that I have been awarded a research grant! How soon can I get hold of the money and commence my research?
Not until the following has happened:
- The university has signed an agreement with the funding body and, if relevant, any collaborators and/or partner organisations;
- You have obtained ethical and/or biosafety clearances (if applicable);
- A project account has been established.
Funding bodies will also advise the date from which funds will be available. For example, you apply to the NHMRC in March 2011 for funding in 2012 and the results are announced in October 2011. Funds will not be available until the agreement is signed and your clearances are in place.
2. How will I know if my project requires ethics or biosafety clearance?
Your institution will have information available through the administrative section that processes clearances, but you will need clearance in the following instances.
Research involving human participation. All research involving human participation in its many forms, including interviews and the completion of questionnaires, requires clearance from your institution’s Human Ethics review committee. Student projects must also be cleared before commencement.
Research involving the use of animals. All work involving the use of animals must be reviewed by an Animal Ethics committee and no animal experimentation can take place without a current Animal Ethics clearance.
Biosafety. Appropriate biosafety approvals must be obtained from your institution’s biosafety committee prior to commencement of the research project, and the first-named CI/PI must ensure that project staff and students are qualified, trained, and appropriately supervised. There are potential health risks in using chemicals and biohazardous materials in the workplace, and all personnel working with such material should be familiar with and comply with regulatory authorities and internal university requirements in this area.
3. How will I know when a project account has been set up?
You will receive advice from your Research Office or Corporate Finance Research providing details of your research account. The day-to-day administration of your account is carried out by your faculty/school finance officer, or equivalent. The university has specific delegations of authority regarding expenditure and payments from the account.
4. I need to appoint some project personnel. How do I go about this?
Talk to HR or the University Recruitment Unit in the first instance. They will be able to explain the policies covering recruitment, selection, and appointment of staff. They can also provide you with the necessary forms to complete. You will need to write a position description, and you may need to get the appointment level classified. Decide if the position is to be advertised internally and/or externally. Following receipt of applications, set a date for interviews and select appropriate people to sit on the interview panel. All this takes time, added to which the person you choose may need to give at least a month’s notice. It is a good idea, therefore, to initiate the process as soon as you know you have been successful so that the new recruit(s) can start at the commencement of the project.
5. In the period between applying for the grant and the award, one of the investigators has left Australia and is now working overseas. What should I do?
Advise your Research Office and refer to the funding agreement for guidance. You will probably be able to appoint a replacement investigator, who must be approved by the funding body. The person you choose must comply with the funding scheme eligibility criteria for investigators and have similar skills and expertise. Subtopic 2(g) of this module, ‘Departure of lead investigator’, covers this issue in more detail.
6. I only received 60% of the funding I requested, which is just enough to cover the salary of the postdoc who was going to do the bulk of the work. There is nothing to cover the other budget items. Is the project still feasible?
You may need to explore other avenues of support. If you have a consultancy account you can probably use money from there, but check your university’s policies. Investigate the possibility of collaborating with someone working in your research area and sharing the costs. If none of these options are feasible, think of this grant as seed funding, do one component of the original proposal (seeking approval from the funding body) and get what publications you can out of it.
7. When will I need to provide reports? How will I know then they are due?
Reporting requirements are always detailed in funding agreements / conditions of award. When you plan the management of your project, make sure you put these dates into the plan – plus a reminder at least 3 weeks prior.
Financial reports are handled centrally (for ARC and NHMRC), or by your school finance officer (for other sources).
8. What is the difference between a consultancy and a research contract?
If you use pre-existing knowledge and IP, and there is no expectation that new knowledge will be generated, you are not engaged in ‘research’ as defined by DIISRTE. In order to meet the DIISRTE definition of research, the subject of the project must involve creative and/or investigative work that will increase the stock of knowledge.
9. Why can’t I sign my own research contracts?
Research contracts, like funding agreements for grants, are always made between the funder and the institution. If you are over 18 you are capable of signing a legal document, but if you do so you will assume personal liability for the performance of the contract terms. It is unlikely that you would carry the relevant insurance to cover yourself for this type of liability. The university will have only one or two people who are authorised to sign research contracts.
10. I will be involving students in the grant – there is at least one component that would be perfect for a PhD, and there are other aspects that are well suited to Honours projects. What do I need to check in the way of safeguards, etc.?
All students receiving a stipend from a research grant will be required to comply with university procedures relating to admission, candidature, enrolment, and thesis preparation and submission. If the student is funded by a specific scholarship, then the scholarship conditions will also apply.
- Students are usually (but not always) required to enter into an agreement to protect confidential information, and assign their IP (except copyright) to the university. This must not be a pre-condition to enrolment.
- In some cases, it may be appropriate for the student to become a party to a project/scholarship agreement, or for the institution to employ the student.
- Students must always be given the chance to seek independent legal advice before signing any legal document.
- Cls/PIs must always consult with the Research Office or Commercialisation Office prior to brokering projects with sponsors that involve students.
- Agreements must be drafted in such a way that minimises the university's risk in the event that the student withdraws from their studies or the project. (Make sure the terms of the contract do not leave you responsible for completing their PhD!)
11. I have completed my milestone and submitted a report. Why haven’t I received the money that was to follow completion of the milestone?
You won’t receive any money until an invoice is raised by the university. Submitting a milestone report is not sufficient in itself to trigger the next payment. It is important, therefore, to familiarise yourself with the internal administrative procedures that match milestone reporting to the generation of invoices for payment. Failure to do so leads to cash-flow issues and potential frustration.
12. When I submitted my progress report to the funding body I sought permission for changes to my project budget. It's now several weeks since the report was submitted and I have not heard anything from the Research Office, through whom it was submitted. Is there a problem with this?
It is not appropriate to make such a request in your progress report, unless specified by the funding agreement. Any changes to project budgets or project personnel must be dealt with by addressing the specific request in a letter to the funding body. The letter will be sent via your Research Office.
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