Discovery Projects for Australian Research Cooperation

The Discovery Projects (DP) grant opportunity is a separate element of the Discovery Program. The DP grant opportunity provides project funding for research conducted by individuals and teams.

The objectives of the Discovery Projects grant opportunity are to:

• support excellent basic and applied research by individuals and teams
• encourage high-quality research and research and research training
• enhance international collaboration in research
• expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability
• enhance the scale an focus of research in the Australian Government’s Science and Research Priorities.

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. 

To be eligible to hold the CI must meet at least one of the following criteria: 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; a CI must reside predominately in Australia for the project activity period; a CI 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 a CI; or one ARC Fellowship and one project as a CI; or one ARC Fellowship or project if the individual is also a CI or Director on an 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 at the grant commencement date: not be eligible to be a CI.

To be eligible to hold, a PI: must not meet the eligibility criteria for a CI during the project activity period; be an employee of an Eligible Organisation who does not reside predominately in Australia may be a PI.

Grant Activity Timeframe

A project may be applied for and awarded funding for up to five consecutive years

Estimated Grant Value (AUD)

From $30,000.00 to $500,000.00