Archived Grant Opportunity View - GO2021

The Discovery Indigenous (IN) grant opportunity is a separate element of the Discovery Program. The IN grant opportunity provides project funding for research projects led by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researcher.

The objectives of the Discovery Indigenous grant opportunity are to: 

• support excellent basic and applied research and research training by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers as individuals and as teams
• develop the research expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers
• support and retain established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers in Australian higher education institutions
• expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability

An application may only be submitted through the Research Office of an Eligible Organisation listed in the Grant Guidelines. To be eligible, a Discovery Indigenous application must nominate at least one Chief Investigator (CI) or a Discovery Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Award (DAATSIA) candidate. The first-named CI must be an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researcher and will be the Project Leader.

To be eligible to apply as a DAATSIA candidate, the individual nominated must be an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researcher; as at the grant opportunity closing date not be nominated for more than one DAATSIA in any given year. An individual who has previously been awarded a DAATSIA may apply for another DAATSIA, but can only hold one at a time.

To be eligible to apply as a CI, DAATSIA candidate or Partner Investigator (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 or DAATSIA candidate 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.

For details on limits, please refer to the Grant Guidelines for the Discovery Program (2018). 

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

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

From $30,000.00 to $500,000.00

The application must be submitted as a mature research plan presenting the proposed project ready for implementation and must contain all the information necessary for its assessment without the need for further written or oral explanation, or reference to additional documentation, unless requested by the ARC.
Applicants should note the eligibility criteria for access to other grant opportunities, as expressed in the relevant Grant Guidelines. The ARC reserves the right to change these criteria in future funding rounds. Grant Guidelines for all ARC schemes may be found attached to the relevant grant opportunity.
Administering Organisations must submit applications through ARC’s Research Management System (RMS) unless otherwise advised by the ARC.
All applications must meet the format and content requirements, including certification, as set out in the RMS online form and in the Instructions to Applicants for the relevant grant opportunity.