Research Grant Applications
Guide to applicants for The Cancer Council ACT (TCCACT) Cancer Research Grants and multi-state grants commencing 2009
Closing Date: 14 March 2008
Applicants should note that the submission process for 2008 will again be via the NHMRC. The final funding decisions for TCCACT Cancer Research Grants commencing 2009 remains with The Cancer Council ACT, however applications for both ACT and multi-state grants-in-aid will be submitted via the NHMRC Project Grant peer review process.
How long will a TCCACT Cancer Research Grant last?
TCCACT Cancer Research Grants are offered each year to support research over 1 year.
How much money is available for a given grant?
Up to $50,000 over one year.
What sort of research can be funded?
Projects that will be considered may be at any level of cancer research, ie. Fundamental, clinical, psychosocial, etc.
Who can apply for funding?
All researchers working in the ACT.
What is the role of the Host Institution?
The Host Institution guarantees that the infrastructure necessary to support the research will be available, and will provide the administrative framework through which applications are received and payments made. The Host Institution is obliged to continue to support the research project during the tenure of the grant. If the work on the research ceases during the currency of the grant, funding will cease.
What are the obligations of the Grant Recipient?
The Grant Recipient will conduct and complete the research as outlined in the application. Where appropriate, a copy of the application to and approval from the ACT Health and Community Care Human Research Ethics Committee must be submitted to The Council before commencement of the grant. The Grant Recipient will notify The Council of any changes to the project during the currency of the grant and forward a copy of any subsequent applications to the ACT Health and Community Care Human Research Ethics Committee.
An explanation of the project and its progress during the year will be required by the 1 July each year of the grant for inclusion in The Cancer Council ACT Annual Report. The explanation will be of about 300 words in length and must be capable of being understood by the informed lay person. A list of work published or accepted for publication since the commencement of the grant or during the current year must also be supplied. A final report must be submitted when the project has been completed and the results known.
How are awards of grants decided on and what criteria are applied?
The Criteria for Decision
In general terms, the criteria for award of TCCACT Cancer Research Grants and multi-state research grants are relevance to cancer, excellence, the value of the research and a capacity to successfully complete the research proposed in the application. The track record and standing of the key personnel, and the infrastructure support available at the host institution will be important, but will not be the sole determinant. Recent entrants to the cancer research field should feel confident that applications will be carefully considered and assessed on their merits.
The Decision Makers
The final decision is taken by The Council's Board acting on advice from The Council's Research Grant Committee.
Applications are reviewed through the NHMRC process and forwarded to The Cancer Council ACT to be reviewed by the Research Grant Committee at a meeting in November each year.
A letter stating the outcome of the review process will be sent to the applicant as soon as possible after the completion of the review.
Information Specific to Multi-State Grant Applications
Eligibility
Multi-state applications must be clinical or epidemiological studies that:
a) Involve patient or participant recruitment from at least two states
b) Require funding from at least two states to be viable, and
c) Have a Chief Investigator named for each participating state.
Funding
Multi-state projects compete for the same pool of funds as state-based projects in each state. Each state Cancer Council will only provide funding for the project costs associated with their state's participation. Applicants are advised to make themselves aware of the funding criteria in each state, as there are variations in both the amount and duration of funding offered.
| Cancer Council |
No of Years |
Amount (maximum per year) |
| The Cancer Council ACT |
1 yr |
$50,000 |
| The Cancer Council NSW |
1-3 yrs |
$100,000 |
| The Cancer Council Queensland |
1-2 yrs |
$80,000 |
| The Cancer Council South Australia |
1-2 yrs |
Single salary + $25,000 |
| The Cancer Council Tasmania |
1-2 yrs |
Dependant upon available research funds |
| The Cancer Council Victoria |
1-3 yrs |
$100,000 |
| The Cancer Council Western Australia |
1-2 yrs |
$70,000 |
The Decision Makers and Criteria for Decision
Each state Cancer Council decides whether to fund their state's participation in the project, based on the same criteria used for funding local grants.
If the home state does not fund the project the other participating Cancer Councils may still fund it, provided it can be determined that the project is still viable without the home state funding. In the event that this situation does arise, the participating Cancer Councils would need to know who will have overall responsibility for the project.
Grant Administration
Offers will be made by each state to their local chief investigator. The reporting requirements and conditions in each participating state will need to be complied with and the overall chief investigator is responsible for providing a national progress report for all participating states.
How to apply for both ACT and Multi-State Grants-in-aid
Contact your institution's Research Administration Officer (RAO) to obtain an NHMRC application identification number and the closing date for submissions. (Individual institutions often have earlier closing dates for the submission of NHMRC applications to their RAO).
Multi-state grant applications should adhere to the guidelines for the local Cancer Council of the first-named chief investigator, bearing in mind the funding limitations for the Cancer Council in each state from which funding is being sought. Individual Cancer Councils will only fund work being conducted in their state and applications should clearly specify how much is being sought from each state.
Full information and timelines are available on our national research grant applications page.
Enquiries
For enquiries about completing the NHMRC application contact:
NHMRC GrantNet Help Desk
Telephone: 1800 500 983
Email: grantnet.help@nhmrc.gov.au
For enquiries about The Cancer Council ACT's criteria contact:
Joan Bartlett
Chief Executive Officer
The Cancer Council ACT
Tel: (02) 6257 9999
Email: joan.bartlett@actcancer.org
Professional Resources
Cancer-Related Knowledge & Practices: Recommended Survey Items
Cancer-Related Knowledge & Practices: Recommended Survey Items was funded by the Public Health Committee of The Cancer Council Australia and developed via a national consensus process.
To date, a number of state-based surveys have explored cancer-related knowledge, attitudes and practices. Many of these surveys contain items which are very similar, but are not identical. Therefore, there is limited ability to look at these issues on a national basis, despite
their apparent relevance to most, if not all, of the states.
If a small set of recommended items is included in state-based surveys as they arise, a national picture of common items of interest can be monitored over time. The number of proposed items in this recommended set has been minimised to facilitate their inclusion in all relevant surveys. These items are for inclusion at the discretion of any individual or group.
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/centre/cherp/professionalresources/surveys.html
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