After much consideration, the NHMRC have released their changes to the upcoming 2021 grant program in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the continuing effect this is having upon the research community.
The changes to are designed to:
- provide applicants with as much time as possible to plan and prepare applications for the next round of funding; and
- avoid scheduling clashes as a result of delays to the Ideas Grant and Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies (CTCS) Grant schemes in 2020
It is hoped that these changes will:
- minimise disruption by only making essential changes
- wherever possible, limit overlap with national school holidays, the Christmas/New Year break and traditional conference periods; and
- harmonise key dates with the Australian Research Council 2021 schedule to spread the load on RAOs and applicants to both agencies.
The updated 2021 NHMRC Grant Program is as follows:
| Scheme | Change | Application Period* |
| 2021 CTCS Grants | Delayed | July-August 2021 |
| 2021 Ideas Grants | None | March-April 2021 |
| 2021 Investigator Grants | Delayed | February-March 2021 |
| 2021 Synergy Grants | None | February-March 2021 |
| 2021 Postgraduate Scholarships | None | April-May 2021 |
* Exact dates will be finalised later this year
Clinical Trials & Cohort Studies
The 2020 CTCS Grant round was delayed for 7 months (now due 25 November 2020) to accommodate the impact of COVID-19 on researchers involved in the clinical and public health response to the pandemic. The revised schedule should ensure that applicants know the outcomes of the 2020 round before applications close for the 2021 round.
Investigator Grants
The delay to the 2021 Investigator Grant round means that outcomes of this round will not be known before applications close for the 2021 Ideas Grant round. Therefore, because of the capping rules, researchers who apply to both schemes will have their 2021 Ideas Grant application(s) removed from consideration if they are successful in obtaining a 2021 Investigator Grant.
This situation is not ideal and NHMRC will seek to separate the two schemes in future years. In view of the continued lockdown in some regions, however, it is hoped that the delayed closing date for the 2021 Investigator Grant round (March 2021 instead of November 2020) will ensure that all those who wish to apply will have the opportunity to do so.
Relative to Opportunity policy and application assessment
NHMRC has updated its Relative to Opportunity policy and peer review processes to recognise the impacts of COVID-19 on Australia’s health and medical research community.
For applicants:
The Relative to Opportunity policy now specifies that circumstances associated with the pandemic and other calamities will be considered, where applicable, in assessment of an applicant’s track record.
For schemes in which track record is assessed, applicants will have the opportunity to describe the interruption and its impact on their research productivity.
Applicants may also include information on potential significant and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on their proposed research, and plans for managing these risks, as part of their research proposal.
For peer reviewers:
Peer reviewers will be advised to take COVID-19-related circumstances into consideration as part of their assessment of track record relative to opportunity.
Research proposals will be assessed independently of the potential impacts the pandemic may have on the research (e.g. assessment of feasibility), as any delays or impacts will be managed through NHMRC’s postaward management and grant variation processes.
Should you have any questions or queries about these changes and the potential impact upon your situation, please contact mhs@monash.edu.
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