Status: Open
Find out information about the aims, funding, key dates, resources and contacts for the NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohorts Studies Grants.
The Macquarie University Process from Grant Development to Submission
Please note this application will be submitted via the NHMRC's new Grant Management System Sapphire. If you had an active RGMS account your CV and Profile email was migrated into Sapphire on 12 February 2020. To login to Sapphire:
- If you have an existing RGMS account, a Sapphire account has been created for you. Activate your account.
- If you did not have an RGMS account, you will need to register for a Sapphire account. Register for an account.
Tutorial and training modules for Sapphire can be found here.
Aim
The objective of the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants opportunity is to support high quality clinical trials and cohort studies that address important gaps in knowledge, leading to relevant and implementable findings for the benefit of human health.
This grant opportunity is open to research proposals for clinical trials and/or cohort studies of any size – that is, they may be large or small clinical trials or cohort studies.
Please note that the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants scheme is not intended to provide ongoing support from NHMRC and grant funding does not support infrastructure costs.
Grantees will be required to report against milestones at twelve-month intervals. The desired outcomes of the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grant opportunity are improvements in health and well-being, health care practice or policy, as a result of:
- high-quality clinical trials that provide reliable evidence of the effects of health-related interventions on health outcomes (or appropriate surrogates), and/or
- high-quality cohort studies that provide reliable evidence on the relation of important risk factors and other exposures to health-related outcomes.
A Clinical Trials and Cohorts Studies Grants can be requested for between one and five years depending on the proposal.
The provisional funding allocation for the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants 2019 opportunity is estimated to be up to $70 million. NHMRC’s Research Committee annually reviews and recommends indicative budget amounts to be awarded across individual funding schemes.
The amount of funding for a Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grant will be based on assessment of the requested budget. Applications must clearly justify the requested duration and budget, and how they will support the proposed outcomes of the research. Peer reviewers will consider this information and may reduce the duration and/or budget to ensure the research aims and objectives can be achieved while ensuring value with money.
Changes to DVCR Co-Funding
For NHMRC grants, applicants will now be required to submit a formal DVCR Co-funding request. The formal DVCR Co-funding request replaces the previous support of the Strategic Research Fund (SRF), which was managed directly between your Faculty Research Office and the DVCR Office and was not directly visible to academics as internal co-funding for their successful grants. The DVCR Co-funding is to support MQ researchers to successfully complete their proposed NHMRC projects by providing up to 20% co-funding on funds to remain at Macquarie. The goal is for the DVCR Co-funding is to facilitate MQ applicants in providing a ‘top-up’ of NHMRC salary costs (PSP’s), which are lower than MQ equivalent salary rates.
These changes align the principles of DVCR Co-funding with other external funding schemes and assist the University in rationalising the allocation of internal funding used to leverage competitive external funding opportunities. As Macquarie researchers continue to excel in the NHMRC funding scheme, we need to find a mechanism to ensure all successful NHMRC grants can be supported. As context, since 2015, our application volume for NHMRC funding has nearly doubled year on year. We know that health and medical researchers at Macquarie will be more active than ever in the coming years in applying for NHMRC funding to support their research, hence the need to make changes to meet the growing volume of awards.
Changes to Eligibility for DVCR Co-Funding
Eligibility for the DVCR Co-Funding Scheme is now contingent upon on-time submission of grant applications by your mandatory compliance and eligibility check. Many applications for external funding require cash and in-kind contributions from the host institution in order to be considered for funding. This funding includes project support funds, funding for research associates, scholarships, and major equipment and in most cases is processed via the DVCR Co-Funding scheme. View further information on deadlines, processes and FAQs.
- Applications led by Macquarie University researchers must be submitted to the Research Services Grant Development Team 4 weeks prior to the external deadline, if requesting an optional strategic review and 2 weeks prior for a mandatory compliance and eligibility check. Please refer to the fellowships and grant opportunities webpage for information on deadlines and processes.
- Applications that do not have a Pure record and/or do not have all the appropriate approvals in Pure (Head of Department/School [HoD/HoS] and Deputy Dean of Research and Innovation [DDRI]) will not be submitted to the external funding body. It is the lead applicant’s responsibility to ensure the approvals in Pure are complete prior to submission.
Applications for Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants are assessed by peers on the extent to which the application meets the scheme objectives. Applications will be assessed against the assessment criteria listed below. In addressing the assessment criteria, applicants should consider how the proposal addresses the associated points.
- Significance (40%): Significance for this grant opportunity is the extent to which the research findings will substantially advance knowledge to improve the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions, or to improve health and wellbeing.
- Research quality (40%): Research quality for this grant opportunity encompasses the quality and feasibility of the proposed research, incorporating theoretical concepts, hypothesis, research design and robustness.
- Team quality and capability (20%): This criterion is used to assess whether the CI team named in your application has the appropriate mix of research skills and experience to undertake the clinical trial and/or cohort study and achieve the stated objectives of the proposed research.
Applications are assessed relative to opportunity, taking into consideration any career disruptions and recognising applicants’ industry-relevant expertise, where applicable
It is recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants often make additional valuable contributions to policy development, clinical/public health leadership and/or service delivery, community activities and linkages, and are often representatives on key committees. If applicable, these contributions will be considered when assessing research output and track record.
Note: NHMRC locates all their Scheme documentation in GrantConnect. You will be required to set-up a username and password to access.
For applications submitted in 2024:
Please note that our grant review processes have changed. Strategic reviews are optional, while compliance and eligibility checks are mandatory.
If you wish to receive a strategic review of your NHMRC application, you must book via the online booking calendar.
Compliance and eligibility reviews for your NHMRC application is mandatory and you must book via the online booking calendar.
There are sufficient booking times available for all applicants, but we recommend booking early to ensure you have an ample choice of dates.
These are estimated dates from previous NHMRC rounds but are subject to change
2023 Round 1
- NHMRC opening date in Sapphire: Wednesday 26 June 2024
- Strategic review (optional): Wednesday 31 July 2024, select your date and time in the strategic booking calendar
- NHMRC minimum data deadline: Wednesday Wednesday 31 July 2024
- Compliance and eligibility check (mandatory): Wednesday 15 August 2024, select your date and time in the compliance and eligibility booking calendar. By the date and time you select you must also have a penultimate draft of your entire application in Sapphire and DVCR Co-Funding requests must be submitted by Pure.
- Applicant submits final application in Sapphire: 11:59pm Sunday 25 August 2024
- Research Services submission to NHMRC: Wednesday 28 August 2024
- Outcomes expected: 2025
Note: NHMRC locates all their Scheme documentation in GrantConnect. You will be required to set-up a username and password to access.
Notification Of Intent (NOI)
Complete a Notification of Intent to inform your Faculty and the University Research Services teams of your intention to submit an application. After completing this NOI, you will be provided with regular updates about your funding scheme and sent valuable resources that will assist you in developing a highly competitive research grant application.
NHMRC Information
MQ Resources
- Clinical Trials and Cohorts Toolkit
- Team Quality and Capability Statement Template
- Pure Research Management System
- MQ Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research
- Create a PURE Record
- NHMRC DVCR Co-Funding Request Form
Certifications
These are built into Sapphire. No need to have separate certifications from CI's and AI's.
Workshops
Introduction to the NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohorts Studies (CTCS) Grant Funding Scheme
About: This workshop will provide general background information on the NHMRC CTCS Grant funding scheme. Researchers who have not applied for NHMRC funding in the past, in particular the new schemes, will benefit and are strongly encouraged to attend. The workshop will cover what is a clinical trial or cohort study, the application process and structure, assessment process, eligibility and research support services available to applicants.
Date: Thursday 28 November 2019
Time: 12:30 – 13:30
Location: Room 801, Level 8, 12 Wally’s Walk
Speaker: Courtney Bendall (Research Services)
NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohorts Studies (CTCS) Grant Funding Scheme
About: This workshop will walk through the CTCS Grant application. From the NHMRC Grants Management System, to the Research Proposal, including Milestones & Performance Indicators, Team Quality & Capability and Chief Investigator Capability & Achievements.
Date: Thursday 5 March 2020
Time: 12:30 – 13:30
Location: Room 801, Level 8, 12 Wally’s Walk
Speaker: Courtney Bendall (Research Services)
Building your Budget for the NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohorts Studies (CTCS) Grant and Ideas Grant Schemes
About: This workshop will describe NHMRC budgetary requirements. Advice will then be provided on how to build your budget and how to justify your funding requests.
Location: Delivered via recording
Speaker: Courtney Bendall (Research Services)
Slides