Guidelines

Funding

Grants of up to $750,000 (excluding GST) are available for projects with a duration of up to seven years.

Applicants can apply for funding up to:

  • 25% of the total cash value of the proposed project; and
  • not greater than the total value of the combined industry partners’ and collaborators’ cash contributions.

Funding commitments made to successful applicants to the Science into Industry Co-Investment Program are conditional on the proposed project subsequently successfully securing Australian Government funding.

In the event the application to the nominated Australian Government industry–research funding program round is unsuccessful, the Science into Industry Co-Investment Program conditional funding commitment will be withdrawn.

Benefits

The program will assist Queensland-based universities and research institutes to access co-investment funding to strengthen and support applications to Australian Government industry–research funding programs.

The objectives of the program are to:

  • strengthen Queensland universities’ and research institutes’ applications to Australian Government industry-research funding programs for research projects
  • support increased linkage and closer collaboration with industry partners and collaborators to deliver research projects in areas of strategic importance to Queensland
  • increase value from research translation (new jobs, startups and spin-outs, business growth and sustainability)
  • increase research jobs in Queensland
  • deliver tangible benefits and practical outcomes for Queensland by supporting research and development.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to apply for this program the applicant must:

  • be a Queensland-based university or research institute
    (companies and individuals cannot apply)
  • have an ABN and be GST-registered
  • be the lead applicant to the nominated Australian Government industry–research funding program
  • confirm the project application to the Australian Government industry–research funding program meets the eligibility requirements of the nominated Australian Government industry–research funding program.

To be considered eligible for this program, the application must include:

  • a copy of the substantially ‘ready-to-submit’ project application form for an identified Australian Government industry-research funding program that meets the eligibility requirements of the nominated Australian Government program. Where the Australian Government program project application form is unavailable due to non-aligned funding round dates, a substantially ‘ready-to-submit’ project proposal will be accepted instead
  • the project must have a strong Queensland-based lead and have a strong industry engagement component benefiting Queensland
  • letters of support from industry partners, Queensland Government partners and collaborators outlining:
    • their level of commitment
    • their track-record of previous collaborations/project delivery (if any)
    • details of their commitment of funding to the proposed project (amount/period), noting funding contribution(s) from industry partners and collaborators are required
  • a project delivery plan, commencement date and budget for the proposed project.

The project must be delivery ready at the time of Australian Government funding approval.

Applications must be submitted to the department for assessment at least 10 weeks prior to the submission date of the nominated Australian Government industry-research funding program.

Applications for project proposals led by industry for an eligible Australian Government industry–research funding program are not eligible for this program.

Eligible Australian Government programs

Eligible Australian Government programs to be considered for co-investment are:

To allow for consideration of aligned new programs, the list of eligible Australian Government industry–research funding programs considered for co-investment support may be updated from time to time. Please email science.grants@des.qld.gov.au for further advice.

Ineligible activities

The program will not co-invest in programs focused on:

  • individuals or fellowships
  • infrastructure
  • programs relating specifically to funding of clinical trials
  • defence-specific programs
  • industry or company-led applications.

Using the Co-Investment funding

The Co-Investment funding may only be used for the proposed project outlined in the project application, and to meet the following eligible project costs:

  • salary costs, including standard on-costs (leave loading, superannuation contributions, worker’s compensation contributions, and payroll tax) for key project staff
  • student stipends (including top-ups to Australian Government research higher degree awards)
  • consumable items
  • travel costs to support research and specifically to support direct project activity (international travel capped at not more than 5% of the Science into Industry Co-Investment Program funding sought).

Items not eligible for Science into Industry Co-Investment Program funding include:

  • organisational overheads including general facility and accommodation related costs
  • capital works and/or physical infrastructure including any buildings, telecommunications, IT networks, land acquisition costs or leases
  • plant and equipment.

The Science into Industry Co-Investment Program funding must be expended wholly in Queensland unless it can be demonstrated that expenditure outside of Queensland is essential to ensure successful delivery of the project. Funding can only be used to meet eligible expenditure incurred on or after the project commencement date.

Payments

Payment of Science into Industry Co-Investment Program funding will be made based on agreed periodic project milestones. An initial payment of 50% will be made on confirmation of approval of Australian Government funding and execution of a funding agreement with the department. Subject to execution of the Australian Government Funding Agreement, a second payment of 45% will be made in the second year of the project, subject to provision of evidence that the initial payment has been expended and acquitted and all project requirements have been satisfied, including project contributions having been made by all relevant parties. A final payment of 5% will be paid following project completion and satisfying all funding agreement requirements, including final reports and financial acquittals.

Project budgets which provide for the Science into Industry Co-Investment Program funding to be expended in the first two years of the proposed project will be favourably considered.

Assessment criteria

1. Significance of the proposed project

Your application must demonstrate:

  • the economic benefits for Queensland of the proposed R&D project (including wherever possible quantifying proposed benefits and impacts)
  • how the proposed project will build Queensland’s research excellence and critical mass in fields of research important to the Queensland economy
  • how the proposed project builds capacity in Queensland to translate research and the strategies to adopt and commercialise research outcomes, including IP management arrangements.

2. Strength of collaboration of the proposed project

Your application must demonstrate:

  • the lead applicant’s track-record of successful partnerships/collaborations with industry
  • the governance and/or mechanisms by which knowledge transfer is anticipated to occur and the track record of the team (e.g. previous collaborative inventions, collaborative patent applications, etc)
  • the project is supported by the applicant, industry partners and collaborators through commitment of key researchers, staff, resources and funding
  • the potential of the partnership to lead to long-term collaboration(s).

3. Value and viability

Your application must demonstrate:

  • how the project will deliver value for money
  • the viability of the project including having a strong delivery plan that can be completed within the defined timeframes and budget
  • that the main risks and uncertainties of the project have been identified and can be mitigated.

The project delivery plan and budget will be considered as part of the assessment criteria.

Letters of support from industry partners and collaborators will also be considered as part of this assessment criteria.

The benefits and impact for Queensland demonstrated in the application for the proposed project will inform the level of funding support.

Submitting your application

The Science into Industry Co-Investment Program will remain open until the funding allocation is exhausted.

Updates on funding availability will be published from time to time on the department’s website.

Applications can be submitted at any time but should be submitted to the department not less than 10 weeks prior to the relevant application closing date for the nominated Australian Government industry–research funding program.

At least 2 weeks prior to submitting an application, a Minimum Data form should be submitted to the department providing general details of the proposed application.

The Minimum Data form includes details of:

  • applicant, industry partners and collaborators
  • nominated Australian Government industry–research funding program
  • project title and a short description
  • research area
  • industry supported by the project
  • total project value
  • amount of funding which will be sought from the Science into Industry Co-Investment Program.

Applications and Minimum Data forms must be submitted online via the department’s online SmartyGrants portal.

The submitted application must include:

  • a completed application form with detailed responses to all of the assessment criteria
  • a copy of the substantially ‘ready-to-submit’ project application or proposal to the nominated Australian Government industry–research funding program
  • letters of support indicating the level of commitment of all parties to the proposed project
  • a project delivery plan including project budget.

Support and advice

Applicants can contact the department for advice by emailing science.grants@des.qld.gov.au.

Application assessment

All applications will be assessed against the eligibility requirements.

Only eligible submissions will be considered for funding support.

Eligible applications will be assessed in a competitive, merit-based approach by a panel of assessors.

Applicant organisations may be contacted at any stage of the assessment process to clarify any information provided in the application and/or to request further information to enable a due diligence and probity assessment.

There is no implicit guarantee of approval at any stage in the process and applicants will be notified via email of the assessment outcomes.

The Queensland Government reserves the right to administer the Science into Industry Co-Investment Program and conduct the assessment and approval processes at it sees fit. This may include, at its discretion, considering current government priorities and the need to balance the investment to support diverse activities and scale of investment across Queensland science and research priorities.

Conditions of funding

Successful applicants will be required to enter into and provide evidence of:

  • a legally binding grant agreement with the State of Queensland through the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation
  • once executed, a legally binding agreement with the Australian Government for the project
  • legally binding collaborative agreements between parties to the project committing the parties to conduct the project activities, make contributions and achieve the outcomes as set in the Australian Government funding agreement for the project.

The department will not enter into a grant agreement unless, and until, the applicant provides evidence the Australian Government has provided written confirmation that the application for the nominated Australian Government industry–research funding program has been successful.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in the funding offer being withdrawn and any funding will be required to be returned to the department including recovery of expended funds.

Industry partners and collaborators

Following commencement of the project, the funding recipient must immediately notify the department in the event an industry partner or collaborator ceases to be part of the project. In the event of such notice, the department may:

  • agree for the project to continue without the exiting collaborative partner, or
  • suspend the project activity until the department is satisfied the project can be delivered without the exiting collaborative partner, or
  • terminate the grant agreement, thereby ending the Co-Investment funding commitment to the project.

Promotion of supported projects

Funding recipients will be expected to actively promote their projects, and to provide information and attend media/promotion events if requested.

The Queensland Government funding should be acknowledged by recipients in all relevant published material, media releases and public statements relating to the proposed project.

Privacy

The Queensland Government manages personal information in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009. Personal information will not otherwise be used or disclosed unless authorised or required by law.

The department collects personal information for the purposes of:

  • assessing eligibility for the program
  • promoting relevant information or services to you
  • research, review, audits, evaluation and reporting.

The department, including its employees, may use and disclose the personal information provided in the application to third parties for the above purposes. Third parties include:

  • Queensland Government departments and agencies
  • Australian Government departments and agencies
  • non-government organisations.

The departments and/or the ministers responsible for the science and innovation portfolios may also publish grant recipient information on Queensland Government websites or in media releases while publicising the outcomes of the program. Published information may include recipient name, funding amount, suburb/postcode, and outcome details.

If you wish to obtain access to your personal information held by the department, please email science.grants@des.qld.gov.au.

Further information

Email: science.grants@des.qld.gov.au
Phone: (07) 3330 6360

Key documents and links