NSW Government funding for researchers competing for Commonwealth grants

Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade & Investment Andrew Stoner is urging NSW’s leading research centres to tap into state government funding offering them a more competitive edge in attracting lucrative Commonwealth grants.

Stoner said the support will enhance researchers’ access to the Commonwealth Government’s latest round of Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) grants.

“These grants provide essential funding to support the work of CRCs, which are consortiums of research institutes and industry partnering together for research outcomes that deliver economic, environmental and social benefits to Australia,” he said.

“NSW is a leader in research and is home to around 45 CRCs, working in areas such as energy pipelines, capital markets, environmental biotechnology, asthma, hearing, low-carbon living, mental health and spatial information.

“The NSW Government recognises the important contribution these researchers make to our state and is committed to supporting their ongoing efforts through our CRC Bid Support Program, which provides up to $30,000 each for NSW applicants.”

Stoner said the support allows applicants to fund activities that enhance bids for Commonwealth grants, such as analysis of research impacts, economic modelling, sourcing legal advice, stakeholder and partner meetings, and interview preparation.

“The CRC Bid Support Program is part of the government’s $13 million Research Attraction and Acceleration Program, which aims to strengthen and grow our state’s research capacity and ensure we continue to lead the way in research excellence,” Stoner said.

“One of the key ways of achieving this is to increase the competitiveness of our research centres in their bids for highly contested Commonwealth funding.”

Stoner said NSW Trade & Investment’s Office for Science and Research held an information session on 20 February for CRCs to help them in their bids.

Applications for assistance through the CRC Bid Support Program close on 15 March 2013.

For more information, go to www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au.