SYDNEY MEDICAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION
GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS FOR FOUNDATION GRANTS
SYDNEY MEDICAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION
Enquiries/submissions:
Manager, Sydney Medical School Foundation
Room 204
Edward Ford Building A27
The University of Sydney NSW 2006
T: +61 2 9036 9181
F: +61 2 9036 9182
E: smsf@sydney.edu.au
Last updated: 2 November 2015
Sydney Medical School Foundation: Guidelines for Applicants for Foundation Grants
GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS
1. The purpose of the Foundation and its funding
The purpose of Sydney Medical School Foundation (“the Foundation”) is to increase the resources of the
University to promote research, postgraduate education and scholarship in the fields of human health and
medicine within Sydney Medical School (“SMS”). The Foundation provides grants to support researchers and
research projects which the Foundation considers most likely to produce significant advances in the areas of
research identified as priorities by SMS and to produce clear benefits to SMS and the University.
The SMS research priorities were established as a result of strategic planning undertaken in 2010 (see
http://www.medfac.usyd.edu.au/forstaff/strategic-plan/index).
The grants to support research and research projects may take the form of scholarships, fellowships, seeding
grants, major equipment grants and support for programs and projects, and is intended to position recipients
to develop large external grant applications.
Funding may be provided to attract academics to SMS from outside the University.
From time to time the Foundation may provide grants for building projects of clear benefit to SMS and which
are consistent with the SMS strategic plan.
2. The Process for applications for research
2.1 The Dean of SMS may invite applications for funding from researchers.
Additionally, the Foundation may call for applications in specified areas of research or scholarship as
a result of the availability of funds for specified particular purposes. This information is available on
the Foundation’s website at: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/foundation/research/index.php.
Unsolicited applications will not be considered by the Foundation.
2.1A Applications need not be made in respect of funding for a specified purpose which has already been
approved under an appropriate University process.
2.2 All applications are reviewed by the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Committee (“SAC”) which then
makes recommendations for funding to the Council of the Foundation.
2.3 The Council considers the recommendations by SAC and determines whether grants should be
made, and the terms on which they are made, taking into account any terms and conditions of
relevant gifts and bequests and the availability of funds.
2.3A Where a proposal for funding is to be made to a potential donor, it is to be considered by SAC and if
recommended, the proposal must be approved by the Dean before being made to the potential donor.
2.4 Grants may be made for a fixed period or they may be made on the basis that a specified initial period
may be extended. Whether an extension is granted is a matter for decision by the Dean , who will
take into account recommendations by the Foundation’s SAC and Council.
2.5 The grants are made on the conditions set out in Grant Conditions (attached) which must be signed
by recipients. Recipients must also provide reports to the Foundation in accordance with the
Reporting Requirements (also attached).
3. Eligibility
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Sydney Medical School Foundation: Guidelines for Applicants for Foundation Grants
3.1 Applicants must be or become members of the academic staff of SMS, and either on the payroll of
the University of Sydney or be formally appointed according to established processes for Conjoint or
Clinical appointments in Area Health Services and affiliated research institutions.
3.2 Research Fellows, Conjoint and Clinical appointees must agree to have all their research productivity
(e.g. grant applications, postgraduate research student supervision, publications) submitted through
SMS and administered by the University of Sydney to be eligible to apply for funds. SMS members
salaried by affiliated institutions are eligible to apply provided that all the research productivity of that
organisation passes through the University of Sydney and is credited to SMS.
3.3 For some grants, the Foundation gives preference to New Staff and to Early Career Researchers.
3.4 To be considered New Staff under this scheme the applicant must hold an academic appointment and
have been employed by the University of Sydney for 2 years or less at the date of application, at level
A to D.
3.5 An Early Career Researcher is a researcher with a PhD or equivalent qualification, within 5 years of
the date of award with that qualification.
3.6 Career interruptions will be taken into account in assessing productivity but researchers in this
category must make a case as to why their application should be considered relative to opportunity.
This should be covered in the Chief Investigator Details section of the application.
3.7 In the following circumstances ,applications by early career researchers or new staff will not be
considered by the Foundation:
3.7.1
The applicant has an application under consideration by an external funding body.
3.7.2
The applicant is a named Chief Investigator on a current Category 1 grant.
3.7.3
The applicant is a named Chief Investigator on a successful Category 1 grant which
commences funding in the same year.
3.7.4
The amount requested includes the applicant’s salary or part thereof.
3.7.5
The application is essentially a request for top-up funding for an existing project.
4. Ethics Approval
All research funded by the Foundation must have the relevant ethics approval from Research Ethics
Committees of the University of Sydney as specified in the Grant Conditions. It is not necessary to obtain
ethics approval prior to application, but the grant will be terminated if evidence of approval is not supplied with
the first year’s six month progress report.
5. Acknowledgements
Publications and presentations from research supported by grants from the Foundation must acknowledge the
support of the Foundation and the University of Sydney as outlined in the Grant Conditions.
6. Reports
All successful applicants will be required to submit reports as outlined in the Grant Conditions, formatted and
submitted as set out in the attached Reporting Requirements.
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Sydney Medical School Foundation: Guidelines for Applicants for Foundation Grants
APPLICATION FORM
(Type answers in the white space provided; the form will expand to fit)
SECTION 1: APPLICATION SUMMARY
1.1 Scientific title
1.2 Simplified title
May be used in media releases and the annual report of the Foundation and should be understood by the
general public.
1.3 Grant type
Options include scholarship, program, project, fellowship, major equipment, research support for new senior
academic appointments.
1.4 Amount requested from the
Foundation
1.5 Contributions from other
sources
1.6 Total cost of project
SECTION 2: CHIEF INVESTIGATOR DETAILS
2.1 Title
2.2 Family name
2.3 Given names
2.4 Postal address
2.5 Telephone numbers
Work:
Mobile:
2.6 Email address
2.7 Organisational unit (e.g. Clinical
School)
2.8 Department/Institution
Building Code:
2.9 Role of chief investigator
2.10 Qualifications
2.11 Present position
2.12 Continuing position
Yes 
No 
2.13 Source of funding for salary
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Sydney Medical School Foundation: Guidelines for Applicants for Foundation Grants
2.14 Percentage of time devoted to
project
SECTION 3: ASSOCIATE INVESTIGATOR DETAILS
Include academic qualifications, current position and percentage of time devoted to this project.
3.1 Administering department/clinical school
3.2 Other collaborating researchers and their institutions
3.3 Potential assessors who may be approached by the Foundation
3.4 Details of other grant applications
3.5 Research support from other sources
SECTION 4: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
4.1 Classification/objectives
Broadly identify the research area and objectives of the research proposal using NHMRC Broad Research
Areas and Burden of Disease categories.
4.2 Research fields, courses and disciplines
4.3 Keywords/phrases to describe the field of research more specifically
4.4 Sydney Medical School research priorities addressed in the project
4.5 Significance
Provide a summary description of the project that is suitable for release to the media. Describe the
significance of the proposed work in lay terms suitable for the Foundation Council, the SMS website and for
media release. Maximum 500 words.
4.6 Detailed description
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Sydney Medical School Foundation: Guidelines for Applicants for Foundation Grants
Provide evidence of existing expertise in the nominated field; the demonstrated relevance of the topic to
problems of medical or public health significance; the capacity of the research to make a valuable
contribution to the field within the grant period; the extent to which it will contribute to the development of
health and medical research expertise at the University of Sydney and an indication of possible collaboration
or communication with research programs at other intuitions. Include aims of the program; hypothesis to be
tested. Maximum 1,000 words.
4.7 Budget and budget justification
Personnel salaried using Foundation grant monies must become salaried employees of the University of
Sydney and in calculating the budget the University on-costs (30%) must be included.
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