New NHMRC Funding Agreement & Faculty Pre-Approv​al of NHMRC Funded Overseas Travel

New NHMRC Funding Agreement (effective 1 January 2014)

Monash University has received notification from the NHMRC that all current grants and fellowships will now be administered under the new NHMRC Funding Agreement which came into effect on 1 January 2014.

The Funding Agreement replaces all previous Deeds of Agreement for NHMRC Research Funding Schemes and Deeds of Agreement for NHMRC Researcher Support Schemes. All current NHMRC grants and fellowships that fall into this category will now be administered under the new Funding Agreement. This can be viewed at:
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants/administering-grants/nhmrc-funding-agreement-and-deeds-agreement

A document detailing the major changes between the new Funding Agreement and the previous Deeds of Agreement can be found here:
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/file/grants/funding/funded/manage/policy/changes_revised_nhmrc_funding_agreement.pdf

The main changes:

• Allow approved funds awarded for Research Support Schemes to be used for any Direct Research Costs (DRC) as set out in the new DRC Guidelines.

• Allow approved funds to be applied to salaries and salary on-costs (with the exception of severance pay, extended leave pay and fringe benefits tax) as long as the aims of the research can be met and agreement is given by the Chief Investigator A;

• Move the DRC guidance to a set of principles in recognition of the varied research funded by NHMRC (the Direct Research Costs Guidelines), and that the Chief Investigators are best placed to determine how funds are spent to achieve the aims of the research;

• Remove the requirement for the Chief Investigator A to justify the carry forward of funds that exceed 25% of the total funds available in the previous year;

• Extend the due date for the Annual Financial Report and Progress Report from 31st March to 30th April to provide Administering Institutions with an additional month in which to prepare these reports.

Should you have any further questions regarding this change please contact the Medical and Health Sciences team at the Monash Research Office (MRO) via email (nhmrc@monash.edu) or on 990

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 Direct Research Costs and Flexible Funding
NHMRC funds for a research activity may only be expended on Direct Research Costs (DRCs). Guidance on DRCs and Flexible Funding is available in the new DRC Guidelines.

• The new DRC Guidelines apply to all Schemes except IRISS and Equipment grant schemes
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  The flexibility changes apply only to Research Support Schemes. Funds awarded through People Support Schemes are to be spent exclusively for the purposes provided for in the relevant Scheme’s Funding Rules.

​Pre-​

Approval for

​NHMRC Funded 

Overseas Travel

Travel costs are only DRCs for a Research Activity, such as field work, research collaborations or for use of facilities in other countries, if the travel costs are directly related to the approved research objectives of that Research Activity.

Airline membership, health insurance and travel insurance are generally not considered to be DRCs.

All travel, accommodation, meals and incidentals must be in accordance with the relevant travel policies and procedures of the Administering Institution.

​As mandated in the new DRC Guidelines, NHMRC funded overseas travel must be formally approved and documented by our Faculty’s Research Committee (FRC) prior to the travel being undertaken.  Please complete the application form below and submit to medicine.research@monash.edu in advance of making travel plans.

See attached travel approval request form.