ARC grants for food industry research and commercialisation available

Australian food researchers have been called upon to make last-minute applications for funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) through the Industrial Transformation Research schemes.

Those involved in Australia’s future food storage, food processing, manufacturing capabilities, product opportunities and other food-related research are encouraged to apply before applications close on December 18, 2012.

Because the food industry has been identified by the Government as a key manufacturing sector, the ARC has called for applications for both of the Industrial Transformation Research Hubs and Industrial Transformation Training Centres. Those that are eligible for funding under the Industrial Transformation Research schemes will be provided with up to $1 million per annum funding for a maximum of five consecutive years.

The Australian Research Council through the Industrial Transformation Research Schemes support collaborative research activity between the Australian higher education sector and food industry.

For the Industrial Transformation Training Centre scheme, over a five-year period the ARC will award funding for up to 50 Training Centres with funding for at least ten Higher Degree by Research candidates and three postdoctoral fellows in each Training Centre. For the Industrial Transformation Research Hubs, the ARC will provide between $500,000 to $1 million a year funding for each Research Hub for a maximum of five consecutive years.

The objectives of the Industrial Transformation Research schemes are to encourage collaborative research and development projects to address challenging food industry issues. Other key objectives involve attracting investment from global and international businesses and leveraging private and international investment in food industry sectors.

“Such research partnerships can also provide unique training environments to provide a highly-skilled national workforce and offer new job opportunities for a sustainable future for innovation,” an ARC spokesperson said.

Overseas institutions and organisations are eligible to apply as long as there is one Australian Partner Organisation on the application. Grants will not be made to individual researchers.

Linkage Projects scheme applications also open

The Linkage Projects scheme provides funding to research organisations which are collaborative with higher education researchers to acquire new knowledge, but “involve risk and innovation.”

Proposals for the Linkage Projects scheme close on December 3, 2012.

Total funding provided by the ARC under Linkage Projects is a minimum of $50,000 per year to a maximum of $300,000 per year, per project, for a minimum of two and a maximum of three consecutive years.

Proposals for funding under the Linkage Projects scheme must include at least one Australian partner organisation. The partner organisation must make a significant contribution in cash and/or in kind, to the project that is equal to, or greater than, the ARC funding.

Grants from the Australian Research Council will not be made to individual researchers. Rules and applications for 2013 funding can be accessed on the Australian Research Council website under the desired project application for funding.

Source: Australian Food News, 12 November 2012