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Information for Grant Referees
The closing date for reports to be received at AIATSIS is 11 January 2010.
References received after this date may not be included in the assessment process, and therefore the chance of a successful application may be reduced.
Eligibility - Who can be a referee
- Experienced researchers, or people with comparable experience and competence, who can confirm the researcher’s capacities to undertake and successfully complete the project. At least one of the referees should have some knowledge of the proposed research community or environment.
Who cannot be a referee:
- Supervisors of, or persons directly involved in, the research project; or
- Members of the AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee, Research Advisory Committee, Council or AIATSIS staff
- Close family members
You are asked to identify your relationship with the researcher. This could be as a professional colleague eg working in the same field, familiarity with the researcher’s work, or personal eg family or other relationships. Any potential conflicts of interest, which could be seen as relevant to your reference, must be declared under this section.
Report Form
The researcher has given your name as a referee in support of their application for a grant from the AIATSIS. Your reference will be made available to the AIATSIS Council, Research Ethics Committee, Research Advisory Committee, and staff for their evaluation of the grant application. Please use the Referee Report Form for your comments.
Please address the following points in your reference report:
1. Will the proposed research project result in a significant contribution to knowledge in Indigenous studies? In what ways?
2. Indigenous community involvement with, and support for, the proposed project. If relevant to this type of project, please include in your comments whether the researcher/s is accepted, or is likely to be accepted by the Indigenous community as a suitable person/s to carry out the project.
3. Is the project of high research merit, and clearly and competently described? Are the project aims, methods and expected outcomes expressed so that the project will “flow” sensibly? Are there any gaps in the project plan which might impede successful completion?
4. Is the project feasible given the applicant’s skills and experience? Has the applicant demonstrated the capability to successfully complete projects of this nature? Alternatively, are the applicant’s supervisors adequately experienced and appropriately positioned to provide necessary supervision and mentoring?
5. Has the applicant demonstrated the relationship between the proposed project and other work in the same field? If the proposed project is for autobiographical/biographical research the researcher must have explained the wider significance of the person(s) who is/are the subjects of the research.
6. Budget. Please provide an opinion on the estimated total cost of the project. This doesn’t need to be a detailed assessment, but should comment on whether the project can be satisfactorily completed within the proposed budget or whether the amount sought appears excessive for the project scope.
7. General comments. This should include any other comments relevant to a fully-informed assessment of the project.
Where to send your report
There is a strong preference for typed references rather than hand-written. Pleas use a black pen if you are completing this application by hand. Please limit you comments to a maximum of four pages.
You must send your completed Referee Report Form to AIATSIS, not to the grant applicant. Whilst we encourage feedback to the applicant, there is no requirement to provide comments or a copy of your reference.
Applications may be:
- Post: AIATSIS Grants Administrator at GPO Box 553, Canberra, ACT, 2601
- Hand-delivered: AIATSIS Grants Administrator at Lawson Cres, Acton, ACT
- e-mailed: grants@aiatsis.gov.au
Please do not fax your reference report. Faxed references and applications will not be accepted.