Veterans' Health and Wellbeing Research Grants Program Guide
The Queensland Government has committed $500,000 in funding to establish the Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing Research Grants Program to support research to identify new and better ways to strengthen and foster veterans’ health and wellbeing.
Grant funding up to $150,000 (ex GST) has been provided to four organisations to undertake five new research projects to improve understanding of issues impacting on veterans’ health and wellbeing.
Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing Research Grants Program recipients
| Recipient | Project | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation | Empowering health literacy in Queensland veterans and veteran families | $140,000 |
| Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation | Chronic pain in Queensland female veterans | $90,000 |
| Griffith University | Designing together: co-designing alcohol prevention prototypes with veterans | $100,000 |
| University of Southern Queensland | Veterans' transition from Defence to Cyber Security Industry Pilot Evaluation | $110,000 |
| The University of Queensland | The Veteran Connection Program: Empowering veterans to manage identity change. | $55,000 |
The proposed research projects were required to add to existing understanding of veterans’ health and wellbeing, in areas including:
- veteran suicide and mental health issues
- drug and alcohol use
- prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and intervention for veterans’ health issues (e.g. management of service-related chronic pain)
- promotion of veteran resilience
- support for transition from the Australian Defence Force (ADF)
- impacts of ADF service on veterans’ partners and family members.
Further information
For further information, contact the Office for Veterans.
- Phone: (07) 3003 9656
- Email: veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
You can view the program guidelines and frequently asked questions below:
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Grant recipient resource toolkit
Office for Veterans update
Following recent changes to departmental responsibilities, the Office for Veterans is now under the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Work is underway to update our website. Please contact the Office for Veterans for advice on funding acknowledgement requirements and templates for Ministerial invitations and memorial plaques.
This resource toolkit outlines the requirements for grant recipients as set out in the Letter of Agreement for:
- reporting requirements and payment schedules
- funding acknowledgements.
Variation(s) to the Letter of Agreement
Any changes to the research project including timeframes, project team or approved deliverables require a variation request and written approval from the Office for Veterans.
Variation requests must be endorsed by the organisation's executive contact and principal investigator (where relevant). Variation requests must be submitted to the Office for Veterans at least four weeks prior to the effective date of change. Please do not proceed with any changes to the project until you have received approval.
Please contact the Office for Veterans by email on veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au or phone 3003 9656 to obtain the variation request form.Reporting requirements and payment schedules
All projects are monitored by the Office for Veterans to ensure the objectives of the grants program are achieved.
You will be required to provide a milestone progress report and a final acquittal report.
Payment of Funding Support (Item 8) of your Letter of Agreement sets out the milestone reporting requirements and their due dates.Grant funding will be released following approval of milestone reports as follows:
Milestone Deliverables Payment Execution of Agreement - Return of signed Letter of Agreement
- Return of project initiation form
30% of total
grant fundingProgress Report - Evidence of research progress
- Confirmation of approval of ethics and
governance approval(s)
30% of total
grant fundingFinal Acquittal Report Evidence of research findings
and project expenditureConfirmation of completion of
project activities
40% of total
grant fundingResources
For best results, please download the available resources to your device in the first instance. From there, you can open the files and populate the template fields. If you attempt to populate the template fields from your web browser, you may experience usability issues.Funding acknowledgement requirements
Please follow the instructions provided to satisfy the funding acknowledgement requirements.
Ministerial invitation
Use this template to invite the Minister to the project’s launch and/or milestone events.
Queensland Government Coat of Arms
Request to use the Queensland Government Coat of Arms.
Media release template
Use this template to announce important milestones achieved and/or your project’s completion.
Photo tips and consent
Considerations to ensure any images captured can be shared after the event.
Social media
Use this template to share with your audiences on social media, announcing the funding support received.
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Funding acknowledgement requirements
Acknowledgement of the Queensland Government’s funding support is required on all published or printed materials, speeches or other forms of presentation. The acknowledgement statement must be displayed on all advertising materials associated with the project and approved by the Office for Veterans.
Acknowledgement statement:
“This research project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government”.
“This project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government’s Veteran’s Health and Wellbeing research grant funding”.
Approvals can be submitted via your milestone progress report in SmartyGrants or emailed through to the Office for Veterans grants team at veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
Please allow a minimum of five business days for approvals.
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Ministerial invitation
As a Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing Research grant recipient, you are required to invite the Minister for Treaty, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Minister for Communities and Minister for the Arts to the launch of your project or commemorative activity and any significant associated events.
Submit your draft invitation for approval to the Office for Veterans prior to issuing your invitation to the Minister for Treaty, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Minister for Communities and Minister for the Arts.
Approvals can be submitted via your milestone progress report in SmartyGrants or emailed through to the Office for Veterans grants team at veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
Once approved, your formal invitation to the Minister should be sent to treatyandcommunities@ministerial.qld.gov.au, with a cc to veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au .
Please note in your cover email that you are a Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing Research grant recipient and ensure that you invitation is received by the Minister’s Office a minimum of eight weeks prior to your event.
Ministerial invitation template
For best results, please download the available resources to your device in the first instance.
From there, you can open the files and populate the template fields.
If you attempt to populate the template fields from your web browser, you may experience usability issues.
Download ministerial invitation template
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Queensland Government Coat of Arms
The Queensland Government Coat of Arms is the sole identifier of the Queensland Government and is protected by legislation. Strict guidelines apply to its use.
Requests to represent the Queensland Government Coat of Arms on any materials must be made to the Office for Veterans team at veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
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Media release template
The media release template can be used to announce important achievements or to announce your project’s completion.
Download media release template
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Photo tips and consent
Photo tips
Bright sunny days
Use your flash. Using a flash for photos on a bright sunny day will take away the black shadows on objects and people’s faces, especially if they are inside in front of a window.
Don’t forget to clean your lens!
Backgrounds
Be aware of what is in the background of your photo e.g., computer monitor may be showing sensitive information, trees or poles growing out of people’s heads or ears, offensive graffiti in the background.
Telling a story
Photograph people doing something that relates to the project, event or activity, rather than all standing in a line. Photograph the project stages and create a timeline of events. Before and after shots and time-lapse photography are also great.
Perspective
Try shooting from different angles, rather that straight on. Try crouching down and looking up or get somewhere high (if safe to do so) and look down on your scene. This can create interesting and engaging images.
Alcohol
Avoid sending in photos depicting alcohol, tobacco products or advertising.
File size
Minimum file size required is 500kb.
File names
Please label your image files using the following method, this will assist us matching photos to consent forms.
- Year month day Title of project people in photo from L to R_001
E.g., 20240525_Anzac Day Service Kilcoy_JaneSmith JohnSmith_005
Video and image consent form
Don’t forget to attach video and image consent forms for people who can be recognised in your video footage and photographs.
Share your photos
You can share your photos via your progress or milestone reports or by emailing the Office for Veterans at veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
If you have a social media page, don’t forget to share photos from your event and use the hashtag #veteranshealthandwellbeing.
Download video and image consent form
Information Collection Notice
An information collection notice explains to individuals the purpose for which the information is collected, and how the organisation will use and handle the information. It can be provided to an individual at or before the time an organisation collects information from them, or as soon as possible after the information is collected.
Download the Information Collection Notice
Privacy
The Queensland Government manages personal information in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009
- Year month day Title of project people in photo from L to R_001
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Social media
Social media templates have been provided to support grant recipients with promoting their project.
Using hashtags
We recommend that you include the following hashtags to promote your project:
- #veterans
- #veteranshealthandwellbeing
- #queenslandgovernment
Social media square tile
1080 x 1080
Social media rectangle tile
1200 x 630
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Program guidelines
The Queensland Government has committed $500,000 for the Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing Research Grants Program (the Grants Program) to support research to identify new and better ways to strengthen and foster veterans’ health and wellbeing.
This Grants Program will support Queensland-based researchers to undertake new research, or to expand the scope of existing research to improve understanding of issues impacting on veterans’ health and wellbeing.
The primary objective of the Grants Program is to support the veterans’ community in Queensland through facilitating research into veterans’ health and wellbeing.
The Grants Program aims to deliver the following outcomes:
- increasing awareness and understanding of veterans’ health and wellbeing issues
- contributing to a robust foundation of research in collaboration with and about veterans and their community
- translating research into outcomes for veterans, delivering tangible benefits and practical results for veterans’ health and wellbeing
- providing opportunities for researchers to pursue or continue research into veterans’ health and wellbeing
- supporting applied research and its development.
Projects funded under the Grants Program are expected to be delivered within 18 months, between 2 January 2024 and 30 June 2025.
Round opens
20 April 2023
Round closes
19 June 2023
Applicants notified
November 2023
Project commencement
From 2 January 2024
Project completion
Projects are expected to be completed by 30 June 2025
Please note: the above dates may be subject to change. There may be opportunity to negotiate timeframes when the grant offer is made.
Funding between $25,000 and $150,000 (excluding GST) per grant is available. This funding supports the cost of conducting research that will support the health and wellbeing of Queensland veterans. This funding can be used for salary, equipment, undertaking consultation and other agreed expenditure items. (Refer to Section 5 - Eligibility for further details.)
Research project and priority areas
The proposed research project must add to existing understanding of veterans’ health and wellbeing, in areas including:
- veteran suicide and mental health issues
- drug and alcohol use
- prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and intervention for veterans’ health issues (e.g. management of
service-related chronic pain) - promotion of veteran resilience
- support for transition from the Australian Defence Force (ADF)
- impacts of ADF service on veterans’ partners and family members.
The administering or applicant organisation
The administering or applicant organisation must:
- be a Queensland-based administering or applicant organisation that conducts research as part of its core activities such as universities, research institutes and foundations
- be registered for goods and services tax (GST)
- possess a valid Australian Business Number (ABN)
- be financially solvent and accept legal and financial responsibility for the grant.
All applications must have a named Principal Investigator (PI), who will be responsible for the proposed research and is the corresponding applicant on behalf of the lead administering or applicant organisation and all
co-investigators.Applicants cannot apply for funding for items that have been funded from another source. Applicants will be asked to provide a detailed breakdown and justification of the funding requested in the application form.
Applicants with unresolved financial accountability, service delivery or performance issues for activities previously funded by the Queensland Government may be ineligible to receive funding under this Grants Program. Applicants are required to declare any issues during the application process.
Expenditure incurred prior to 2 January 2024 is ineligible for funding.
Applicants may be offered a smaller funding amount than applied for in their application. This may be due to factors including:
- items that are not eligible for funding being incorrectly included in the funding sought
- amounts included in the project budget that have been rounded up from quotes
- the Grants Program being oversubscribed.
Applicants will be required to indicate on their application form if they will accept partial funding.
Funding may be used for the following eligible costs:
- PI salary costs, including standard on-costs (leave loading, superannuation contributions, workers’ compensation contributions and payroll tax). Where the funding is used for salary costs, the PI’s total salary (drawn from all sources) is not to exceed the salary the PI would have received in their substantive position for the same full time equivalent (FTE) percentage. That is, the PI cannot use funds to pay for a stipend that increases their substantive salary.
- salary costs for co-investigators and other research/technical staff, including post-doctoral research staff
- project costs directly related to the proposed program of research including consumables
- partial funding to expand the scope of an existing research project to support a sub-study focused specifically on improving veteran health and wellbeing
- travel costs, for the PI only, that are essential to the program of research as outlined in the application (excluding relocation) up to a total of $5,000 (excluding GST). This includes economy class travel only, and reasonable accommodation, per diem and conference attendance expenses.
- equipment costs directly related to the proposed program of research up to a total of $10,000 (excluding GST) and equipment maintenance can be claimed.
- publication costs for quarter 1 and quarter 2 journals.
The proposed research must be conducted in Queensland; however, this does not preclude collaboration with experts elsewhere in Australia or overseas. The funding will only support the Queensland site/s of a collaboration.
Only eligible expenditure incurred on or after the commencement of the Grant can be claimed.
Budget items are open to scrutiny of the Grants Program assessment panel and a strong rationale for funding should be provided in the application. A detailed quote for service must be provided for applications seeking over $10,000 (excluding GST) to engage third-party services or skilled specialists, e.g. statistician.
Items not eligible for funding include:
- institutional on-costs above standard salary on-costs
- institutional overheads and operational costs, including general facility and accommodation related costs
- travel and conference attendance costs for co-investigators or associated research staff, other than the PI as outlined above
- costs associated with separate projects/programs of the lead administering or applicant organisation
- salary costs of the PI, co-investigators or other dedicated research/technical staff that are not directly related to the proposed program of research
- costs associated with administrative support staff. Requests for funding to contract research services that can be performed by the administering or applicant organisation will require a strong rationale.
- computers and laptops, unless highly specialised and essential to the project.
The Principal Investigator (PI) must include letters of support (maximum 2 pages per letter) from their current employer (administering or applicant organisation) and any partner organisation/s:
- From the Principal Investigator's current employer only—details of the research strengths of the organisation and the alignment of the proposed research activities with these strengths; confirmation of the Principal Investigator’s current employment arrangements including salary (If funding is being sought to cover Principal Investigator time) and the researcher’s proposed employment arrangements for the duration of the Grants Program; confirmation of any funded co-investigator's salary costs.
- From the Administering / Applicant Organisation and all collaborating agencies—support being given to the proposed program of research, including any cash and in-kind commitments; signature of the relevant organisational representative with appropriate authority to provide endorsement of the application, provided on a document with the organisation’s letterhead.
Letters of support should be included at the end of the application form.
It is essential that all research funded under the Grants Program be approved by the appropriate Ethics Committee/s. Requests for ethics and governance approvals must be submitted prior to completing the grant application and approved within six months of the grant offer being made. The grant offer will be rescinded if the ethics and governance approvals are not obtained. In such instances, where funding has been paid in line with the execution of the Letter of Agreement, the funding will need to be returned to Veterans Queensland, DPC.
In addition, many projects will require approval by the Department of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs Human Research Ethics Committee (DDVA HREC) and/or other health bodies or data custodians. Such ethics approvals must follow the guidelines of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) - Updated May 2015.
Researchers are encouraged to visit the DDVA HREC and HREC websites for additional information at:
- www.defence.gov.au/Health/HREC/
- www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-ethics/human-research-ethics-committees-hrecs
Other conditions
- The PI has primary responsibility for the oversight and management of the proposed research and is the corresponding applicant for Veterans Queensland. In submitting the application, the PI is certifying that all named investigators on the application have read the application in full and given their consent to be included in the research project.
- The PI must dedicate at least 0.20 FTE on the research project per week.
- Should the PI’s employment or personal situation change during the period of funding, a grant variation approved by Veterans Queensland, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) will be required.
- Research funded under the Grants Program must be conducted in accordance with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, 2018 and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) - Updated 2018.
- The research funding is non-renewable.
- Any proposed major changes to a research project plan or budget (e.g. change in project scope, aims, ethics approvals, change of research personnel, or project timeline extension) must be provided to Veterans Queensland, DPC for endorsement four weeks prior to the effective date of change.
- If the funds provided from the Grants Program do not cover the total cost of the research project, it is the responsibility of the applicant to meet any outstanding costs. The ability to meet these additional costs should be demonstrated in the Grants Program application.
- All unspent or surplus funds at the completion of the research program must be returned to Veterans Queensland, DPC.
- It is recognised that outcomes of the research undertaken (e.g. journal publications) may occur after the tenure of the funded grant, and Veterans Queensland, DPC reserves the right to request information on research outcomes beyond the date of funding completion.
- An acknowledgement of funding from the Queensland Government must be provided on all publications and promotion of research project and outcomes, namely “This research project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government”.
An application is not an agreement or contract. Meeting the assessment criteria does not automatically guarantee funding.
Applicants are encouraged to carefully consider the assessment criteria and the weighting applied to the assessment criteria.
Assessment criteria
Weighting
Criterion 1: Scientific quality, relevance, and merit of the project
30%
Criterion 2: Translation into outcomes for Queensland veterans and their community
30%
Criterion 3: Investigator team track record
20%
Criterion 4: Meaningful collaboration
10%
Criterion 5: Budget
10%
Applications from eligible organisations will be assessed by an independent Grants Program assessment panel.
Applicants should prepare a thorough, detailed application and include all required information to assist assessors in their decision making.
Applications will be evaluated and rated against the following assessment criteria:
Criterion 1: Scientific quality, relevance, and merit of the project (30%)
To address this criterion, the applicant must:
- clearly outline the proposed research, specifying the research questions
- demonstrate why the proposed research is novel and include reasons for its importance and relevance to veterans’ health and wellbeing in Queensland
- demonstrate that the proposed research design is robust, consistent with and appropriate to the aims of the project, and achievable
- detail the methodology and data collection tools used to conduct the research
- identify the target audience
- provide standalone milestones that are measurable and easy to evaluate.
Criterion 2: Translation into outcomes for Queensland veterans and their community (30%)
To address this criterion, the applicant must:
- outline how evaluation will be undertaken for the research project
- provide clear, quantifiable outcomes/benefits that are expected to be delivered to the veterans' community in Queensland. Examples of these are new solutions, services, processes, procedures or social benefits. (Ensure that the outcomes and benefits are realistic and achievable)
- detail the timeframes for delivery of these tangible benefits for veterans' community.
Criterion 3: Investigator team track record (20%)
To address this criterion, the applicant must outline:
- the expertise of the PI and co-investigators and how this aligns with the proposed research topics
- the role of each investigator in the project, and what they will contribute to the project
- their experience in conducting/leading research projects and budgets to deliver projects on time and in line with agreed activities and milestones
- their capacity to engage and collaborate with external stakeholders
- their experience with translating research into practical outcomes.
Criterion 4: Meaningful collaboration (10%)
To address this criterion, the applicant must:
- demonstrate engagement with the veterans' community through co-design or other meaningful stakeholder engagement
- outline the complementary skills and expertise of key partners that will facilitate engagement with the veteran community
- identify the access to specialist equipment and supplies that can be provided by key partners (if any).
Criterion 5: Budget (10%)
To address this criterion, the applicant must:
- itemise the funding sought, with written quotes (where applicable)
- provide rationale for the appropriateness and impact of the expenditure.
All funded projects will be monitored and assessed by Veterans Queensland, DPC in line with the Letter of Agreement, to ensure the grant is achieving its objectives
Successful applicants will be required to provide progress reports as part of their key milestones and deliver the project within timeframes and in the manner specified in the Letter of Agreement.
Delays in submitting required reports may result in delayed payments to the applicant.
Successful applicants must complete bi-annual progress reports summarising grant outcomes and progress against milestones, and financial acquittal statements must be submitted to Veterans Queensland, DPC via SmartyGrants.
As part of the final reporting process, investigators must clearly outline the completion of their agreed research activities and details of the project outcomes.
The final report is to be provided within three months of the conclusion of the project.
Extensions to the approved project completion date may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants are required to formally request an extension via SmartyGrants, detailing the unforeseen circumstance/s impacting on project completion, the actions taken to minimise the impact and the adjusted project plan and milestones.
Funding under the Grants Program will be awarded through a competitive application assessment process.
Step 1: Check eligibility
Check that the applicant/s and project are eligible for funding by reviewing these guidelines and the frequently asked questions or by emailing veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
Step 2: Prepare supporting documentation
Applications must be accompanied by the appropriate supporting documentation for the research project.
Prepare the following documents and submit with the application (where relevant and/or applicable):
- detailed project plan with start and end dates, timelines for key activities, responsibilities and implementation milestones, key performance indicators
- detailed budget for project costs including written quotes (where applicable)
- signed letters of support from the lead administering or applicant organisation, and other collaborating organisations/ agencies or research partners of previous research projects (on letterhead), including confirmation of any financial and in-kind contributions. (Note: all funding must be confirmed at the time of submission.)
- details of any consultation undertaken to support the application
- other key documents that are relevant to the project via the application form (e.g. evidence of ethics submission, noting approval must be provided within six months of the grant offer).
Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Applications and all required supporting documentation must be submitted via SmartyGrants by the closing date.
Step 3: Apply online
Applications must be submitted online through SmartyGrants by 5pm on 19 June 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.
Applications will only be accepted through SmartyGrants. Applications will not be accepted in person, by email, post, fax, or once applications have closed.
The application form must be completed by a person authorised to submit the application on behalf of the applicant.
Applications can be saved and completed later.
Once submitted, applicants will receive an auto-generated email from SmartyGrants confirming submission with an application identification number that can be used as a reference. Please quote this number in all correspondence relating to the application.
If you do not receive this notification, please contact Veterans Queensland on (07) 3003 9398 to confirm that the application form has been submitted correctly.
Please note: The PI is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete and accurate. Giving false or misleading information may exclude the applicant from funding consideration.
Eligible applications will be assessed by an independent Grants Program assessment panel against the Grants Program objectives and assessment criteria.
Applicants may be asked to provide additional information to support their application.
Due diligence checking will be undertaken on the applicant, and outcomes from this process will inform project assessments.
The number and value of grants awarded is at the discretion of the Queensland Government.
Notification of outcome
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in writing.
It is not possible to provide information about the status of individual applications during the assessment process and prior to announcement of outcomes.
If applicants require further information, please email veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
Successful applicants will be sent a legally binding Letter of Agreement. The Letter of Agreement is the legal agreement between the Queensland Government and the successful applicant and contains project deliverables, milestone dates, payment terms and other conditions of the grant.
There is no binding agreement until the Letter of Agreement is signed by both the lead administering or applicant organisation’s delegate and a representative of DPC.
In managing the funding provided, the lead organisation must comply with the requirements of the Letter of Agreement.
Funding will be provided to successful applicants once they have entered into a Letter of Agreement and satisfied the milestones detailed in this agreement.
Grant funding will be released as follows:
- 30% upon provision of a fully executed Letter of Agreement, signed by both the applicant and a representative of DPC
- 30% upon receiving ethics and governance approval within six months of grant offer
- 40% upon completion of the final report and milestone/s being achieved.
Funding distribution may be varied on a case-by-case basis in line with the project requirements in the Letter of Agreement.
All funded projects will be monitored and evaluated by Veterans Queensland to ensure the Grants Program is achieving its objectives.
Grant funding is exempt from GST. Grant funding is GST exclusive and grant funding cannot be used to pay GST.
Milestone payments will be made directly into the organisation’s nominated bank account via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).
The applicant is advised to seek independent professional advice or contact the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on queries relating to GST or other taxation obligations. The ATO can be contacted on 13 28 69 or online at www.ato.gov.au.
Veterans Queensland, DPC is unable to provide advice on an applicant’s taxation circumstances.
Applicants must seek and obtain written approval from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet prior to contacting or responding to the media or providing public statement of any kind in relation to the Grants Program.
If you have any queries, please contact Veterans Queensland by:
- telephone on: (07) 3003 9398
- email at: veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au
- The Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing Research Grants Program is conducted by the State of Queensland acting through the Department of the Premier and Cabinet ABN 65 959 415 158 in accordance with the Grants Program guidelines and on the following terms and conditions.
Definitions
- In these terms and conditions:
- “applicant” means the organisation making the application
- “application” means the official application for a grant submitted by the applicant as part of the Grants Program
- “acquittal” means the discharge and settlement of the grant
- “closing date” means 5pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on Monday 19 June 2023
- “DPC” means the State of Queensland acting through the Department of the Premier and Cabinet
(ABN 65 959 415 158) - “Grants Program” means the Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing Research Grants Program
- “Letter of Agreement” means the written Letter of Agreement to be entered into between DPC and each successful applicant on terms to be further agreed
- “milestone” means a marked progress point of activities that is outlined in the funding agreement for a milestone payment
- “Minister” means the Minister with responsibility for the Grants Program
- “project” means the research project detailed in the application for which the applicant is seeking a grant
- “personal information” has the same meaning as in the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld).
Eligibility
- Applicants must:
- be a Queensland-based entity that conducts research as part of its core activities
- have a valid Australian Business Number (ABN)
- be registered for GST
- be seeking funding support for a research project that will support Queensland veterans
- be financially solvent and accept legal and financial responsibility for the grant.
- Applications must:
- be received by the closing date
- contain all information specified in the application form
- accompany the application with a project plan, and letters of support
- be submitted online through SmartyGrants. Applications submitted through any other means will not be accepted.
- Joint applications will be considered as one application. While multiple organisations meeting all the eligibility criteria may apply together as part of a joint application, one organisation must nominate to be the lead applicant and accept legal and financial responsibility for the grant.
- Applicants must have no outstanding financial accountability, service delivery or performance issues for funding previously provided by the Queensland Government. Applicants with outstanding financial accountability, service delivery or performance issues for funding previously provided by the Queensland Government are required to declare this during the application process. Additional performance criteria may be imposed at DPC’s discretion.
- DPC’s decision upon the eligibility of an application shall be final.
Withdrawals
- Applicants may withdraw their application at any time up to and including the closing date. After the closing date, applicants wishing to withdraw their application must contact DPC by email at veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
Disclosure and publication
- By submitting an application, the applicant/s:
- authorises the use and/or publication of the applicant’s name and details of the project, in relation to any promotional or advertising purposes in conjunction with the Grants Program
- consents to any information provided with the application being provided to Members of Queensland Parliament and the applicant’s name, address and details of funding awarded being provided to the media
- acknowledges that DPC and its officers, employees, agents and sub‑contractors may use and disclose any of the information provided with the application, including personal information, to Queensland Government departments or agencies, Queensland Government bodies, non‑government organisations and/or the Commonwealth, states or territories for any purpose in connection with the administration of the Grants Program
- consents to the applicant’s name, location and details of funding awarded (including purpose and amount of funding allocated) being published on the Queensland Veterans’ Portal and the Queensland Government Open Data Portal
- acknowledges that the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) provides members of the public with a legally enforceable right to access documents held by Queensland Government agencies, subject to the exemptions under the Act
- warrants that the applicant is not in breach of any law, constitution, or any other requirement the applicant is bound to comply with
- warrants that the use of such information or material as above will not infringe the rights of any third party or any law.
Assessment
- The Grants Program assessment panel will be comprised of Queensland Government employees and other persons external to the Queensland Government.
- The Grants Program assessment panel will assess applications against the assessment criteria and will provide recommendations to the Director-General, DPC for approval.
- Applicants are required to consent to information contained in their application being provided to the Grants Program assessment panel, the Director-General, DPC and the Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- All decisions and recommendations are binding and final and there is no process of appeal.
Successful applications
- Successful applicants will be required to:
- enter into a Letter of Agreement with DPC within a reasonable time of being notified that the application has been successful. Provision of the funding support to the successful applicant will be subject to and conditional upon the applicant further agreeing to and executing the Letter of Agreement
- obtain all appropriate documentation, e.g. approvals, bank details, evidential requirements, and provide copies to DPC on request and in accordance with the Letter of Agreement
- provide DPC with the administering or applicant organisation’s banking details, for the purposes of verifying bank account details
- acknowledge the Queensland Government’s contribution, including but not limited to:
- logo acknowledgement (in print and online form)
- funding acknowledgement in all relevant published material, media releases and public statements
- actively promoting their research and providing and provide project information, if required
- attend media/promotion events, if requested by DPC.
- work with DPC on any matter related to advertising and promotion of the project
- if applicable, ensure DPC is granted an appropriate licence to use, reproduce and communicate to the public any works produced in the course of or as a result of the project
- complete the project by the date stated in the Letter of Agreement
- advise DPC of all project changes immediately, including changes to programming and sponsors, project timeframes, project planning and design
- fulfil all reporting and acquittal requirements as per the Letter of Agreement
- return all unspent funds to DPC and repay funds spent on purposes not approved by the date of acquittal.
Payments and GST
- This grant is not subject to GST. The grant is GST exclusive, and no part of the grant can be used for the payment of GST.
- The total amount of funding committed to the applicant’s project will be paid by DPC as follows:
- 30% upon signature and execution of the Letter of Agreement
- 30%upon receiving ethics and governance approval within six months of grant offer
- 40% upon completion of the final report and milestone/s being achieved
- or as otherwise approved by DPC.
- Projects are expected to be completed within 18 months. If an application for a project exceeding 18 months (from the date of the Letter of Agreement to the nominated project end date) is successful, the applicant may be required to provide additional project status reports as requested by DPC. The above-mentioned milestone payments may be subject to DPC’s acceptance of these reports.
- The applicant will be required to submit valid tax invoices to DPC in accordance with the GST legislation and reporting requirements.
- Payments will be made via electronic funds transfer to the applicant’s nominated bank account.
Reservation of rights
- Despite any provision of these guidelines to the contrary, DPC reserves the right to administer the Grants Program and conduct the process for the assessment and approval of applications to the Grants Program in such manner as it thinks fit, in its absolute discretion.
- Without limiting the above paragraph, DPC retains all rights and powers to make all decisions and actions to achieve the Grants Program’s objectives and DPC reserves the right, in its absolute discretion and at any time, to:
- change the structure, procedures, nature, scope or timing of, or alter the terms of participation in the process or overall Grants Program, including submission and compliance of applications, where in such circumstances DPC may, by direct notification to applicants or via the Queensland Veterans' Portal.
- consider or accept, or refuse to consider or accept, any application which is lodged other than in accordance with these guidelines or is lodged after the relevant date for lodgement, or which does not contain the information required by these guidelines or is otherwise non-conforming in any respect
- vary or amend the eligibility, assessment criteria, and the terms and conditions
- take into account any information from its own and other sources, including other government agencies and other advisers
- accept or reject any application, having regard to these guidelines, the eligibility criteria, the assessment criteria or any other item, matter or thing which DPC considers relevant, including the limitations on the funds available for the Grants Program
- give preference by allocating weighting to any one or more of the eligibility criteria or assessment criteria over other criteria
- seek clarifications or additional information from or provide clarifications or additional information to any applicant, or to negotiate or deal with or seek presentations or interviews from any applicant
- conduct due diligence investigations in respect of any applicant and subject applications to due diligence, technical, financial and economic appraisals
- require an applicant to clarify or substantiate any claims, assumptions or commitment contained in an application or provide any additional information
- terminate the further participation of any applicant in the application process
- terminate or reinstate the Grants Program or any process in the Grants Program
- DPC reserves the right not to allocate the total amount of funding available in a funding round if, in the opinion of the Grants Program assessment panel, there are insufficient applications of suitable merit.
No relationship and liability
- DPC’s obligations in connection with the application process are limited to those expressly stated in these guidelines.
- The conduct of inviting applications does not give rise to any legal or equitable relationship. No contractual or legal relationship exists between DPC and an applicant in connection with the Grants Program, these guidelines or the application process or any stage of the Grants Program. An applicant, or its representatives:
- has no authority or power, and must not purport to have the authority or power to bind DPC, or make representations on behalf of DPC
- must not hold itself out or engage in any conduct or make any representation which may suggest to any person that the applicant is for any purpose an employee, agent, partner or joint venturer with DPC
- must not represent to any person that DPC is a party to the proposed project other than as a potential funder, subject to the competitive application process detailed in these guidelines.
- Except for any liability that cannot be excluded by law, DPC, including its officers, employees and agents is excluded from all liability, including negligence, for any loss or damage, including loss of opportunity or personal injury, whether direct, indirect, special, or arising in any way out of an application.
- Applications received, including material and documents accompanying the applications, shall not be returned to the applicant.
- No person shall be entitled to claim compensation or loss from DPC for any matter arising out of the application process, including but not limited to cancellation of the Grants Program or failure by DPC to comply with the Grant Program guidelines or these terms and conditions.
Participation at applicant’s cost
- Each applicant participates in the application process at their own cost and risk.
- To the extent permitted by law, no applicant will have any claim of any kind whatsoever against DPC (whether in contract, tort including negligence, equity, under statute or otherwise) arising from or in connection with:
- any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities suffered or incurred by the applicant in preparing and submitting its application (including any amendments, requests for further information by DPC, attendance at meetings or involvement in discussions) or otherwise in connection with the Grants Program
- DPC at any time exercising or failing to exercise, in its absolute discretion, any rights it has under or in connection with the Grants Program or
- any of the matters or things relevant to its application or the Grants Program in respect of which the applicant must satisfy itself under these guidelines.
- Without limiting the above paragraph, if DPC cancels or varies the Grants Program at any time or does not select any applicant following its assessment of the applications, or does (or fails to do) any other thing referred to under the Reservation of Rights in these guidelines, no applicant will have any claim against DPC arising from or in connection with any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by the applicant in preparing and submitting its application or otherwise in connection with or in relation to (whether directly or indirectly) the Grants Program.
Non-exhaustive
- These guidelines have been prepared to give potential applicants background information in relation to the Grants Program, and do not contain all of the information that applicants may require in reaching decisions in relation to whether or not to submit an application.
- Applicants must form their own views as to what information is relevant to such decisions.
- Applicants must make their own independent investigations of the information contained or referred to in these guidelines. Applicants must obtain their own independent legal, financial, tax and other advice in relation to information in these guidelines, or otherwise made available to them, during the application process.
- DPC accepts no responsibility whether arising from negligence or otherwise (except a liability that cannot lawfully be excluded) for any reliance placed upon the information provided by it in connection with the Grants Program or interpretations placed on that information by applicants.
Intellectual property
- Any intellectual property rights that may exist in an application will remain the property of an applicant or the rightful owner of those intellectual property rights. Any part of an application considered to contain intellectual property rights should be clearly identified by an applicant.
- The applicant grants to DPC (and will ensure relevant third parties grant) a non-exclusive, royalty free and irrevocable licence to use and reproduce the intellectual property for the purpose of administering the Grants Program.
Law
- These guidelines are governed by the laws applicable in Queensland.
Acceptance
- By submitting an application, each applicant:
- warrants to DPC that the information contained in its application is accurate and complete as at the date on which it is submitted and not by omission misleading, and may be relied on by DPC in assessing the application
- undertakes to promptly advise DPC if the applicant becomes aware of any change in circumstances which causes the information contained in its application to become inaccurate or incomplete in a material respect
- acknowledges that DPC will rely on the above warranty and undertaking when evaluating the application
- acknowledges that DPC may elect to remove an application at any stage as a result of material changes to the information presented in its application
- acknowledges that DPC may suffer loss or damage if the applicant breaches the above warranty and undertaking and
- is taken to have accepted these Guidelines, including these terms and conditions.
Other
- Additional terms and conditions will be included in the Letter of Agreement.
- For further information regarding DPC’s privacy practices please visit www.premiers.qld.gov.au/tools/privacy.aspx.
- Further details of DPC’s complaints management policy can be found at www.premiers.qld.gov.au/about-us/contact-us/compliments-and-complaints.aspx.
- Complaints relating to the outcome of an application should be addressed to:
Post:
Veterans Queensland
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
PO Box 15185
CITY EAST QLD 4002
Email:
veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au
-
Frequently asked questions
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- be a Queensland-based entity that conducts research as part of its core activities
- have a valid Australian Business Number (ABN)
- be registered for goods and services tax (GST)
- be seeking funding support for a research project that will support Queensland veterans
- be financially solvent and accept legal and financial responsibility for the grant.
More information about eligibility requirements is outlined in the program guidelines or at Veterans' Health and Wellbeing Research Grants page.
Yes. Joint applications will be considered as one application. While multiple organisations meeting all the eligibility criteria may apply for a grant together (as part of a joint application), one organisation must nominate to be the lead applicant and accept legal and financial responsibility for the grant.
No, you must apply for ethics clearance before submitting the application. All research funded under grants program must be approved by the appropriate ethics committee/s. Requests for ethics and governance approvals must be submitted prior to completing the grant application and approved within six months of the grant offer being made. The grant offer will be rescinded if ethics and governance approvals are not obtained. It is recommended you consult with the relevant ethics committee/s to confirm whether these timeframes are achievable.
For further information, visit the Department of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs Human Research Ethics Committee (DDVA HREC) website.
Information can also be found on the NHMRC website.
Projects and activities
You must meet project deliverables by the deadlines specified in the executed letter of agreement. This may include six-monthly progress reports and a final report. The progress reports will outline the progress of your project against agreed milestones.
As part of the reporting process, you must also provide financial acquittal statements that detail expenditure against each source of project funding. A final report is also required.
Changes are only allowed in exceptional circumstances. Administering or applicant organisations must make a detailed request in writing to the Office for Veterans, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) at least four weeks prior to the proposed effective date of change. This may include proposed changes to the project timeframe, use of funding, scope or the administering organisation.
The request will be considered by DPC and, if approved, a formal variation will be drafted. The variation will come into effect following execution by both DPC and the administering or applicant organisation.
You can commence your research project once the letter of agreement is fully executed. Research activities and expenditure cannot commence before the letter of agreement is fully executed.
It is anticipated that the outcomes of the grant program will be communicated in November 2023. Following the announcement of grants recipients, DPC will work with successful administering and applicant organisations to confirm project schedules and execute agreements. It is anticipated the agreements will be fully executed in December 2023.
Projects funded under the grants program are expected to commence from 2 January 2024 and be fully completed by 30 June 2025.
Applications
Applications will close at 5pm (AEST) on Monday 19 June 2023. All applications must be submitted through SmartyGrants.
SmartyGrants is an online grants administration program that provides a centralised grant application and management system. All applications must be submitted through SmartyGrants. Applications that are posted, emailed or faxed will not be accepted. The link to the SmartyGrants application form is available on the Veterans' Health and Wellbeing Research Grants page.
After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email from SmartyGrants, which will include a PDF copy of your application. If you have any queries or problems completing your SmartyGrants application, please contact the Office for Veterans, DPC on 07 3003 9398 or by email at veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
The Office for Veterans, DPC can provide general information and advice on completing your application. However, to maintain the fairness and integrity of the application process, the Office for Veterans cannot provide applicants with individual support or assistance in completing applications.
You may apply for and receive funding in addition to this grants program. However, funding sought under this grants program must not:
- duplicate funding sought or received from any other source for any items (including salaries)
- impact the time committed to this project. Staff funded under this project must dedicate at least 20 per cent of their Full Time Equivalent (FTE) hours to this research project.
Yes, a reference list can be included at the end of the application.
Funding/finance
The grants program offers funding from $25,000 to $150,000 (excluding GST) per grant to deliver research projects that directly relate to veterans’ health and wellbeing. A detailed budget and quotes must be included in the application form.
The program guidelines provide a non-exhaustive list of items that may be eligible for funding. Provided the items you are seeking funding for are directly connected to the project, you should include them for consideration. Any ineligible expenses may be covered through other funding sources, and will be excluded from the funding offered under this grants program.
Any expenditure incurred prior to 2 January 2024 is ineligible for funding. DPC is not responsible for any expenditure incurred prior to the letter of agreement being fully executed. If your application is unsuccessful, DPC accepts no responsibility for any expenditure incurred.
Travel costs for the principal investigator that are essential to the program of research are capped at $5000 (excluding GST) for the entire project. Other members of the research team or collaborators are not entitled to claim travel costs.
No. The eligibility criteria require administering or applicant organisations to be registered for GST:
- You are required to calculate the GST exclusive component of the cost of any items or service purchased for the proposed project.
- You must provide the final total GST exclusive amount in your grant application.
- Administering or applicant organisations can claim an input tax credit through the applicant’s Business Activity Statement (BAS) to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), for the GST component of any purchased items or services.
You are advised to seek independent professional advice on taxation obligations or assistance from the Australian Taxation Office or on 13 28 69. The Office for Veterans cannot provide advice on taxation circumstances.
Yes, you must provide quotes to support your application. All applications must include a completed project budget table in the online application form, outlining the proposed expenditure.
Assessment process
All eligible and compliant applications will be submitted to an independent grants assessment panel for evaluation. The grants assessment panel will review each application against the criteria and requirements outlined in the program guidelines. The grants assessment panel’s recommendations will be submitted to the Director-General, DPC, for approval.
Weighted scoring allows key components of the assessment criteria to be prioritised. Applicants are encouraged to carefully consider the weighting applied to the assessment criteria.
Assessment criteria
Weighting
Criterion 1: Scientific quality, relevance and merit of the project
30%
Criterion 2: Translation into outcomes for Queensland veterans and their community
30%
Criterion 3: Investigation team track record
20%
Criterion 4: Meaningful collaboration
10%
Criterion 5: Budget
10%
It is anticipated the outcomes of the application process will be communicated in November 2023, following completion of the grants assessment process. It is not possible to provide information about the status of individual applications prior to completion of the assessment process.
Timeframes for the grants program are listed in the program guidelines. In some instances, due to the volume and complexity of applications, timeframes may be modified.
Applicants can seek feedback from DPC within three months after the announcement of the grants program’s outcomes. All requests for feedback should be emailed to veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
More information about the grants program can be found in the program guidelines or by visiting the Veterans' Health and Wellbeing Research Grants page.
If you have any further questions, please email veterans@premiers.qld.gov.au.
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