This guide to preparing proposals for participation will assist you plan and prepare your application to ACEAS. The material presented on-line here can be downloaded in its entirety by clicking on the link at the bottom of the document. Several other documents can be downloaded from different sections of the text. Applications are made on-line, as described in the text below.

The next funding round will open on May 1 2012, closing May 31.

• The types of funding available

• How you apply

• The assessment procedure (including timelines)

• What is an ACEAS Targeted Workshop?

• What is an ACEAS Working Group?

• Financial matters

• Reporting

• ACEAS Ethics

Types of funding

Three sorts of funding are available: (i) for Working Groups of up to 15 people, (ii) Workshops of up to 15 people, and (iii) sabbatical fellows. Invitations to participate in this funding are called twice a year, in May and October, for submission a month later.

• 50% of the ACEAS budget is allocated to Open-call Working Groups that gather around topics of merit and significance to the Australian ecosystem science and management community. There is sufficient funding for around 12 new Open-call Working Groups in 2011-12.

• 40% of the funding is for Targeted Workshops which are for single meetings only. There is sufficient funding for around 10 Targetted Workshops in the 2011-12 year.

• A small proportion of the total funding is earmarked for the travel and accommodation expenses of Sabbatical Fellows to support extended interaction of internationally-recognised ecologists and ecosystem scientists with ACEAS Working Groups and Workshops for periods of 3-12 months. There is sufficient funding for around 5 sabbatical fellows in the 2011-12 period.

Details about the amount and duration of funding can be found in the 'what is a Working Group' section. The This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it can offer advice to all aspiring groups. You need to contact her to obtain a password and access the web-based application form. We look forward to hearing from you!

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How you apply

All applications for funding need to be submitted to ACEAS using the on-line application procedure. Apply to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for your password access when you are ready to submit.

Although the applications are submitted on-line, to assist you prepare, .pdf copies of the three application forms are downloadable here:

• Workshop application form,

• Working Group application form, and

• Sabbatical fellow application form.

NOTE: THESE FORMS ARE FOR PREPARATION ONLY, all applications are to be submitted online.

Please note:

• only ONE Principal Investigator is allowed per application, and

• any one person can only be a Principal or sole investigator (e.g. Sabbatical Fellow) on ONE application per round (May or October). i.e. they can be a member of more than one working group or workshop, but only a Principal Investigator once per round.

An example of a successful application to NCEAS by Prof. David Bowman and team is downloadable here as an example. This is rather longer than we require but will provide a model.

Only applications for funding will be considered if they:

• have tangible outcomes such as a peer-reviewed synthesis and analysis paper, a report, or a briefing note to be provided to the relevant local, state or national government agency,

• have demonstrable national, rather than solely local, significance,

• focus on the analysis and synthesis of data,

• use data held in Australia, to the benefit of ecosystem science in Australia, and

• can demonstrate the utility outside the interests of the team applying.

ACEAS provides you with the opportunity to assemble and analyse data and information that otherwise you could not.

Each of the considerations below need to be clearly covered  in your application.

* ACEAS-TERN Principles are to:

(i)     facilitate the advancement of pure and applied ecosystem knowledge through the search for spatial and temporal patterns and principles in existing data;

(ii)    improve the organization and synthesis of ecosystem information in a manner useful to researchers, resource managers, and policy makers addressing important natural resource management issues;

(iii)   influence the way ecosystem research is conducted in the future, in both the short and long term, by promoting a culture of synthesis, collaboration, and data sharing;

(iv)   promote integrative research and the principles of ecosystem science to facilitate linkages between all ecosystem disciplines and the natural resource management community;

(v)    serve as a conduit between the ecosystem and natural resource management communities in the development of innovative management strategies for sustainable management of Australia’s natural resources and the maintenance of biodiversity; and

(vi)   assist in planning the evolution of TERN into the future. In particular, to determine the types of data and new infrastructure required to address remaining major applied and pure questions in ecosystem science.

Meetings are held at the ACEAS-supported meeting facilities, and these are based around Brisbane.

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Assessment procedure (including time-lines)

Applications are initially reviewed by the ACEAS Program Manager and the ACEAS Advisory Panel. Recommendations for funding are subject to approval by the TERN Director, the Executive Advisory Committee and the TERN Board.

Funding pathways and timelines will generally align with the schedule shown in the figure. There are two rounds per year, one in May with submission in June (or close to), and one in October with submission in November.

Applications will be given one of four responses: approve (without revisions); approve with revisions, reject but encourage to apply in the next round, and reject. We aim to turn around comments in a month from submission or revision. There will be no different treatment for groups re-submitting to that of other groups.

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What is an ACEAS Targeted Workshop?

An ACEAS Targeted Workshop is a single meeting from at least four days to a week in duration with no more than 15 scientists and managers who focus on data and/or information integration, analysis and synthesis around a major Australian ecosystem science question. For inclusion, workshop participants need to have clear roles according to their contribution to the aims of the Workshop, represent a range of organisations including management where relevant, and include at least one postdoctoral student or equivalent.

The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for the submission of the application, project management and deliverables such as the peer reviewed paper or report. An informal report (with photograph of the group) is required within two weeks of the end of the Workshop for publication on the ACEAS web site. The final report of activities must be delivered to the ACEAS Program Manager within 3 months of the date of the last workshop. If suitable, this will be made available on the web as part of the ACEAS Report Series. The PI is also responsible for liaison with the ACEAS office and data management staff at the convening location. A Workshop member is to be nominated as the contact person for data management with ACEAS-TERN staff and is to be responsible for the lodging the data or any technical products arising from the Group's work. It is desirable that Workshop groups should have active involvement of at least one postgraduate student or postdoctoral fellow, and have direct involvement with, or plan for communication with, the end-users of their work.

Once Workshop funding is approved and participants are confirmed, private wiki space will be allocated for group members to use, exchange ideas and data, and prepare for their meeting. This will ensure that when participants arrive at their meeting, deliberations are as productive as possible. Support for data discovery and integration activities is available through the ACEAS office. Meetings are to be held at the ACEAS-TERN supported meeting rooms, and are cost-neutral to the Workshop budget. Co-sponsorship of activities by other agencies is encouraged but not required. If co-sponsorship is arranged, details must be clearly spelt out in the application.

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What is an ACEAS Working Group?

ACEAS Working Groups consist of no more than 15 scientists and managers who will use workshops as a tool for their successful collaboration, supported by ACEAS. Working Groups may meet 1-3 times within a 12 month period. Each meeting should range from at least four days to a week (generally smaller groups and longer stays are most effective), concentrating on specific issues that require in-depth analysis of data and synthesis of ideas relevant to Australia.

The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for the submission of the application, project management and deliverables such as a peer reviewed paper or report. An informal report (with photograph of the group) is required within two weeks of the Workshop for publication on the ACEAS web site. The final report of activities must be delivered to the ACEAS Program Manager within 6 months of the date of the last workshop. If suitable, this will be made available on the web as part of the ACEAS Report Series. The PI is also responsible for liaison with the ACEAS team at the convening location.

A Working Group member is to be nominated as the contact person for data management with ACEAS-TERN staff and is to be responsible for the lodging the data or any technical products arising from the Group's work. It is desirable that working groups should have active involvement of at least one postgraduate student or postdoctoral fellow, and have direct involvement with, or plan for communication with, the end-users of their work.

Once Workshop funding is approved and participants are confirmed, private wiki space will be allocated for group members to use, exchange ideas and data, and prepare for their meeting. This will ensure that when they arrive at their meeting, deliberations are as productive as possible. Support for data discovery and integration activities is available through the ACEAS office. An example of working group activity is shown in the diagram below.

Co-sponsorship of activities by other agencies is encouraged but not required. If co-sponsorship is arranged, details must be clearly spelt out in the application.

The ACEAS Program Manager is to ensure that all Working Groups and Workshops remain focussed on the key ACEAS principles. Significant deviations in project activity should be discussed well in advance with the ACEAS Program Manager. All meetings are to be held at the ACEAS-supported meeting rooms and are cost-neutral to the Working Group budget.

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Financial matters

Maximum support for each meeting/workshop is $30,000, with total budget for each individual Working Group proposal not normally exceeding $50,000, unless approved by the ACEAS Advisory Panel in consultation with the ACEAS Program Manager and TERN Director. Otherwise, groups who calculate their costs above the advertised funding levels will not be considered. The following activities are eligible for financial support in either Targeted Workshops or open-call Working Groups: reimbursement for actual (economy class) travel, lodging, and day-time meals for all participants with one dinner for workshops of more than 2 days duration.

A spreadsheet for calculating your Workshop or Working Group budget can be downloaded here

All applicants need to calculate their anticipated funding requirements (which must fall within the thresholds for each category) and submit with their application. Actual funding will be modified according to attendance.

Sabbatical Fellow support will be for travel and accommodation expenses only (no reimbursement for meal costs) to a maximum of $15,000 per fellow. No funding support is available for salary support or honoraria.

Budgets of funded projects will normally be expended within 12 months of the receipt of funding. Significant deviations should be discussed well in advance with the ACEAS Program Manager.

Once successful, the ACEAS office will manage all financial arrangements for each funded activity (Working Groups, Workshops and Sabbatical Fellows) up to the funding calculated. Travel and accommodation bookings will be made directly through the ACEAS office, and catering for each group will be arranged according to recorded preferences at registration. If there is the potential of overspend, the ACEAS office will alert the group.

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Reporting

Interim reports are required 2 weeks after each meeting. Additional reports of activity relating to ACEAS-funded activity are welcomed, and will be posted where possible, on the ACEAS web site. In the case of Working Groups and Workshops, a report on the outcomes of activities, the metadata description (aligned with ACEAS-TERN standards) of the synthesised data allied with the publication of the synthesised data needs to be provided within 3 months of the last workshop.

In the case of Sabbatical Fellows, a report of activities and products during their fellowship will normally be required two weeks prior to departure, and any required budget acquittal submitted at the time of departure.

Working Groups need to be prepared to provide outcomes to federal, state and local government members in relevant fora to promote the benefits of ACEAS and the overall ‘science-to-management’ model of TERN.

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ACEAS Code of Ethics

In order to receive funding all working groups need to agree to comply with the ACEAS Code of Ethics, contents of which are as follows.

The main aim of ACEAS is to ensure activities are collaborative and interdisciplinary, the support of ACEAS is acknowledged, and any data generated is recorded and stored for future groups to use. Working Group members therefore must agree to abide by our Code of Ethics prior to the onset of a project.

1. Derived data generated during ACEAS-sponsored activity will be documented using ACEAS-recommended metadata standards—the description of the data or products, who holds them, and where they are held—and released into the public domain.

2. Investigators will adhere to the appropriate standards for reporting the results of scientific activities including respecting the intellectual property rights of others consistent with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines/publications/r39).

3. ACEAS will receive acknowledgement for its support of the research activities conducted by each funded party in each publication or product resulting from the activity.

4. Copies of publications resulting from ACEAS support will be provided to ACEAS at the time of publication for our record of your achievements.

5. Participants will not discriminate against others in the course of their work.

6. Extenuating circumstances that may prevent full compliance will be discussed with ACEAS staff.

A .pdf of the content of this page is downloadable by clicking here.

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