Funding university research for future defence capability

Australian universities participating in approved submissions on a designated topic under the US Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) can apply for a grant. AUSMURI supports the development of fundamental and basic research to strengthen Australian university research capacity, skills, and global networks in fields of priority for future Defence capabilities.

AUSMURI operates in conjunction with the United States Department of Defense’s MURI. It encourages partnerships between Australian and US-based universities.

Each year the Department of Defence selects a topic that is a research priority for Australia’s future defence capability from the MURI topics. If an Australian university is part of a successful submission to the US MURI program for a research project on the designated topic, it can then apply for AUSMURI funding for the Australian component of the project.

What are the eligibility criteria?

To be eligible, you must:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)
• be a higher education provider listed at Table A or Table B of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth)
• be the lead Australian university in an approved MURI submission on a designated topic.

Your project must:

• be approved through MURI on a designated topic
• include eligible expenditure
• be undertaken in Australia.

Applying for AUSMURI is a two-step process.

Step 1: MURI

The US MURI funding opportunity is announced on grants.gov. Through a US lead university, you submit your collaborative MURI proposal to US authorities in line with MURI requirements.

If you are selected to be part of an Australia –US collaborative research project on the designated AUSMURI topic, you can proceed to step 2 and apply for AUSMURI funding.

Step 2: AUSMURI

Before you apply, read the grant opportunity guidelines and sample grant agreement. The guidelines provide detailed information on the:

• grant opportunity, including grant objectives
• eligibility criteria
• assessment processes
• reporting and acquittal requirements
• review mechanisms.

How to apply

The current AUSMURI application form is only available to the eligible Australian university that was part of an approved MURI submission in the latest opportunity.

MURI Opportunity

You can find details of the MURI funding opportunity 2022/23 on grants.gov using the funding opportunity number N00014-22-S-F002. For details of the designated topic, go to the ‘Related documents’ tab and select the most recent amendment file.

The deadlines for MURI 2022/23 are:

• White Paper Inquiries and Questions 02 May 2022.
• White Papers must be received by 16 May 2022 at 11:59 PM Eastern (US) Time.
• Application Inquiries and Questions 26 August 2022.
• Applications must be received by 9 September 2022 at 11:59 PM Eastern (US) Time.

Applications for the next AUSMURI Opportunity are expected in 2022/2023. Application will be made available to the eligible Australian university that will be part of an approved MURI submission.