Basic Research Grants Scheme.

This Scheme is open to all full time and contract academic staff in Third Level Colleges in Ireland. The fund aims to provide finances for researchers to build on their existing research programmes, To give new researchers or researchers who have returned after a career or parental leave break the opportunity to establish their research careers.Grants will cover 100% of all eligible costs (personnel, equipment, materials and travel) and will be typically of the order of 130,000 euros over a two to three-year period (for postgraduate and postdoctorates). The maximum size of project that will be considered is 190,000 euros.
The Basic Research Grants Scheme is directed at supporting high quality novel exploratory research in the third level education sector with particular emphasis on new researchers
Applications will be accepted for projects in the following disciplines (interdisciplinary proposals will also be accepted): There are a number of projects which would fall under the heading of Materials Research.

- Biotechnology and/or Molecular Biology and/or Biomedical Science
- Basic Macro/Micro Biology (excluding human biology)
- Chemistry and/or Materials
- Earth Sciences
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Engineering
The following types of projects will be considered for evaluation:
- Projects which are exploratory in nature with novel innovative ideas.
- Projects which are building on existing research programmes or groups.

The evaluation process will be based on the following criteria and weightings; -
_ Scientific Merit 70%
- Research topic, novel, innovative nature of the project, technical feasibility and likely outputs
_ Project Management 10%
- Management, timing and targeted work plan, financial justification
_ Track Record 20%
- Competence of proposers, previous grant success (if relevant), publication record
Note; - Special consideration will be given to new researchers and researchers returning following career breaks or parental leave.