Australia · Commercialisation
Australia awarded AUD 18.5 million in Discovery Indigenous grants
The Australian Research Council approved 16 of 43 Discovery Indigenous applications for funding starting in 2026. The total allocated over the life of the projects was AUD 18.48 million.
Sources checked
Considered
Shared scale · 0 applications to 17 applications
Approved
Shared scale · 0 applications to 17 applications
Use the chart to compare counts, then the table to see funding and success rates.
More applications were approved than in the prior round
The ARC approved 11 of 32 applications for 2025 and 16 of 43 for 2026. The overall approval rate rose from 34.4% to 37.2%. Lifetime approved funding rose from AUD 11.01 million to AUD 18.48 million. Source 1
Disciplines differed in applicant counts and funding
Social, behavioural and economic sciences had the most applications, at 17, and five approvals. Humanities and creative arts also had five approvals and received the highest lifetime allocation by discipline, AUD 5.55 million. Source 1
High percentages can come from small groups
Engineering, information and computing recorded a 66.7% approval rate from two of three applications. Its approved lifetime funding was AUD 2.11 million. The application count is needed to judge how much weight to put on the percentage. Source 1
Approved funding covers projects over several years
The ARC describes awards of AUD 30,000 to AUD 500,000 per year for up to five consecutive years. The lifetime totals include any approved salary contributions within the award. They represent funding decisions and do not report cash already paid or project results. Source 1