We’re excited to see a new round of ARC Discovery Project EOIs coming across our desks! A significant proportion of the applications we supported last year were invited to full proposal, so we want to share a couple of lessons we learned along the way.
One of the first things most people notice about the DPEI format is how few pages you get. So how do you manage to squeeze all your brilliant innovative ideas into this tiny space?
First up, the Project Description
You can fit a lot into 2 pages! But there are a couple of traps we saw applicants fall into: some presented a snapshot or taster of the research, without much detail on how they were going to carry it out; others found it hard to reduce the level of background detail they provided, diving deep into the technical literature, which left little space for the overall story of the proposal.
We encouraged applicants to present a compelling narrative that emphasised:
the significant problem their research could contribute to solving (significance)
why their research field was the right one for the job (capability)
what was distinct about their proposed approach (innovation)
what they specifically planned to do to meet their overall project aim (quality and feasibility)
how their work would contribute to beneficial outcomes into the future (benefit).
By hitting all these points, applicants positioned themselves as having met all the ARC assessment criteria. They also showed they didn’t just have a great idea – they had a well thought out plan for achieving a defined goal and knew just how that was going to bring about beneficial change, both within and outside of academia. Doing a good job of the EOI Project Description not only gives you a better chance of getting through to the full proposal stage but also provides a great start for drafting your full proposal. This makes the effort required now a valuable investment for your future proposal writing endeavours.
ROPE sections - updated in DPEI26!
The ROPE has seen several changes. In DPEI25, the previous ‘5-pager’ was replaced by several character-limited sections. Now in DPEI26, additional minor changes have been introduced. The ROPE now includes a short Career Narrative (B10), Evidence of Research Impact and Contributions to the Field (B11), Mentoring and Leadership (B12), Research Outputs Context (B13) and 10-Career-Best Research Outputs with annotations (B14). (Be sure to check the DPEI26 Instructions to Applicants carefully for the format and character limits for each section.)
In DPEI25, we found dispersing the information across different sections of the ROPE could result in disconnect and repetition. By taking a holistic approach to the ROPE sections, we saw an opportunity for applicants to build a comprehensive picture of their track record. Take the opportunity to build in as much detail as you can into each section, as while they are all character limited, you’d be surprised how much you can squeeze in using targeted, concise, and evidenced statements. Try cross referencing to different sections where relevant – this can be particularly effective in B11 to reference your 10 career best outputs in B14. And remember these sections are locked in from the EOI through to the main application, so it is vital you spend the time now ensuring you showcase the proposed investigator(s)’s track record.
Overall takeaways
The first Discovery Project EOI round highlighted the challenge of condensing research proposals into limited space. We recommended a narrative-focused approach addressing key evaluation criteria to demonstrate both the significance and feasibility of the research. A holistic approach to the ROPE sections was fundamental to avoid disjointedness and repetition. Overall, strategic presentation and narrative coherence were crucial. The early investment of effort for the EOI can pay strong dividends for the future success of your full proposal. Our advice worked, resulting in a far higher proportion of applications reviewed by us being invited to the full proposal stage than the national average.
If you need some help with your DPEI26, please get in touch at hello@thegrantedgroup.com.au
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