What is the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP)? The NCGP is the Australian Research Council’s flagship program for funding excellent early-stage research and research training across all disciplines except medical research. Why is the NCGP being revitalised? The NCGP has become more complex over time, with a growing number of schemes and increasing administrative burden. The NCGP Policy Review found the program needed to be simpler, more flexible, and better aligned to its core purpose—funding excellent early‑stage research and supporting the next generation of researchers. The revitalised NCGP responds to feedback from across the sector to: simplify the program reduce administrative burden strengthen support for early‑career researchers deepen collaboration across the research system, including with industry, other end users and internationally. The revitalised NCGP introduces a simpler, more coherent program, with stronger support for early-career researchers, collaboration, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research and researchers. It also positions the program to respond to national priorities and government’s expectations around research integrity, research security and the broader contribution of research to Australian society. What are the major changes to the NCGP? The revitalised NCGP will: move to fewer, more streamlined schemes across a simpler program structure provide higher capacity for project funding across all researcher cohorts reform assessment processes to improve efficiency, while preserving rigorous standards of peer review strengthen support for early‑career researchers strengthen support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers, including through a dedicated scheme encourage collaboration across all schemes, connecting researchers with partners from industry, government, community and end users align with national priorities and focus on supporting the best early-state research for Australia’s benefit reform assessment processes, and create efficiencies including through introduction of an establishment phase and streamlined administrative processes. What is not changing The NCGP will continue to fund high-quality research and to emphasise: research excellence rigorous expert assessment and peer review strong foundations of integrity, security, fairness and transparency. What are the new NCGP schemes? Scheme What it supports Initiate Fellowships Early‑career researchers Indigenous Excellence Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers Lead and Mentor Research leaders mentoring the next generation of researchers Explore High risk, high reward, exploratory research Breakthrough Investigator‑led research projects Collaborate 6.1 Collaborate: Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (CIEF) Large collaborative projects with partners, and a sub-scheme supportive collaborative medium-sized research infrastructure. Prioritise Major research programs that engage with critical national issues These new schemes support research at different scales, from investigator-led projects to larger programs focused on national priorities. When will the new NCGP schemes be announced? The new schemes will be introduced progressively from 2027. The first scheme, Explore, is expected to open in March 2027. Below are indicative scheme opening timelines: 2027 Q1 Explore Q2 Initiate Q3 Lead and Mentor Q4 Indigenous Excellence 2028 Q1 Collaborate Q2 Collaborate: Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (CIEF) Q3 Breakthrough Q4 Prioritise (Expression of Interest) 2029 Q2 Prioritise (Full Applications) Further timing and information will be shared on the ARC website as implementation progresses. When will details on each scheme be available? Scheme documentation such as grant opportunity guidelines will be released in advance of scheme opening dates. As each new scheme is opened, the ARC will host information webinars with Research Office staff.