Post-Award Research Management SIG

The need to connect and streamline post-award research management services has never been greater that it is in these times of growing complexity and expanding compliance obligations.

The ability of a research organisation to focus on the deliver great research hinges on the ability of the organisation to effectively and efficiently manage post-award research matters.

We define Post-Award as the stage in the research grant lifecycle:

• Commencing from the point at which a sponsor informs an institution that a grant application has been successful, or that they wish to enter into a non-grant research contract.
• Ending at the point at which the awarded grant is completed, terminated or transferred to another institution, with all financial obligations, deliverables and reporting obligations to a funder fulfilled.

Included in Post -Award is the financial management of research funding which has become a specialized function in many research organisations.  The scrutiny on the post award expenditure of funds, and compliance requirements from funding bodies has significantly increased, as have various non-financial compliance obligations.

Most of the ARMS members’ involved in the post award administration of research, including the financial management of project funds will predominantly be working with the same funding bodies, and will have common issues relating to contracting, compliance, and the interpretation of the rules. They will also likely be experiencing similar challenges connecting the various post-award research support services in their organizations.

The Post-Award Research Management SIG will promote the dissemination and institutional collaboration for members with the aim of providing:

• A forum for those professional staff within ARMS involved in research post award, including finance, to discuss new process, compliance requirements, technical developments, issues, innovations to reduce duplication;
• Act as a conduit for issue identification across institutions with potential for multi-institutional requests for development to the relevant research information management organisations;
• Be a combined voice to, and form a relationship with, the federal funding agencies post award teams;
• Discuss and review best practice in post-award processes and systems, including the connection of post-award services;
• Enable partnering of institutions for knowledge transfer and assistance;
• Be a mechanism for members to discuss interpretation of funding body rules relating to the post-award management of grants;
• Enable knowledge transfer, potential professional development opportunities and create a network of ARMS members with an interest in research finance.
• In conjunction with the ARMS office, work towards standardised templates and agreements across our universities through SIG working groups

New Co-Convenors commencing in 2026 are:

• Renee Estrella, University of Technology Sydney
• Kay govin, Torrens University
• Justine Stojanovski, RMIT

For enquiries please email ARMSMembership@researchmanagement.org.au