The NIDG Program supports excellent innovative research that deepens understanding of emerging science and technology that addresses intelligence and national security interests.

The Australian Research Council (ARC), on behalf of the Office of National Intelligence (ONI), is conducting an Expression of Interest (EOI) grant opportunity for the National Intelligence Discovery Grants (NIDG) program. The NIDG Program was formerly known as the National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants (NISDRG) Program.

The NIDG Program supports excellent innovative research that deepens understanding of emerging science and technology that addresses intelligence and national security interests. The grant program will facilitate innovation and develop national security and intelligence capacity. It will also enable Australia’s National Intelligence Community (NIC) to systematically engage with Australia’s research and technology community.

The NIDG Program - Intelligence Challenges EOI Grant Opportunity provides support to research that aligns with the priority research areas identified by the Australian Government. These research areas are outlined in the Intelligence Challenges developed under the National Security Science and Technology Priorities.

The Intelligence Challenges have been updated in 2024 and applicable research fields within each Challenge have also been revised or expanded. For more information, refer attached documents.

The objectives of the NIDG Grant Opportunity are to:

• support excellent fundamental research (discovery, basic or blue-sky research) in areas identified in the Intelligence Challenges;
• build Australia’s research capacity and capability in these areas by supporting researchers, fostering research trainees, and contributing to a greater body of open source research;
• enhance collaboration in the research, science and technology community that supports Australia’s National Intelligence Community; and
• support systematic and coordinated engagement between the research, science and technology community and Australia’s National Intelligence Community.

Please refer to the grant guidelines document on GrantConnect for important information regarding eligible applicants, expenditure and activities. 

• Phone: (02) 6206 7206
• Email: nisdrg@arc.gov.au