Some scientists whose applications to the Australian Research Council for funding were denied due to a rule change have appealed that decision and subsequently received a grant, the Guardian reports.
It reported in August that a rule change disallowed the citation of preprints anywhere in a funding proposal, when previously they only could not be listed in the CV section. This led to a number of funding applications to be denied out of hand. An ensuing backlash led the council to rescind its rule and allow the citation of preprints, but that change didn't apply to previously submitted applications.
More than two dozen researchers whose applications were denied because of the preprint rule appealed, according to the Guardian. Their applications as well as a further six applications were reviewed, and, of these 32 applications, six have now been awarded funding, it adds. This set included five Discovery Early Career Researcher Award applications and one Future Fellowships application, grants that the Guardian says can make a scientist's career, as they provide multi-year salary funding.