Cancer Council Victoria is Victoria's largest not-for-profit funder of cancer research and is proud to support high-quality research to improve prevention, detection, treatment and care for people affected by cancer. They operate sophisticated grant programs that demand rigorous evaluation processes, with multi-stage reviews, lived experience panels, and comprehensive scientific assessments from researchers across Australia.
Each year, Cancer Council Victoria distributes significant research funding while coordinating expert reviewer panels and consumer advisors to assess every single application through independent and meticulous evaluation.
Managing the workload for this volume of funding—processing 200+ grant applications annually across multiple funding rounds—requires a robust system that can handle the grant application, assessment, approval, and reporting processes without compromising Cancer Council Victoria’s high standards of research evaluation.
The challenge
Cancer Council Victoria required a unified system to manage multiple forms and documents across its entire grant scheme, from the initial pre-award stage through to post-award administration. Previously, they relied on separate systems for pre-award and post-award processes, along with an internal platform for financial data. This disconnected approach created significant challenges for both internal staff and external applicants, who were navigating different platforms depending on the grant stage.
Additionally, manually coordinating multi-stage grant rounds—managing conflicts of interest across review panels—was consuming valuable time and introducing unnecessary risks into the evaluation process. The administrative burden was estimated at 30+ hours per grant round per staff member, diverting resources away from strategic research priorities.
OmniStar had the ability to combine our three systems into one to make everything easier from an administration perspective but also from an applicant and reviewer perspective. The user interface is something applicants are familiar and comfortable using, which is important to us because we want the process to be as easy as possible to free up time for applicants to focus on their research.
Alysha Cameron Research Governance LeadThe solution
OmniStar gave Cancer Council Victoria the ability to streamline their three different management systems into one user-friendly solution.
The accessible interface and intelligent system allowed Cancer Council Victoria to simplify their grant applications, reporting and reviewing processes. This allowed them to focus their energy on achieving their research goals. OmniStar's SmartForm technology and workflow automation replaced manual processes with standardised, end-to-end grant management supporting all stages of applications from Expressions of Interest submissions through to Full Proposals. OmniStar automated data transfer and built-in reviewer coordination across both lived-experience and scientific panels.
The outcome
OmniStar’s advanced features enabled Cancer Council Victoria to automate complex administrative tasks, streamlining both eligibility checks and evaluation workflows. The solution’s flexibility allows the organisation to continuously enhance and adapt their grant processes, ensuring OmniStar evolves with their changing needs.
By consolidating three separate management systems into a single, powerful solution, Cancer Council Victoria has significantly improved operational efficiency and redirected more resources toward their core mission. OmniStar’s real-time dashboards and comprehensive reporting tools provide strategic insights that support better decision-making and enhance transparency throughout the entire research lifecycle.
We care about funding world-class cancer research. We don't want our applicants spending all their time on administrative processes when they could be focusing on the research that saves lives.
Renee Clapham PhD Manager, Research GovernanceWhy you should try OmniStar
Complete Solution
Integrated multiple grant management elements across the research lifecycle into one powerful platform, from pre-award through post-award grant management with comprehensive reporting capabilities.
Improved Efficiency
Standardised workflows and automated processes eliminate administrative bottlenecks, freeing up resources to focus on strategic priorities and organisational mission delivery.
Enhanced Transparency
Real-time dashboards and comprehensive audit trails provide complete visibility into grant program performance with sophisticated reporting for all stakeholder levels.
Streamlined Coordination
Automated multi-stage processes and integrated collaboration tools eliminate manual coordination challenges while ensuring consistent, high-quality evaluation standards.
Flexible Configuration
Purpose-built features can be customised for unique organisational needs, with ongoing support ensuring the platform evolves with changing requirements and processes.
Scalable Performance
Advanced workflow automation and bulk processing capabilities ensure the platform performs efficiently regardless of program size or complexity, supporting organisational growth and expansion.
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