Alliance Advantage – Letter of Intent: Voucher for Early Career Researchers
*Please notify your grants officer as soon as possible if you are planning on applying.
Deadline: February 22, 2024
Sponsor/Agency: Alliance Advantage
Program: Research Grant
Description:
In support of early career researchers (ECRs), NSERC is launching a pilot initiative to offer 200 vouchers of $10,000 each to replace some or all of the required cash contributions from partner organizations in an Alliance Advantage grant. Since NSERC matches partner contributions in a 2:1 ratio, the $10,000 voucher will be matched with $20,000, for a total of $30,000. Vouchers are being offered through a pilot program to make it easier for ECRs to participate in Alliance Advantage grants and to involve partner organizations. The pilot program will provide vouchers to up to 200 eligible researchers. To apply for this initiative, ECRs are required to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) through the NSERC portal. If NSERC receives more than 200 LOIs, it will choose recipients through a random selection process.
The ECR voucher replaces some or all of the cash contribution from any partner recognized for cost sharing. Additional cash contributions from partner organizations recognized for cost sharing can be added to the voucher’s monetary value to determine how much funding you can request from NSERC.
Eligibility - Subject Matter:
Applicants must satisfy the NSERC eligibility criteria for faculty and the NSERC’s definition of an ECR to apply.
Additional Information:
NSERC is pleased to announce the launch of several improvements to its Alliance grants program. This update is in response to feedback received and builds on NSERC’s experience with the program over the last four years. Alliance grants were launched in 2019 to encourage university researchers to collaborate with partner organizations from the private, public or not-for-profit sectors. By partnering with organizations that can use their work, researchers can turn their discoveries into impact.
In 2022–23, NSERC evaluated the program through surveys, consultations and interviews with stakeholders. The perspective of the community, along with NSERC’s experience to date, shaped the changes described below.
These changes aim to make the Alliance grants program even more simple, flexible, modernized and responsive. They will help to:
- remove barriers to collaboration
- champion more research partnerships
- provide efficient and responsive proposal assessment
- strengthen relationships with the research community
- ensure inclusive research support
Deadlines:
February 22, 2024
Value:
$10,000
Note: The $10,000 will be counted as part of cash contributions from partners in calculating NSERC’s funding toward the project.
Duration:
12 months
You can submit an Alliance Advantage application, redeeming your ECR voucher, any time during the 12 months after the voucher is awarded.
How to Apply:
Notify your grants officer and you must submit an LOI to NSERC using the NSERC online system at any time before February 22, 2024. The LOI does not require identifying a partner organization or defining a research project.
The LOI involves providing basic information about yourself and attaching your personal data form with CCV. Your CCV must contain the relevant information to verify your ECR status, i.e., date of first independent academic appointment and eligible leaves and delays.
NSERC has published instructions.
For More Information:
Contact NSERC or your Faculty Grants Officer:
FEAS: Joanne Hui
FBIT, FSSH, FEd: Ewa Stewart
FHS, FS: Raluca Dubrowski
