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SSHRC – Destination Horizon Grant – January 2025 Competition

Sponsor/Agency: SSHRC

Program: Destination Horizon Grants

 *Please note there is a mandatory internal NOI step for this opportunity as Ontario Tech can submit a maximum of 3 applications.  NOIs are due December 19 at noon. See below for details.*

Description:

SSHRC has launched a new funding opportunity called the Destination Horizon Grants. Valued at $15,000 for one year, these grants are intended to support researchers affiliated with eligible Canadian postsecondary institutions to build capacity, foster existing partnerships, and further develop networks and/or consortia with European Union and other “associated countries” researchers, with the ultimate goal of applying to Horizon Europe—Pillar II calls for proposals.

 This funding opportunity follows the agreement signed by the Government of Canada and the European Commission allowing for increased Canadian participation in Horizon Europe under Pillar 2. This agreement provides Canadians with greater access to Horizon Europe.

 Destination Horizon Grants proposals are expected to respond to the objectives of the Research Partnerships program and must be led by an applicant whose main area of research is in a social sciences and humanities discipline, and the proposed research must involve disciplines, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding and align with SSHRC subject matter eligibility.

Destination Horizon Grants are not intended to support implementation of Horizon Europe projects. Instead, the grants support activities between researchers that facilitate:

  • disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary exchanges;
  • scholarly exchanges;
  • intersectoral exchanges between academic researchers and practitioners from the public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors; and/or
  • international research collaboration and scholarly exchanges between researchers affiliated with Canadian postsecondary institutions and researchers, students and non-academic partners from the EU and other associated countries.

Eligibility - Subject Matter:

 Most SSHRC funding is awarded through open competitions. Proposals can involve any disciplines, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding. See the guidelines on subject matter eligibility for more information.

Projects whose primary objective is to conduct research activities (e.g., literature reviews, field work, data collection, interviews) are not eligible for funding under this funding opportunity. These funds cannot be used to pay for research activities, but rather must be used for networking, travel, hosting, and other capacity-building activities.

 To be eligible for this funding opportunity, applicants must demonstrate:

  • their eligible affiliation and primary affiliation in the social sciences or humanities;
  • their readiness to further develop networks and/or consortia with EU and other associated countries’ researchers, with the ultimate goal of applying to a Horizon Europe—Pillar II call;
  • eligible budget requests; and
  • 100% matching cash contributions from the host institution.
    • Examples of eligible cash contributions: course release, RA salary, work-study student, startup funds, PD funds
    • Please note: other tri-agency grant funds are not eligible to be counted as match

 Importantly, these grants are meant to fund applicants who have an established relationship with an EU institution or consortium. They are not meant to fund partnership-building activities at the very early stages.

 Additional Information:

 Multiple applications and holding multiple awards

Individuals can, as an applicant, only hold one Destination Horizon Grant. There is no limit to how many competitions an individual, as an applicant, may apply to.

A postsecondary institution may only submit up to three Destination Horizon Grant applications for a given deadline.

 Ontario Tech Internal Selection Process

Since Ontario Tech can only submit three applications per deadline to SSHRC, we are implementing a mandatory internal Notice of Intent step to assess potential applicants’ eligibility for the program and, if necessary, select three applications to submit to the national competition. A Grants Officer will review submitted NOIs for program eligibility and if more than three eligible applications are submitted, ORS will randomly select the three applications to move forward to the national competition (in line with SSHRC’s selection process for this program). Any eligible applicants not selected to move forward in the current round will be given priority to apply in the subsequent round.

 Please complete the attached Notice of Intent form, including the Dean’s signature to show approval of faculty cash matching contributions, and submit to Ewa Stewart by noon on December 19, 2024. Please note that the tight internal deadline is necessary due to the funder’s competition timeline and the upcoming university holiday closure. ORS will provide longer notice for subsequent Destination Horizon deadlines in 2025.  

 SSHRC’s Selection Process

All applications deemed eligible will be entered into a randomized selection process.

Randomized selection process

Eligible applications will have their application number entered into a random number generator. This random number generator operates by using an independent random number generation code as a seed value to then inform the Excel RAND function. Grants will then be selected, in order, from the lowest random number to the highest random number until the financial resources allocated to the competition are exhausted.


Deadlines:

December 19, 2024 at noon: mandatory ORS Notice of Intent Deadline (NOI Form attached; see process details below)

January 15, 2025: mandatory ORS internal deadline for administrative review. Please submit the complete application and signed RGA form.

January 22, 2025: external SSHRC deadline for full application. Application must be submitted in Convergence Portal by 9 a.m.

Please note: SSHRC will have two more deadlines for this opportunity on May 22, 2025, and September 22, 2025.

Results Announced

March 2025

Value:

  • Up to $15,00 from SSHRC
  • 100% cash match required from host institution

Duration:

1 year

How to Apply:

  1. Notify Ewa Stewart as soon as possible of your interested in applying.
  2. Review the program guidelines, including the eligibility requirements.
  3. Discuss your intent to apply with your Faculty Dean and secure required cash matching contributions (see below for details).
  4. Submit internal NOI form signed by your Dean by December 19 at noon.
  5. Applicants will be notified on December 20 whether they have been selected to move forward to the national competition.
  6. Prepare and submit an application through the Convergence Portal following the application instructions.

For more Information:

SSHRC Webinars

SSHRC held a webinar on December 4. Contact Ewa Stewart for the recording/slides.

ORS Grants Officer : Contact Ewa Stewart

SSHRC Program Officer: partnerships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Resources: