We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Funding Opportunities Bulletin - March 2024

In this Issue:

Announcements
Funding opportunities: New, current and ongoing
Office of Research Services (ORS): Processes, internal requirements and contacts (see attached Word document)
Resources: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI); Tri-Agency; Navigator Tool (see attached Word document)
Funding opportunity details (see attached Word document)

Announcements

New announcements

The Office of Research Services has launched the 2024 Research Excellence Awards. Applications are due April 19, 2024. See ORS Information and Deadlines below for more information.
SSHRC has rescheduled upcoming deadlines for the Partnership Engage Grant and the Connection Grant to accommodate for IT work over the summer
1. The June 15, 2024, deadline for the Partnership Engage Grants has been moved to May 22, 2024.
2. The August 1, 2024, deadline for the Connection Grant has been moved to June 20, 2024.

Canadian Space Agency Aqualunar Challenge - The Canadian Space Agency recently launched the Aqualunar Challenge in collaboration with Impact Canada, the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) and Challenge Works. The Aqualunar Challenge is a challenge prize with a goal of creating innovative water purification technologies that could support more ambitious space missions. The Aqualunar Challenge is calling on innovators to create innovative technologies, for use on the Moon, to remove contaminants found in lunar water. Please see ORS Information and Deadlines for details.

Lab 2 Market – Validate – Fall 2024 Cohort Now Open! We are excited to announce that applications for our national Lab2Market Validate Fall 2024 Cohort are open! This program is delivered in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and is an extension of the Idea to Innovation (I2I) Market Assessment Grant. Please see ORS Information and Deadlines below for details.

Mitacs announces a special quantum technology offer under the Globalink Research Award (GRA) program. For internships starting in August 2024, applications are due by April 30, 2024. Mitacs is holding an information session on April 2 at 2:00 p.m. – register here.

Reminders

Announcing Mitacs Accelerate’s new online application portal
What We Heard: A Report from the Three Federal Research Funding Agencies’ Ad Hoc Working Group on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership: The report stems from a commitment under Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada, the Canada Research Coordinating Committee’s strategic plan identifying how better to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada. The resulting strategy’s implementation will be guided by the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research. The report reflects on recent developments in postsecondary spaces as institutions embark on similar journeys and outlines key principles that will inform future work in these areas by the agencies. Further, the report provides the context for developing a policy on the issue to better support Indigenous researchers to access opportunities intended for them. Contributors to the What We Heard report include Indigenous academics, researchers and administrators, as well as institutions’ leaders.
New Requirements for Federal Research Funding - Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC). Additional information can be found here and in the FAQ.
Updates to the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships that are effective immediately:
1. The National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ Annex A has been updated to align with the new list of Sensitive Technology Research Areas. The list includes technologies at various stages of development; however, the focus is on the advancement of a listed technology or its capabilities during the course of the proposed research project, rather than merely its use.
2. In addition, for any NSERC Alliance grant applications that are referred for advice from Canada’s national security departments and agencies following the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ Risk Assessment Review Process, the national security assessment conducted will consider research affiliations of concern.

NSERC announce improvements to Alliance grants programs

Convergence Portal Update – Multi-Factor Authentication: Over the next few months, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) will be implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) in Convergence, as mandated by Government of Canada security policies. Visit the multi-factor authentication page for more information.
The presidents of Canada's federal research granting agencies announce a review of the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications
Mitacs Elevate Program updates: applications are being accepted year-round, proposals are now submitted via the online portal, standard $60,000/year award, open to all sectors and disciplines.
SSHRC-Mitacs Joint Initiative: Starting 2023-24: SSHRC applicants (PEG, PDG, PG-S2, IG) can simultaneously apply for Mitacs Accelerate internships (IDG in 2025). The advantages of the joint program are to: strengthen training and mentoring plans, access additional funding for student and postdoctoral resources, Reinforce engagement with partners and stakeholders, and develop skills and qualifications of students and postdoctoral researchers.

High-level process: (1) SSHRC applicant applies to Mitacs for Accelerate internships one week after SSHRC application deadline; (2) Mitacs and SSHRC conduct merit review separately; (3) Mitacs communicates results to Accelerate applicants after SSHRC does the same for its applicants.

Contact Grants Officer Ewa Stewart for more information.

Update from the NSERC-SSHRC Awards Administration Team regarding the extension request process for grants requiring an extension due to pandemic delays.
CIHR – Mock Review Toolkit: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is pleased to announce the launch of the Mock Review Toolkit. The Toolkit is designed to allow individuals to familiarize themselves with CIHR’s peer review process by simulating the Project Grant competition. Using the Toolkit as a resource, users will be able plan, organize and run mock peer review sessions, from a light round table to a full mock review panel.
City Studio Durham has projects for faculty and students, including projects on workplace modernization, carbon capture, building resilience for displaced residents and others.
Revisions made to CIHR Application Administration Guide to bring clarity on policy 3.6 regarding compensation for co-applicants and trainees.
Research Data Management – Communication re: Tri-Agency Updates

Funding Opportunities

Grants Officers will provide administrative review of grant applications to ensure completeness with agency guidelines and assist with institutional signatures. Please notify your Grants Officer as soon as possible of your intent to apply to any opportunity and at minimum, submit your application for administrative review a minimum of five business days before the agency deadline.

Note: We have provided some additional details on some opportunities in the Word document version of this bulletin. Click on “ORS information and deadlines” to link to these details within the Funding Bulletin document.

New this month

Agency-Program	Internal Deadline	First Agency Deadline
Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) – Net Good Grants Program	April 3, 2024	April 10, 2024
Natural Resources Canada - Energy Innovation Program - Methane Measurement and Mitigation Call for Proposals Information Session – March 26 at 1:00 p.m. Please notify your Grants Officer by March 25 if you plan on applying to this program	Mandatory NOI: March 25, 2024 Full: April 8, 2024	Full: April 17, 2024
Ontario Tech University – Research Excellence Chairs Program	N/A	April 19, 2024
Lab2Market Validate – Fall 2024 Cohort – ORS Information and Deadlines	May 7, 2024	May 14, 2024
Simons Foundation – Pivot Fellowship 2025 The Pivot Fellowship supports researchers who have a strong track record of success and achievement in their current field, and a deep interest, curiosity and drive to make contributions to a new discipline. The program is open to faculty in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, data science and computer science at academic institutions. The fellowships provide salary support as well as research, travel and professional development funding. In addition, mentors will receive a $50,000 research fund.	May 8, 2024	May 15, 2024
SSHRC - Partnership Engage Grant Please note deadline change	May 15, 2024	May 22, 2024
SSHRC - Connection Grant Please note deadline change	June 13, 2024	June 20, 2024
New Frontiers in Research Fund - 2024 NordForsk-Led International Joint Initiative on Sustainable Development in the Arctic	Registration: May 23, 2024 Full: TBD	Registration: May 30, 2024 Full: Fall 2024
The National Killam Program – The Dorothy Killam Fellowship Please notify your Grants Officer as soon as possible if you are interested in applying. Letters of Support are required and will need to be requested in advance of the May 21 internal deadline.	May 21, 2024	June 13, 2024

Current Funding Opportunities

Agency-Program	Internal Deadline	First Agency Deadline
NSERC – Alliance International Catalyst Quantum Grants	No later than March 4, 2024	Rolling deadline until March 31, 2024
NSERC- French Agencies nationale de la recherche (ANR) call for proposals on quantum technologies	March 14, 2024	March 28, 2024
The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the National Geographic Society – The Trebek Initiative	April 4, 2024	April 11, 2024
DND-IDEaS – Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems Concept Development Call for Proposals (Two deadlines to apply)	Full #1: October 19, 2023 Full #2: April 8, 2024	Full #1: October 26, 2023 Full #2: April 15, 2024
SickKids Foundation/ CIHR – New Investigator Grants in Child and Youth Health	April 15, 2024	April 22, 2024
The Spencer Foundation – Research Grants on Education: Small: Supports education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived, with budgets up to $50,000 for projects ranging from one to five years.	April 23, 2024	April 30, 2024
NSERC – Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Program – ORS Information and Deadlines *NSERC CREATE has a quota of two applications per institution. Applicants must submit their internal LOI to ORS by March 4 to be considered within our institutional quota.	Internal LOI – March 4, 2024 (mandatory) LOI - April 24, 2024 Full - TBD	LOI – May 1, 2024 Full – September 23, 2024 (by invitation only)
SSHRC – Connection Grant	April 24, 2024	May 1, 2024
The Spencer Foundation – Racial Equity Research Grants: supports education research projects that will contribute to understanding and ameliorating racial inequality in education. (Competition will open in March 2024)	LOI: May 22, 2024 Full: June 20, 2024	LOI: May 29, 2024 Full: June 27, 2024
NSERC-NRC – Internet of Things: Quantum Sensors Challenge Program – NSERC Alliance Quantum - Advancing the industrial readiness of quantum sensing technologies Please notify your Grants Officer as soon as possible if you are planning on applying to this funding opportunity	June 3, 2024	June 14, 2024
New Frontiers in Research Fund – 2024 Transformation Competition – ORS Information and deadlines	NOI: October 23, 2023 LOI: December 4, 2023 Full: TBD	NOI: October 24, 2023 LOI: January 10, 2024 Full: September 5, 2024

Ongoing Opportunities – No Deadline

Notify ORS of your intention to apply a minimum of 2-3 weeks before you intend to submit your proposal.

Agency-Program

City Studio Durham: matching students with real-world projects

- Contact Danielle Saney

Teaching City Oshawa: addressing Oshawa’s urban issues through research and innovation

- Contact Danielle Saney

NSERC Alliance

- NSERC Alliance – Internal ORS Info

- NSERC Alliance International – Internal ORS Info.

NSERC Idea to Innovation Grant

The objective of Idea to Innovation (I2I) grants is to accelerate the pre-competitive development of promising technology originating from the university and college sector, and to promote its transfer to a new or established Canadian company. I2I grants provide funding to college and university faculty members to support research and development projects with recognized technology transfer potential. This is achieved through defined phases by providing crucial assistance in the early stages of technology validation and market connection.

- Notify IP Officer Walter Chan as soon as possible if you are interested in applying.

- Applications must be submitted to ORS a minimum of one month before the NSERC deadline.

- Please review ORS information and deadlines below

Mitacs - Most MITACS Applications have resumed as normal.

- Mitacs Accelerate - Internal ORS Info.

- Mitacs Accelerate: Connecting SMEs with AI

- Mitacs Business Strategy Internship (BSI)

- Mitacs Entrepreneur International

- Mitacs Globalink Research Award (GRA)

- Mitacs Elevate

- Joint NSERC Alliance – Mitacs Accelerate Streamlined Funding

Cisco Research – Research Grants