Research Funding

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) hosts a variety of funding competitions for researchers operating both individually and in teams or groups, with deadlines occurring throughout the year. For more information on upcoming deadlines, please consult Research Administrative Services (RAS) and SSHRC’s Upcoming Deadlines page.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) hosts a variety of funding competitions for both investigator-led and strategic, priority-driven research. NSERC funding competition deadlines occur throughout the year, usually in May or September. For more information on specific upcoming deadlines, please consult NSERC application deadlines and notification of decision.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is dedicated to excelling in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health outcomes for Canadians. As part of this commitment, CIHR conducts multiple funding competitions for investigator- and strategic/priority-driven research. These funding opportunities cover a wide range of health-related topics and have deadlines throughout the year. To explore and apply for CIHR funding, researchers can visit ResearchNet and navigate to the view all Current Opportunities section.

Launched in 2008, the Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) Program supports Canadian universities in their efforts to build on Canada's growing reputation as a global leader in research and innovation. The program awards world-renowned researchers and their teams either $8 million or $4 million over eight years to establish ambitious research programs at Canadian universities. These awards are among the most prestigious and generous available globally.

The CERC program is a Tri-Agency initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. It is administered by the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS), which is housed within SSHRC.

Objectives of the CERC program:

• Attract top researchers to Canada and lead breakthroughs in science, technology, and innovation (ST&I) priority areas for social and economic benefits.
• Build expertise in identified ST&I priority areas.
• Create a competitive research environment and attract world-leading researchers to Canadian institutions.
• Enhance Canada's reputation as a preferred location for research and technological development.

Further details about the program are available on the University of Alberta Research Administrative Services website and the CERC website.

The Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) invests approximately $311 million per year to attract and retain a diverse cadre of world-class researchers, to reinforce academic research and training excellence in Canadian postsecondary institutions.

There are two types of Canada Research Chairs positions:

• Tier 1 Chairs, tenable for seven years and renewable once, are for outstanding researchers acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their fields. Nominees for Tier 1 Chair positions must be full professors or associate professors who are expected to be promoted to the full professor level within one or two years of the nomination.
• Tier 2 Chairs, tenable for five years and renewable once, are for exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. Nominees for Tier 2 Chair positions must be emerging scholars. They should, at a minimum, be assistant or associate professors, or possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these levels.

Further details about the program are available on the University of Alberta Research Administrative Services website and the CRC website.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) mandate is to increase the capability of Canada’s universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research organizations to carry out high-quality research by investing in research infrastructure. CFI objectives are:

• Support economic growth and job creation, as well as health and environmental quality through innovation.
• Increase Canada’s capability to carry out important world-class scientific research and technology development.
• Expand research and job opportunities by providing support through research infrastructure for the development of highly qualified personnel.
• Promote productive networks and collaboration among Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, non-profit research institutions and the private sector.

Further details about CFI programs and funding opportunities are available on the University of Alberta Research Administrative Services website and the CFI websites.

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) provides grants, funding and awards to researchers and institutions to find solutions to global development challenges, with a focus on reducing poverty and addressing problems in developing countries. Through calls for research proposals, IRDC fund projects that aim to foster climate-resilient food systems, global health, education and science, democratic and inclusive governance, and sustainable and inclusive economies in developing countries. Please click this link to discover calls for proposals.

Mitacs is a non-profit organization that fosters research partnerships between Canadian post-secondary institutions, industry, government, and the world. Most Mitacs programs require a supervisor who is eligible to hold Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC) funds and require the intern to be an active student at the University (Undergraduate, Masters, Doctoral) or Post Doctoral Fellow. Program spending must comply with the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration (TAGFA). Further details about the program and submission deadlines are available on the University of Alberta Research Administrative Services website and the Mitacs website.

Alberta Innovates is the province’s most comprehensive research and innovation agency that provides funding to Academic Institutions & Researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry to conduct research in Agriculture & Forestry, Clean Technology, Emerging Technology & Data Science, Energy, Environment and Health & Life Sciences. Please click on this link to view funding opportunities and determine your eligibility.

The Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes supports the development and dissemination of knowledge that leads to a better understanding of Québec and its relationship with Canada, and contributes to the establishment of partnerships between citizens, groups and organizations in Québec and elsewhere in Canada, particularly in the Canadian Francophonie. This institution administers four programs (Programme d'appui à la francophonie canadienne, Soutien aux activités en francophonie canadienne, Programme d'appui aux relations canadiennes, Programme d'appui à la recherche) targeting organizations in Québec and other Canadian provinces and territories, as well as university researchers. To access these opportunities, click here.

The Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) provides research grants and knowledge mobilization grants to support research projects that contribute to improving access to health services in French for Francophone minority communities. To find out more about the CNSF's funding opportunities, please visit their website by clicking here.