Pilot Seed Grant Programs

The competitive seed grant program encourages multidisciplinary teams to explore new research directions and conduct pilot studies. It provides support for innovative projects and helps prepare teams for larger-scale funding opportunities.

The Office of the VPRI has established joint Seed Grant Programs with international partners. These programs aim to foster collaborations between UAlberta and international institutions, promoting research in novel and impactful areas. The ultimate goal is to establish long-term partnerships funded by external sources.

UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL - UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA SEED GRANT PROGRAM

The purpose of this competitive seed grant program is to encourage and catalyze international research collaborations between the U of Alberta and U of Liverpool in new and innovative directions that lead to larger-scale and longer-term partnerships funded by external sources.

Five (5) projects will be funded each year (each project receiving up to GBP £5,800 from U of Liverpool and up to CAD $10,000 from U of Alberta). The themes (eligible areas) for 2024 are: (1) Health and (2) Climate and Energy.

Information on the 2024 application process, as well as the application form, will be provided to the faculties for distribution in June 2024. 

View program guidelines

Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) - University of Alberta Seed Grant Program

UAlberta and ITESM contribute CAN $90,000 annually to the seed grant program. Proposals can request a maximum of CAN $45,000 for one year, with each institution providing up to CAN $22,500. The research priority themes are mutually determined by ITESM and UAlberta on a yearly basis.

View program guidelines

University of Sheffield - University of Alberta Seed Grant Program

UAlberta contributes CAN $50,000 per year, while USheffield contributes £28,000 per year to the seed grant program. Proposals can request up to a maximum of CAN $25,000 from UAlberta and £14,000 from USheffield. The research priority themes are jointly determined by USheffield and UAlberta on an annual basis.

View program guidelines

Energy Transition Seed Grant Program With Indian Research Partners

The purpose of this competitive seed grant program is to encourage and catalyze international research collaborations between the U of A and key partners in India in new and innovative directions that lead to larger-scale and longer-term partnerships funded by external sources.

The theme of the seed grant program is Energy Transitions. The topics under this theme include, but are not limited to, renewable energy (e.g., solar, wind, biomass), hydrogen, CCUS, energy grids and storage, and technical strategies to arrive at net-zero emissions.

The eligible Indian partner for this round of the seed grant program is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. Ideally, up to four projects will be funded at $25,000 per project. Applications will be accepted between March 27, 2024 and the submission deadline of May 17, 2024. Proposal submission is to Dr. John Bell, john.bell@ualberta.ca.

View program guidelines