Research ideas and applications
The information on this page is intended to help Environment's faculty members pursue research funding opportunities and complete applications. Here are some useful Q&As:
How do I find out about research funding opportunities?
- The Office of Research (OR) website has a list of funding opportunities and submission deadlines for upcoming competitions.
- You are also encouraged to regularly consult various agencies' websites such as:
- Pivot is accessible from any desktop computer on campus.
- Publications like The Canadian Directory to Foundations and Grants, which can be found in the reference section of the Dana Porter Library.
- Public and private foundations are often the source of additional funds for specific focused activities with a practical application.
Which resources are available for Principal Investigators (PIs)?
The Principal Investigator’s handbook is a collection of resources designed to guide PIs on the compliance obligations related to their research projects including intellectual property and commercialization, hiring a research team, and research agreements.
Is this a grant or a contract?
Traditionally, grants are provided by government agencies and have no overhead associated with them. Alternatively, contracts are offered by private sector organizations and also via select government programs; these have overhead associated with them. Discussions with the ADR can help determine whether the process will be channelled through OR's Government Research Contracts section or its Research Partnerships grants section.
Please also note the following:
- The current cost of a course buyout is $16,000. Anything beyond these limits must be included in the budget as funding from other sources.
- You must follow recommended pay rates for student research assistants and non-student assistants paid from research grants.
- You may also want to hire students through UWaterloo's co-op system. Alternatively, it may be that you decide to hire graduate students.
What should I do next?
Once a potential grant source has been identified, thoroughly review the guidelines to ensure eligibility and to familiarize yourself with the grant application requirements. If you need further clarification, please contact the Faculty Research Coordinator who will then put you in touch with the respective funding coordinator in OR. You may also wish to visit OR's website to obtain the contact information of the individual who handles specific granting agencies or sponsors.
Notice should then be given, or as early as possible to the ADR and the Faculty Research Coordinator that an application will soon be forthcoming. Appropriate information to send at this time are:
- Name of sponsor and web address of competition,
- Agency/Sponsor's deadline date and, if known, OR's internal deadline date
- The level of interaction/assistance you require from the ADR during the process of completing the application.