Available funding programs
- College and Community Innovation Program - Innovation Links Grants
- Alliance Grants
- Discovery Grant
- Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program (CREATE)
- Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)
- NSERC Alliance / Engage grants and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Voucher for Innovation and Productivity (VIP)
- Additional Opportunities
Program name: | Discovery Grant | |
Type: | Operating | |
Office of Research deadline(s): | Draft new application | 1 months in advance of agency deadline |
Draft renewals | 2 weeks in advance of agency deadline | |
Final full application | 2 days in advance of agency deadline | |
On-line status "submitted" | 2 days in advance of agency deadline | |
Program deadlines: | Notification of Intent to Apply | August 1st annually |
Full application | November 1st annually | |
Funding start date: | April 1st | |
Length of project: | Up to 5 years | |
Program submission instructions: |
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Office of Research application procedure: | Signed Cover Sheet must be submitted to OR | |
Office of Research contacts: | Kelley Moran | |
Program contact: | NSERC Contacts List |
Program Name: | Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) | |
Type: | Award | |
USRA Terms: | Spring | May 1 – August 31 |
Fall | September 1 – December 31 | |
Winter | January 2 – April 30 | |
Office of Research deadline(s): |
1st deadline for co-op applicants who wish to overlook the application process through WaterlooWorks |
2 weeks before Co-op term interview starts |
Final term deadline for all other applicants | 2 weeks in advance of USRA term start date | |
Department deadline(s): | Contact your Department USRA coordinator. | |
Amount: | $6,000 plus supervisor’s contribution (Effective: Spring 2021) | |
Length of project: | 16 consecutive weeks on a full-time basis | |
Program submission instructions: |
All applications must be submitted using NSERC’s on-line system:
Full description available on NSERC’s site including instructions for completing form 202. |
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USRA Supplement: |
Canadian Forest Sector Workforce Diversity Undergraduate Supplement Program From Spring 2020 to Winter 2023, NSERC in partnership with Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service (NRCan – CFS), will run a new supplement program to the Undergraduate Student Research Awards. Up to thirty (30) awards per year will be offered nationwide in each of the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 competitions. This additional supplement has a value of $5,000. NSERC will select candidates and will directly offer the supplement to selected USRA holders. In order to accept the supplement, award holders will have to accept the supplement’s Terms and Conditions. More information is available on the Office of Research USRA SharePoint Site. The supplement is to be counted over and above the USRA top-up. |
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Office of Research contact: | ||
Program contact: | NSERC Students and Fellows Contacts List |
Alliance Grants |
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Type: |
University researchers collaborating with private-sector, public-sector or not-for-profit organizations |
Grant Duration: | 1 to 5 years |
Grant Amount: |
$20,000 to $1 million per year |
Program Details: |
NSERC is launching the new Alliance Grant. Alliance grants encourage university researchers to collaborate with partner organizations, which can be from the private, public or not-for-profit sectors. These grants support research projects led by strong, complementary, collaborative teams that will generate new knowledge and accelerate the application of research results to create benefits for Canada. Research supported by Alliance grants will:
Applicants are encouraged to apply for the new Alliance Grant beginning on May 21, 2019. Alliance will be launched in a phased approach. As of May 21st, Option 1 will be open for applications requesting $150,000 or more annually from NSERC. Please continue to check the Latest News webpage and click on “Sign up” to receive email updates on Alliance grants. For help preparing your application please see the below links, also available on the Alliance Resources webpage:
For the latest information, consult Alliance Grants. |
Office of Research contact: |
Lynda McCutcheon Manager, Research Partnerships 519- 888-4567, ext. 33244 lmccutch@uwaterloo.ca |
NSERC contact: |
Alliance@nserc-crsng.gc.ca |
College and Community Innovation Program – Innovation Links Grants |
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Type: |
Supports college-university collaborations working with the business sector to realize successful commercialization |
Program deadline: |
No deadline |
Grant Duration: |
Up to 3 years |
Grant Amount: |
Up to $250,000 per year for both the college and university participants combined (maximum grant for either participant is $125,000). |
Application submission: |
Submit Signed Cover Sheet and completed application to the Office of Research along with the application two weeks prior to desired application submission date. Refer to the website on how to apply; http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/RPP-PP/CUI2I-INNOVUC_eng.asp |
Intellectual Property: |
Universities need to develop and sign an agreement with each company partner on the ownership and disposition of IP arising from Innovation Links Grant-funded applied research before initiating any Innovation Links activities. |
Office of Research contact: |
Lynda McCutcheon Manager, Research Partnerships 519- 888-4567, ext. 33244 lmccutch@uwaterloo.ca |
NSERC contact: |
NSERC Alliance / Engage grants and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Voucher for Innovation and Productivity (VIP) | |
Type: |
Application |
Internal Deadline |
2 weeks in advance of submitting your application |
Program Deadline |
No deadline – applications accepted at any time |
Research Focus: |
In partnership, NSERC Alliance and OCE’s Voucher for Innovation and Productivity (VIP) will support post-secondary R&D collaborations with the highest potential for regional economic development and commercialization in Ontario. The streamlined joint application and decision process enables companies to quickly undertake new research collaborations with Ontario-based researchers and have their cash contribution leveraged by both NSERC and OCE. The mutually beneficial projects are expected to result in economic benefits to the company and to Ontario and build impactful longer term collaborations between the researcher and the company. Research Partner:
Industry Partner:
Project:
More information can be found at: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Innovate-Innover/VIP-BIP_eng.asp |
Funding Details |
Individual proposals can request at least $20,000 up to $30,000 from NSERC (Alliance grant) and at least $20,000 up to $30,000 from OCE VIP, with a corresponding $20,000 to $30,000 from the industry partner (at least 50% must be cash provided to the academic institution). |
Program submission instructions: |
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Office of Research contact: |
Jennifer Ranford |
Program contact: |
For further questions regarding program guidelines, eligibility, and submitting the online application, please contact your OCE Business Development Manager or: For more information on the VIP program, please contact: Alexandra Ho Program Manager Tel: 416-861-1092 x5018 Email: Alexandra.Ho@oce-ontario.org |
Program Name: | Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program (CREATE) | ||
Type: | Collaborative Research and Training | ||
Office of Research deadline: | Internal Expression of Interest (EOI) | 3rd Monday in February | |
Waterloo's quota is 6, to be confirmed annually | Only 6 EOIs, as selectd by Deans' Council, may submit their Letter of Intent to apply to NSERC | ||
Program deadline(s): | Letter of Intent to Apply | May 1 annually | |
Full application if invited | September 22 annually | ||
Funding start date: | April 1 or upon request September 1 | ||
Length of project: | 6 years | ||
Program submission instructions: |
Letters of Intent and full applications must be submitted using NSERC’s on-line system: Letter of Intent to Apply:
Full Application if invited:
Regular stream or International collaboration: 1 to 3 letters of support from supporting organizations (Optional) Industrial stream: 1 to 3 letters of support from supporting organizations (Mandatory) |
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Office of Research application procedure: | Full application only: Signed Cover Sheet must be submitted to OR | ||
Office of Research Contacts: | |||
Program contact: | NSERC Contacts List |