Incremental Project Grant

The Incremental Project Grants (IPG) funding opportunity is a stream of the Tri-Agency Research Support Fund (RSF). Similar to the RSF grant, it provides support for the indirect costs of research, but for designated projects that support certain key strategic priorities.

The IPG provides eligible institutions with additional support for projects that focus on a set of priorities that cut across the RSF’s five existing categories of eligible expenses. The initial four IPG priority areas are:

  • innovation and commercialization activities;
  • facilities renewal, including deferred maintenance;
  • information resources, including digital resources, open access and databases; and
  • equity, diversity and faculty renewal (in the context of equity, diversity and inclusion).
Pie chart depicting 2024/25 planned expenditures for the Incremental Project Grant in the amount of $1.82 million

In 2024/25, Waterloo received an allocation of $1,824,183. This allocation is divided across the following categories to support Waterloo’s research objectives:

Performance objectives

Innovation and Commercialization Activities

Facilities Renewal

Information Resources

Equity, Diversity and Faculty Renewal (in the context of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion)

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization (EDII) Research Support

2024-2025

Institutional performance objective
  • Increase faculty and staff, as well as graduate students and postgraduates, understanding of how EDII is incorporated into the research ecosystem
  • To embed EDII into research design by educating and building capacity, collaborating with researchers to improve award applications and advise more generally on research projects, teams and programs
  • In-depth research support of Indigenous faculty members, including Indigenous Canada Research Chairholders (CRCs)
  • Increase the number of resources on the IRRHub and promote the use of learning through the IRRHub resources
Indicator
  • Number of EDII research training sessions delivered to faculty, researchers and staff
  • Number of consultations and grant proposal reviews
  • Percentage of Indigenous researchers receiving project management support for research administration
  • Number of items on the IRRHub
  • Number of users that access resources
Outcomes

Target

  • 30 EDII research training sessions delivered to faculty, researchers and staff
  • 100 consultations and grant proposal reviews
  • 100 percent of Indigenous researchers receiving project management support for research administration
  • 30 new guides and resources posted to the IRRHub
  • Over 1,500 hits on IRRHub

2023-2024

Institutional performance objective
  • Increase faculty and staff, as well as graduate students and postgraduates, understanding of how EDII is incorporated into the research ecosystem
  • To embed EDII into research design by educating and building capacity, collaborating with researchers to improve award applications and advise more generally on research projects, teams and programs
  • In-depth research support of Indigenous faculty members, including Indigenous Canada Research Chairholders (CRCs)
  • Increase the number of resources on the IRRHub and promote the use of learning through the IRRHub resources
Indicator
  • Number of EDII research training sessions delivered to faculty, researchers and staff
  • Number of consultations and grant proposal reviews
  • Percentage of Indigenous researchers receiving project management support for research administration
  • Number of items on the IRRHub
  • Number of users that access resources
Outcomes

Target

  • 30 EDII research training sessions delivered to faculty, researchers and staff
  • 100 consultations and grant proposal reviews
  • 100 percent of Indigenous researchers receiving project management support for research administration
  • 30 new guidance and resources posted to the IRRHub
  • Over 500 hits on IRRHub

Actuals

  • 41 EDII research training sessions delivered to faculty, researchers and staff
  • 264 consultations (133) and grant proposal reviews (131)
  • 100 percent of Indigenous researchers receiving project management support for research administration
  • 91 new guidance and resources posted to the IRRHub (Inclusive Research Resource Hub)
  • Over 1450+ hits on IRRHub (Inclusive Research Resource Hub)

2022-2023

Institutional performance objective
  • Increase faculty and staff as well as graduate students and postgraduates, understanding of EDII in the campus environment and the research ecosystem
  • To embed an EDII lens into research design by educating and building capacity, collaborating with researchers to improve award applications and advise more generally on research projects, teams and programs
  • In depth research support of Indigenous faculty members, including Indigenous Canada Research Chair holders
  • Establish and support an Indigenous Research Advisory Circle
  • Plan and begin building the EDII digital hub that allows an online home for all training materials (including video recordings), guidelines and examples
Indicator
  • Number of EDII training sessions delivered to faculty and staff as well as graduate and postgraduate students involved with (or considering) research
  • Number of grants with EDII components reviewed
  • Number of grant-review specific training sessions
  • Number of general ad-hoc advising on research requests fulfilled
  • Percentage of Indigenous researchers receiving direct project management support for research administration
  • Indigenous Research Advisory Circle administratively (with terms of reference, participants, agreements, etc.) established and meeting plan agreed
  • EDII Digital Hub published to the Office of Research website and hits being tracked
Outcomes

Target

  • 30 EDII training sessions delivered to faculty and staff as well as graduate and postgraduate students involved with research
  • 100 grants with EDII components reviewed
  • 5 grant-review specific training sessions held
  • 25 general ad-hoc advising on research requests fulfilled
  • 100 percent of Indigenous researchers receiving direct project management support for research administration
  • Indigenous Advisory Circle established and one advising meeting held
  • EDII Digital Hub published to the Office of Research website and first 100 "hits" achieved

Actual

  • 33 training sessions held
  • 65 grant reviews - Could identify lower grant review numbers this year as a positive outcome of capacity and confidence of grant reviewers (less triage), as well as some grants requiring more in-depth reviews e.g. CFREF, dramatic increase in consultations vs grant reviews to build capacity and understanding
  • 7 grant-review specific trainings (Graham Seed Fund, Robbins-Ollivier, NSERC Discovery Grant, CERC x4)
  • 109 consultations provided
  • 100% of Indigenous faculty members have received research support, including grant application support, research program planning, community facilitation and logistics, research project administration, co-training requests, and consultations on best practices to remove barriers in the research ecosystem. Current Indigenous Canada Research Chairholders (3) have received additional levels of support in their research program management. Three additional Indigenous faculty members received support in preparing upcoming CRC off-cycle applications (one Tier 2, two Tier 1)
  • We engaged with members of the Indigenous campus community to ask advice on the creation of an Indigenous Advisory Circle specifically for the Office of Research. As we discussed our needs with community, including the AVP Indigenous Relations, it was shared that the Indigenous campus community is quite small, and adding another circle with the same few people would be an additional burden. Instead, we were advised to create an Indigenous Community Engagement Strategy, for when there are key initiatives, questions, and consultations needed around the research ecosystem. Based on this feedback, we are developing a framework for consultation with Indigenous members of the campus community that respects the amount of work undertaken by Indigenous people at UW while also understanding the need for engagement. 
  • Over 200 page views;  Dec-22:  Scoping document completed; Jan-23: Existing resources added, internal launch to VPRI completed; Mar-23: External resources added, internal launch completed

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization (EDII) Projects - Program Support

2021-2022

Institutional performance objective
  • All website content and external research reports/communications are aligned with EDI best practices, including accessibility requirements
  • Processes established to ensure the effective collection and management of quantitative and qualitative equity data
Indicator
  • % of Waterloo’s Office of Research website content that is AODA compliant (e.g., screen reader accessible)
  • Number of engagements led as part of Waterloo’s Institutional Equity Data Strategy development
Outcomes

Target

  • 100% of Waterloo’s Office of Research website content is AODA compliant, including all PDF reports
  • 20 consultations completed with key stakeholders from academic support units and Faculties across Waterloo to inform the Institutional Equity Data Strategy

Actual

  • 100% of Waterloo’s Office of Research website content is AODA compliant, including all PDF reports
  • Over 50 consultations completed with key stakeholders from academic support units and Faculties across Waterloo to inform the Institutional Equity Data Strategy

Equity , Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization (EDII) Projects - EDII Team Support

2021-2022

Institutional performance objective
  • Increase staff, faculty and student understanding of EDII in the campus environment and beyond;
  • To embed an EDI lens into research design
  • To develop anti-racism business processes within the research environment
Indicator
  • Number of EDI training sessions delivered to staff, faculty and students
  • Number of grants with EDI components reviewed
  • Number of business processes reviewed and updated using an anti-racism and EDI lens
Outcomes

Target

  • 30 EDI training sessions provided to staff, faculty and students
  • 200 grants with EDI components reviewed
  • 5 research business processes reviewed and updated using an anti-racism and EDI lens

Actual

  • 33 EDI training sessions provided to staff, faculty and students
  • 103 grants with EDI components reviewed, plus 2 new 'Train the Trainer' workshops model to support knowledge and growth of EDII to grant reviewers in faculties and the Office of Research working to take a new approach to raise the overall reviewing capacity of all teams and embed EDI
  • 6 research business processes reviewed and updated using an anti-racism and EDI lens

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization (EDII) Projects - EDII Team Support Office of Research

2020-2021

Institutional performance objective
  • To embed an EDI lens into research design
  • To develop anti-racism business processes within the research environment
Indicator
  • Number of grants with EDI components reviewed
  • Number of business processes reviewed and updated using an anti-racism and EDI lens
Outcomes

Actual

  • Over 245 direct reviews completed for grant applications that include an equity-related component to ensure that specific feedback is offered reflecting the researchers unique training environment and field of research
  • Training provided on EDI and equitable hiring practices to 147 participants (an increase of 65 participants over the previous year). Report generated for enhanced institutional support for Indigenous CRCs; 2 educations sessions for uWaterloo staff: Respectful Research - Institutional Decolonization and Minoinaadiziwin "In a good way": Supporting Indigenous Research at Waterloo; 55 participants across both sessions

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization (EDII) Projects - Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Office

2020-2021

Institutional performance objective
  • Support initiatives to advance EDI within research teams and processes across the campus
Indicator
  • Number of training sessions led
Outcomes

Actual

  • Two training sessions on "Developing Equity Informed Leadership" provided to almost 300 senior leaders with advanced training on how to identify, prevent and address systemic racism. Engaged advisor to support anti-racism intiatives across the Univeristy

Incremental Project Grant 2023/2024 - Total amount awarded $1,888,608

Pie chart depicting 2023/24 planned expenditures for the Incremental Project Grant

Incremental Project Grant 2022/2023 - Total amount awarded $1,926,172

Pie chart

2021/2022 - Total amount awarded $1,965,896

IPG Pie Chart 2021-2022

2020/2021 - Total amount awarded $1,575,513

Pie Chart of 2020/21 IPG

2019/2020 - Total amount awarded $1,305,532

Pie Chart of 2019/2020

2018/2019 - Total amount awarded $1,014,311

Pie Chart: Actual expenditures 18-19 $1.014m i. Equity, diversity and faculty renewal 8% ii.Innovation and commercialization 20% iii. Facilities renewal 15% iv.Information resources 58%
Legend: blue (Equity, diversity and faculty renewal), red (Innovation and commercialization), green (facilities and renewals) & purple (information resouces)